Evening star., 1952-06-10
Navy Medical Worker
Held in Theft After
Return Of S4,45o

Joseph r. Fera, IS, a civilian
supervisor for the Navy Bureaul
OF Medicine and Surgery. today
awaits grand jury action onl
charges that he stole $4,459 from
the Navy Credit Union and then
returned it.
Fera, who lives in the 5000 block
Of South Sixteenth road. Arling-
ton, Va. appeared late yesterday
before United States Commissioner
Cyril Lawrence. who set bond atl
$4,000. Fera is accused of grand
larceny. He waived preliminary
hearing.
His arrest earlier in the after
noon came from careful investi-
CATION Of the case, which had
several unusual elements. These
included the return of the money,
allegedly by Fera. when he be-
came obsessed with the idea that
the police were following him.
Praise From Fera.
I'VE never put q man on him"
Detective Sergt. Garner L. Norris
of the general assignment squad.
said yesterday. He and Detective
Edwin P. Grafton Of the same
squad came in for particular
praise from Fera when the latter
spoke Of the persistency Of the
police during the four-day in
vestigation.
Fera's Office is in the same cor
ridor as the credit union Office at
Twenty-third and E streets NV.
According to police. about two
weeks ago Fera discovered key
in the door of the credit unions
Office and pocketed it.
The detectives said a woman
employe of the union brought
$4,000 to the Office every two
weeks to cash employees checks
and make short-term loans. Last
Thursday. police said, $4.459 which
remained Of the $4,000 was
placed in desk while the woman
went to lunch. The door to the
Office then was locked.
Questioned for Eight Hours.
During a second grilling yes
terday, police said Fera admitted
opening the door with the key he
took and stealing the money. Had
he tried earlier he might have
gotten the whole $4,000. they de-
clared. u
The investigation started with
routine questioning of all persons
in the vicinity Of the credit union
Office. This went on for three
days. After questioning Fera for
eight hours. he was released on
Saturday.
From then on, officers said,
Fera began to "see" police almost
everywhere he went. He said the
money had remained in his car
from the time it was taken. He
drove around the city trying to
figure what to do about it, he told
police. And as he drove, he said
he saw. in his rear mirror. taxisl
and private cars. all containing
police. -
Found on Steps.
Early yesterday morning, he
said he made a decision as he
was driving by the Capitol. He
stopped the car, reached into d
trash can and extracted news
paper. He said he wrapped the
money in it and then wrapped an
other paper around the bundle.
He told police he took it to a.
building guard Office at Nine
teenth and Constitution avenue
NV. and put it on the steps.
It was found there by a
building guard. Fera then vol
unfairly went to the police for
a second grilling, during which,
they said, he confessed.
The police found their efforts
aided by discovery Of a small clue.
This was an artists pencil of the
type Fera uses in his work of
preparing pamphlets and medical
drawings. It was found near the
credit union Office. they said. The
newspaper also contained finger
prints which checked with Feras,
according to Detectives Norris and
Grafton.
Fera said he took the money
to finance his wife's trip from
Connecticut to settle her here.
He has lived in Washington for