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$5000 REWARD FOR BANKER
Chicago Clearing House Offers This for Stensland.
LOOKING FOR WOMAN IN CASE
Secret Room Found in Stensland's Magnificent Home-Property Turned Over.
Five thousand dollars reward will be paid for the arrest of Paul O. Stensland, fugitive president of the Milwaukee Avenue State bank of Chicago. The banks of the Chicago Clearing House association will pay the reward.
Announcement of the determination of the bankers to stop at nothing in the capturing of the accused bank officer accompanied the passage of a resolution to pay the reward. The bankers were in conference for an hour.
Bonds for Theodore Stensland, who surrendered to the authorities were given in the sum of $10,000. Attorney J. J. Kern had asked Judge Kerston that the bonds would be the charge of conspiracy and the court fixed the bail at $10,000. Bond was furnished.
A police dragnet was thrown out to catch a woman forger, who is thought to have intimate knowledge of the fraudulent Stensland notes found in the bank vaults. The woman's arrest was ordered by the State's attorney.
Detectives who are searching for her declare that she may have forged the signatures by means of which Stensland looted the bank. She is known to have been closely associated with the banker and to be skillful with the pen.
Discovery of a mysterious room in which Paul O. Stensland is believed to have prepared to hide himself in his big house in Irving park brought new interest into the police hunt for the banker.
Inspector Shippy learned of the supposed existence of the room of mystery and sent two detectives to search the house. These men, with yardsticks and tapelines, measured all through the house.
They discovered adjoining Stensland's "den," a portion of the house the use of which could not be accounted for. Finally they tapped upon a panel in Stensland's "den." It sounded hollow and was partly concealed by drapery. When the door was forced there was disclosed an opening large enough for a man to stand in to conceal himself.
A secret telephone was discovered in the back part of a desk in the so-called "directors" room of Stensland's bank. Inspector Shippy was making investigation there. The police say that this telephone gave Stensland direct access to all messages coming in or going out from the bank.
It became known that young Stensland had given to Receiver John C. Fetzer, for the benefit of the bank depositors, a deed to all the Cook county real estate held by his father, who had given him power of attorney. The property is estimated to be worth $650,000.