New Britain herald., 1917-04-19
MANAGER OF SHOE
 STORE BOUND OVER
Donat Proult Alleged to Have
 Mulctbdt New Haven" Road

Beginning of widespread drive by high New Haven" road officials to break up cleverly devised scheme l that, 1t is alleged, has mulcted the company out of thousands of dollars through fraudulent claims for dam- aged shipments and the bringing of many dishonest merchants to an ac- counting was made public last night in the arrest of Donat Proulx of 50 Lyman street. Holyoke. Mass. man. ager of the Newark Shoe companys store at 324 Main street. The arrest was made by Chief of Police William J. Rawlings and State Policeman Will liam E. Jackson as the accused stepped from the store. Specifically charged with the appropriation of twenty-seven pairs of shoes, valued at $10o, March 2e. Proulx was arraigned before Judge John H. Kirkham in police court this morning and held for hearing Saturday under bonds of $1,50O.
 Attorney M. D. Sake, counsel for the accused, asked for the continu- ance on the ground that he was un- acquainted with details of the case. He made an intellectual plea for re- auction of bonds but this was opposed by Prosecuting Attorney George w. Klett, who said that the seriousness of the charges and future proceed ings, demanded the assurance that Proulx be on hand when wanted.
 District Manager H. J. Deters of the corporation operating the store in connection with a chain of similar stores covering wide area, said that proceedings will be brought by his concern as soon as the railroad charges are settled. He emphasized this morning that his concern has long suspected Proulx and other man. agers have been engaged in some scheme of the type alleged to have been unearthed, has been conducting an investigation and intends to make an example of the accused. He is under bonds of $2.O0O to his employ CTS, the bonds being furnished by the Fidelity Casualty company of Balti- more. They will be notified of the arrest.
 ., Alleged Methods.
 According to the complaint, Proulx's methods were to open shipments, ab- stract a number of pairs of shoes or shoe supplies, cache them and then notify the railroad authorities that the consignment was damaged and file a statement, sworn to before a notary. claiming damages. Manager Deters charges that Proulx would then take the appropriated material, sell 1t in the store and pocket the proceeds or sell 1t to other dealers. He claims to have found some of the material, alleged to have been stolen. in several nearby stores. among them
 
 shoe supplies stores .and to have traced some of the material to dealers as far away as Bristol.
 According to the authorities, Proulx was caught by a clever ruse of railroad detectives, state police and local authorities. A shipment is all legged to have been opened and examined in the presence of witnesses while yet in custody of the railroad, the box re-nailed and turned over to one of the H. R. Walker company's trucks for carriage to the store. De- tectives watched the box in transit so as to be certain that it reached its destination in the same condition as when it was examined. It Is alleged that Proulx filed a claim that the shipment was short twenty-seven pairS of shoes. This number, according to the authorities, was accounted for when the shipment was examined in their presence before being turned over to the truckman. The investiga- tion by the railroad was in charge personally of J. B. McMahon, chief of the roads special agents, and assist ants with personal aid of the division al superintendent and his off1ce.t Similar investigations are being con- ducted all along the lines of the road and 1t Is today authoritatively an- nounced that evidence has been se- cured to cause the issuance of numerous warrants and proceedings against many. The proceedings agains Proulx is said to be but the beginning of the campaign.
 Corporations Loss $9S6.
 According to Manager Deters, his corporation alleges that their 1oss as already discovered, amounts to $9S6 at the local store. It is his contention that Proulx's plight is due to living beyond his income, trying to "be good fellow belonging to a fast bunch and the old, old story of 'wine. women and song." He alleges that, while in the city for some time con- ducting an investigation on his own account without his manager being aware of his presence, he has seen several women, whom he learned have shady regulations locally, lettering about the store on frequent occasions and, apparently, >on terms of intimacy with Proulx. According to his statement, he heard reports that Proulx was "traveling with fast set' and reports of an unsavory type were furnished to him relative to alleged procedure in the store between men and women with the knowledge and consent of the manager.
 Proulx. according to him, comes of a prominent Holyoke family had been a clerk employed by the company at its Holyoke store for about two years