 Beginning in at least 1883 , Linderfelt began embezzling large sums of money from the Library , chiefly by double @-@ billing the board for Library expenditures and pocketing the difference . He never provided a motive for his theft , but it was widely speculated , and argued by his lawyer , that the financial demands of Linderfelt 's prestigious position in society were not met by his modest public salary . 
