$12,000 Embezzlement Charged To Woman

$12,000 Embezzlement Charged To Woman

YPSILANTI — An $80-a-week bookkeeper was charged yesterday with embezzling nearly $12,000 from her employer during a 14-month period ending last October.

Mrs. Irene L. Fensch, 37, 6875 Stoney Creek Rd., Ypsilanti township, stood mute in municipal court late yesterday afternoon to four counts of embezzlement and four companion charges of grand larceny.

City police detectives say Mrs. Fensch embezzled $11,521 while employed as a bookkeeper at the Washtenaw Farmers Oil Co., 317 N. Washington St. here. Officers say records of fuel oil firms deliverymen were altered, and some original records of the oil firm are missing.

Mrs. Fensch has admitted nothing to police, and said nothing at her court arraignment yesterday. Judge Edward D. Deake scheduled an examination for next Friday, and she was released on $2,500 property bond.

Shortage of the money was discovered by the oil co-operative in mid-1957, detectives explained, although police were not notified until December. Mrs. Fensch has been under investigation since January.

Formerly employed at a local bank, Mrs. Fensch allegedly made out two extra paychecks for herself totaling $160 while working at the oil company. She was employed there from early 1956 until last October. The money was taken between Aug. 13, 1956, and last Oct. 31, police say.

Formal charges were brought yesterday by Jeddie W. Staley, manager of the oil company here, after Chief Assistant Prosecutor William D. Barense authorized the eight-count complaint.

Since leaving the oil company, Mrs. Fensch reportedly has been employed as a bookkeeper at two other firms here.