Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1916-10-20
Copyright by ". @. Chapman

stracting such amounts every day.
The bank accountants were soon able
to demonstrate the method of these
distractions. The boOkkeeper would
give check against his own account
TO some individual in Boston and that
individual would deposit it for collec-
ton. It would be sent through the
clearing house and eventually reach
the bank in cambridge. The book
keeper was always early at the bank
when any such checks were expected
from the clearing house. He opened
the letters transmitting them, turn
ing the statement of the total amount
represented over to the cashier, that
a check might be sent by him to the
clearing house. 1t was the province of
the bookkeeper to enter the individ-
ual checks against the accounts rep
resented. When he reached his own
personal check, he charged it to some
one of the inactive accounts instead
of his own and destroyed it. So had
he taken 100000.
But the immediate task in hand fell
to Billy Gard. 1t was the apprehen-
sion of the fugitive and the recovery,
if possible, of all or part of the money
taken. It was in the course Of the
performance Of this duty that the
ramifcations of this case which give
it a place among the most unique and
complete crimes of the age were de-
veloped.
While accountants were revealing
the methods used inside the bank in
getting hold of the money, Gard was
busy outside. Tollman, having dis
appeared, was to be traced. The first
step was to establish his habits, to
find his associates. To the expert
enced special agent the groundwork
Of case of this sort unfolds almost
of itself There were the people who
knew him best in cambridge, for in
stance. They told Gard that the young
ster had broken away, Of late, from
the friends of his youth. He was be-
lieved to have gone to Boston for his
pleasures. He had a big red automo-
bile which, it was supposed, he had
bought with the money of his inherit
ance and in which he drove away prac-
tica1ly every night. Through the whole
of the last year of his populations,
Tollman, the dollar-a-week
clerk, drove regularly to his work at
the bank in this car
In Boston Gard picked up the clues.
Tollman was well known at certain no
tells and cafes. At one hotel which
was a rendezvous for sporting PEG
pie he regularly called upon a very
dashing young woman who was regis
tered as Laura GateWoOd. 1t was at
this same hotel that he became &C
quainted with an accomplished indi-
vidual known as John r. Mansfield,
gals Tap. in Columbia avenue, and
whose livelihood was secured through
alleged games of chance. Miss Gate
wood also introduced Tollman to a
Mrs. Siddons, an especial friend OF
Mansfield, who maintained a coy lit
tie apartment in a respectable part
of Boston, and who had, in a dress
suit case, a portable faro outfit which
could be set up in her rooms upon Oc-
casion. There was also Edward T.
Walls, a large and dominant man.
who had, of late, found poker playing
on transatlantic liners rather pre-
carious calling. But, finally, Miss
Gatewood arranged meetings between
Tollman and s'Big Bill Kelliner, who
lived in Winthrop, not far away, was
in the wholesale liquor business,
in politics, and, as afterward de-
veloped, was dominating spirit in the
faro gang
With the development of the friend.
ship with Kelliner began the trips tt
New York. These two would meet
two or three times a week at the
Back Bay station and together take
the train for New York. So fire
quent were these trips that the mem
bers of the train crews came to be
well acquainted with the men, and to
know something of their movements
They gave clues to the hotels in New
York at which these travellers stayed
and this led to their Identification by
hotel clerks and other facts as tC
their associates. Eventually all this
led to a certain house in West TWEEN
ty-eighth street and a consultation
with the New York police as to its
character.
It developed that in this house there
was always running, on evenings when
Kelliner and Tollman came to New
York, a faro game. Here Kellinel
gambled and at first won and induced
Tollman to try his luck. The young
ster was allowed to win prodigiously
Again he would lose, but not enough
to brighten him away. So was the
craze for gambling developed in the
bookkeeper. But eventually he lost
what was left of his inheritance. VI
to this time he was honest. But al
the suggestion of Kelliner he stole
from the bank to make good his losses
He lost again, and was in the mill
There was no chance of escape bu
( Ahr0u0h c+aoJipU mora Of the hank