The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1880-10-21
Inoe.,n Adrer,i,er. Tuesday.l

MkEIflN4IBD EtntNV - 'r"sD' -
IBosssn Advertiser. Tuesdsy)
There was great excitement al the cry
Hall yesterday upon the announcement 'na'
Mr.. John A. Woodward, the cashier IN Tue
CITY Treasurer's Office, was missing, soa
that . deficit OF $4,000 had been discovered
IN accounts which be had msnipu's.eu.
The City Treasurer Is also treasurer OF We
sinking funds, and 1t has been tue custom
~ the of3cc--inaugurated before his acres
sior "a n and followed bv him--for the treas
,rer to draw bIsnk checks both on the city
treasury and the siuking.f1uds accounts.
Mr.. woodward had the authority to oil out
these checks, and when filed ont and en-
dorsed with his iuitisls on the margin, they
were recognized as valid at the bank. Each
depSrtment is under the supervision OF o
separate committee OF the city government.
and It happens that the annual examination
Of the condition OF each IL made at a separate
time. The money that Mr.. Woodward has
npproprialed was from the treasury funds.
Having the right to fil ont checks upon each
account, u was easy for him 10 draw from the
treasury account and deposit to the credit
Of the sinkIng.funds account sum sum.
Client 10 make the Balance OF the latter all
right at the time Of the annual examination,
and equally easy when that examination
had been finished to draw from the sinking
fund account and deposit to the credit OF
the treasury account a sum sufficient To
make the cash balance there correct when,
at the appointed time, the regular exami'
nation OF the treasury funds was made.
AN INVESTIGATION
has sbewn that the first fraudulent check
was drawn on June IL, 1876, and was for
$4,000; q week later the amount was again
deposited to the credit OF the sinking fund.
January 8. 1877, Woodward drew check
for $4,000; IN 1878 the amount OF the de-
falcstion to be covered was 100000; in 1879,
$4,000, and the last transfer was $4,000.
His cash. book has not yet been examined
to see the exact amounts that were taken,
and the exact times. The total amount las
been proved, however, by taking OIL the
balance on the whole business OF the eIiys
accounts. This was found 10 balance with
the cash in the Merchants Bank standing
to the credit OF the city treasury but il
was found that the sinking funds were
$4,000 short.
The detection Of MIR. Woodward is due
largely TO Mr.. George q. Ager, an old ac-
countant, who, i'm addition to performing
other duties i'm the treasurer's Office, holds
fund department.
Thursday Woodward disappeared.
Mr.. Woodward has been employed in the
city treasurer's Office for about fifteen years.
He served faithfully under Mr.. Tracey, and
on Mr.. DENIES election as treasurer was
appointed cashier upon the strength OF
high recommendations, chief OF which was
his own most exemplary conduct in pre-
yiOus years. Acquaintance OF his are now
plenty who claim TO know that for several
years be has been living
FAST LIFE,
and TO have had strong suspicious that bis
expenditures were largely in excess Of his
salary of $2,400. He kept two horses and a
yacht--expensive luxuries-and was liberal
aud free with his money. He boarded IN
Jamaica Plain. Among the developments
OF the past few days is the fact that he was
married In February, 1870, to Amy Louise
Knowlton, an actress, who Tor two or three
years has kept house in stylish mapner on
Percy Place.. Cambridge. Some Of his pri-
yate correspondence with her has fallen
into the hands OF the authorities, and 1t
would seem 10 indicate that she has been
exorbitant In her demands upon him, and
be exiravagant in his expenditures upon
her. II is said that he furnished the money
for her education for the stage, and sup
ported her very handsomely before their
marriage. 1t is believed that a large por-
ton of the money that Woodward mas APP
. propriated from the city has gone to feed the
fame OF his infatuation with this woman.
MRS. WOODWARD
was examined by the inspectors yesterday,
and satisfied them that she was not guilty
eriminaIly for her husbands misdeeds, and
that she has no knowledge OF his present
whereabouts. The inspectors are on the
lookout for him, and the following circu.
lar, headed by photograph, has been sent
out through the country:
Wanted, in this city, for embeZzling
about $4,000 in various sums, John A..
Woodward; age, tbirty-two years; five feet
seven or eight inches high; weighs about
one hundred and fifty pounds; dark COM
plexion; blue eyes; black hair, which
grows we'll down on the forehead, and Is
parted well up on the side; very black
whiskers and moustache, the whskers being
worn full and cropped close at the present
time. Is quick In bis movements, conyerses
intelligenlly, and gentlemanly in his man
ner.
"Please arrest and telegraph to
"SAMUEL &. ADAMS,
Superintendent OF Police.
Boston, October 1S, $780,"
The officers are Of the opinion that Wood
ward went to New York by the Shore-Line
train on Friday afternoon. His friends are
inclined 10 believe that ne has committed
suicide, or that he is insane II still living.
For three or four months he has evidently
been under
GREAT MENTAL EXCITEMENT,
and phal Of coca, stmulant so strong
that two or three drops are sufficient for
single dose, was found In his desk at City
Hall. His bondsmen are Nelson Curtis,
builder, Jamaica Plain; ex-Alderman Ma
thsniel Seayer, East Boston; George w.
Harris, cashier OF the Bank Of Commerce;
Henry Beckwith, formerly livery-stable
keeper at Jamaica Plain (died six or seven
months since); Alexander Dickson's estate,
and II. L. Young. The total Is $4,000.
Two suits were filed against the estate yes
ferdiay In the name OF Henry w. Beckwith.
One il for 5000 for stable board, and an
other for $4,000 as executor OF the estate Of
Henry Beckwith, one Of the bondsmen.
The New York Nominations.
New YoRK, October 19.-Tbe union, re-
solved upon by the conference committees
OF both wings Of the New York Democracy,
..e,..,vx.o toI and noha rarfeaf n. do