Evening star., 1924-11-25
CoNFESSES TO THEFTS,
koretz About to Flee When Ar.
rested.

HALIFAX, Nova Scotia, November
2o.-Leo koretz has confessed, according
TO police, to preparation of mail
frauds which netted him approx
!uately s2,00o,000 and for which he
vas indicted in Chicago year ago.
He disappeared at the time of his in
dictment and no trace of him was
found until he was arrested here Sun
day night.
Preparing to Flee.
koretz also revealed that when he
was arrested he was preparing 10
leave for South America. He said
that he had come to Nova Scotia In
order TO obtain passports.
In statement concerning his al
legged fraudulent land deals, Koretz
today made mention of my beautiful
wife and two children" whom police
said he left destitute when he dis
appeared, and with whom he has
never communicated while playing
the part OF freehanded millionaire
here.
known for Months.
Assistant states attorneys who
came here to arrest koretz revealed
that Chicago police have known that
Koretz had been in Canada since
January but did not say when the
exact place of his hiding was discov-
cred.
The officers said tha. Koretz had
been traced through hospitals and
physicians to whom he had been for
treatment of a maIady from which
he has suffered for years
Although Roretz was said to have
made no detailed confession, merely
admitting the main features of the
charges against him, according to po-
lice, he freely discussed the case with
which he had conducted his land
business. He said that one Chicagoan
had "fmplored" him to accept
100000 for investment
Although it had been planned at
first to take koretz back to Chicago
today, when he waived extradition
and expressed his desire TO start le-
gal machinery moving IN his case, he
was st!il held in jail here tonight,
and it was said that he would not
leave until tomorrow anyway
According to his statement, Ko-
retz has spent virtually all the money
which he Is alleged to have taken
with him in a satchel when he dis
appeared from Chicago. He has spent
thousands Of dollars in renovating a
country home he bought near here
and has entertained lavishiy and made
a hobby of collecting rare and ex-
fStS''S pSOhop III anu >.
Traced to New York.
Police say that Koretz told them
that when he was indicted he went to
New York with the proceeds OF his
transactions and registered at a hotel
under his own name. Learning that
he had been traced there, he moved
to an apartment and for the first time
took on the name Of Lou Keyte.
He told police, they said. that he
financed bookstore on Madison ave-
nue., which he placed under the man.
sgement of Temple Scott, a we'll
known figure in the book store and
publishing fields
In January he started for Canada.
partly because of his failing health.
and was taken i'll IN Montreal. He
mad 10 go TO a sanatorium there
from there he came to Nova Scotia
and settled down to playing the role
of generous eccentric millionaire.
Last night Koretz obtained a lawyer
and made assignment of all his hold
ings here,
In his cell the millionaire, who
had achieved such a reputation for
honesty and earnestness here that
recently he was rendered and accent
ed an invitation to preach a sermon.
presented picture of detection