Jasper County Democrat, Volume 2, Number 15, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 July 1899 — CHICAGOAN A FUGITIVE. [ARTICLE]

CHICAGOAN A FUGITIVE.

About 934*000 Start, After five years of sue ice as clerk, secretary and school agent Car-toe Chicaga Board of Education, W. A. & Graham has proved faithless to his trust and Bed the city, a confessed defaulter. Hm shortage is believed to aaseawt to $34.500, although in a statement left behind he estimates it at $28,«». In Ms Bght he left behind to suffer for hss misdeeds his wife and three little rhihhm, To cover his shortage he left a schedule of his real property in Chicago and Bvanston, estimated by himself to be worth $25,000, and winch he wished toned over to the School Board or the surety company which was on his bond. With the schedule was a eonfeprion of his gufiL The last trace of Graham was his appearance in New Orleans less than a week ago, accompanied by his wife and three children. This was the initial step in his flight, the family having harried to the Southern city while Graham’s friends thought he was touring westward in search of rest and quiet. It was bis intention to keep his family together, but the illness of Mrs. Graham and her baby precluded this and the family returned to Chicago after Graham had written a complete confession, turning over aB his property for the benefit of toe school fund that had suffered from his peculation and had worded a faltering declaration that he hoped to live to undo the wrong he had accomplished. This done, the defaulter departed. Where he went or what his intentions for the future are no «me knows, but the surety companies that are upon his bond and will have to make good the shortage are hot on his trail.