New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-10-16
CASHIER pHELPss CAREER AND CRIME.

CASHIER PHELPS'S CAREER AND ChlblE'
ms soururRy AyrrcEpENrs-nE REFUSES TO MAKE
ANY srArEMENT-How THE THEFfs WERE
ACCOMPIIsIED--ANA CCOMPIICE EQUALLY GUILTY
NOT YET DISCOVERED.
lBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRBUNEl
ALBANY. Oct. 15.-Phcps the defaultlng cashier
Of the Treasury Department, who now lies IN inc
Albany Jail awaiting an examination was appointed
to lis position in the Treasurers Office by MI hahes
at the earnest solicitation of ID. d. B. Brown OF no.
chester. He was highly recommended ana had
held positions of trust in Virginia and Georgia lie
is 2 Southern man by BIRTH and is said to have
been in the Confederate service. When appointed
cashier by Mr. Raines he. resided IN Albion, N. Y.
He is "A married man. about A years OF age ana since
he came to Albany has been highly respected by all
who knew him, and regarded az man OF
undoubted integrity. Since his arrest he has been
very melancholy. and his friends say he has changed
very much in his appearance during his weeks
absence from Albany His salary as cashier was
60 roo and there Is no evidence that he lived beyond
his iucome Although he refuses to say TO what
extent he is a defaulter who were his confederates,
or what he did with.the money there is little doubt
that il was lost i'm stock specuatOns in New-fork.
The public will probably get more definite informa-
lion when he is arraigned tomorrow morning before
Justice Mcnamara as his counsel will then be here,
and the examination, which was adjourned to-day,
will be- resumed.
Phe,os WIS brought before Gov. Dix, Treasurer
Rsines, and Attorney General Barlow, to-day but
refused 10 divulge anything until tine ARRIVAL OF MS
counsel from New-York. Ii was decided however
TO have an immediate investigation OF tue accounts
Of the Treasrrers Office by persons not conhecteu
with It, and Gen Barlow, who is TO superlhtehd inc
Investigations has telegraphed for W m IL warren,
the accountant of New-York, who Is expected
here Tomorrow morning. 1t may take some time
TO discover the extent of the defaleation, since
it can only be ascertaned by inquiry among INC
County Treasurers to find out how many nave sent
in drafts for the amount of their taxes ana theh COM
pairing the totals with the money no" III the
Treasurers hands 1t is thought that the amount Oh
the defalcston is about SSooo' ou' rheipS ieiH'o'
to give any information ABOUT IT,
Gen Barlow saws that he must have confederate
in the crime since no honest and disnterested per-
con vvopld have cashed drafts Endorsed by mere
clerk in the Treasurers office, without suspecung
sometbing wrong Inasmuch as there must have
been an accomnlice. the probability is that the
drafts were all cashed by the same person, but who
that person was il not known. beyond the fact that
he WA the cashier of private banker In New-fork
The ATTORNEY General says there Is no doubt that
the person who cashed the drafts Tor Phelps as
well as the person on whom they were drawn by the
County Treasurer are all legally responsible for che
loss to the State as the law especially provides that
all drafts shall be indorsed either by the Treasurer
himself or his deputy. The present deputy is Mr..
Paul. 1t may possibly turn out that the cashier
forged the name of the Treasurer or deputy though
this is not suspected. In any event, Gen. Barlow
says the State cannot suHer, provided any OF the
| portons connected with Phelpss operations