The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1924-03-06
FORMER TEACHER in
SERIOUS TROUBLE
CONTINUED from First Page)
vestigators admit the cleverness o
her scheme.

vestigators admit the cleverness of
her scheme.
Yet, according to those familiar
with the case, she took money from
the funds entrusted to her care with
out the slightest hope of recompense
that would finally end the possibility
of discovery.
Miss Lewis remained at home with
her father, William E. Lewis, assist
ant manager of Swift & Co. at South
st. Paul, as surety of her appear
ance in police court at 9 A. M. today.
County officials expect that Miss
Lewis will waive preliminary exam
ination and then be held to the dis
trict court.
Neither Miss Lewis nor members
of her family would indicate whether,
when she appears before the court,
she will amplify the written state
ment made to her former employers
in explanation of the shortages in her
accounts.
The statement signed by Miss Lewis
was an admission of defalcation and
an expression of regret of the VIOLA
ton of trust placed in her by her en-
ployers and hope that she will be
able to "make good" the shortages,
County Attorney Peterson said.
The complaint specifies that the for
mer bookkeeper, an attractive young
woman, 28 years old, with many
friends and popular, especially with
the young women of her acquaint-
ance, passed forged check for $55
at the Globe Apparel shop, 20 East
Sixth street.
h. Mrc
Wallace" whom she represented to
be the housekeeper at her home, &C
cording to E.. j. Walker, manager.
Inquiry developed that "Mrs. Wal
lace" was a fictitious name and was
the one used for the dummy account
by means of which the alleged $4,000
shortage was manipulated.
{. What motive Miss Lewis might
have had other than her longing for
pretty clothes, jewelry, sprightly en-
tertainment and reputation for gen.
crosby among congenial friends, was
not disclosed, bank officials said, al
though the bookkeeper explained in
detail how she manipulated the &C
counts.
By drawing checks against the
dummy account, destroying the
checks and then substituting true
and untrue ledger record as the oc-
casion demanded and finally by sub
shutting false statement of one of
her accounts, the defalcations were
continued without discovery for more
than two years, bank officials said.
The system required an expert
knowledge of bank accounting and
unusual daring, as the slightest slip
at any time would have meant dis
closure, it was explained.
Miss Lewis had cashed many checks
at the apparel shop, sometimes max
ing payments on her account and re-
tanning part of the amount of the
check, the investigation disclosed.
The frequency of the transactions
finally aroused his suspicious. when
the check of $55 was presented Feb
ruary 20, Manager Walker said. The
incident was reported to the bank. 1t
was then that the false ledger sheet
was discovered and the shortages
traced through a checking of the &C
counts.
For several years before her grad
uation from the University of Mime
sofa in 1919, Miss Lewis had been
employed during the summer as a
clerk in the Great Northern railway
general offices. Following her grad
uation she became teacher in the
high school at Sank Centre, Mimi.
Miss Lewis was employed at a
salary of $120 month while teach
ing at Sank Centre. Acquaintance
there said she expressed desire to
return home to st. Paul to be near
her parents.
Returning to st. Paul in 1921,
Miss Lewis obtained the position as
bookkeeper at the bank. She quickly
gained recognition because of her
ability and soon had wide circle of
friends. She proved adept in for
eign languages and was valuable .
aid to bank officers in handling Eu-
ropian correspondence. A rapid and