New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-08-05
THE MISSING POOL OFFICER.
JOINT AGENT BOOTHS ACCOUNT SHORT'
A DEFICIENCY OF ABOUT $4,000 DIscovERED-No
TIDINGs OF THE MAN

| A DEFICIENCY OF ABOUT $4,000 DIsCoyERED-No
| TIDISGs OF THE MAN.
No tidings were received yesterday of Joint Agent
| Booth who has had charge OF the Castle 0arueh
immigrant business of the four trn1K INES h anu h
| who has been missing since july ~ Wmie the
| examination of HE accounts Is not yet Completed
| enough has been learned TO shOw that there Is a
| shortage III the funds of which he had control OF
about So 600 IL is possible that this amount may
he sweled through future discoveries, but IT IS not
| considered probable that any greater dehciency
tary Of the Passenger Department OF the pool rail-
| roads, has taken charge of the Castle Garden
| Agency IN Mr.. Booths absence, and the accounts
have been transferred TO Commissioner FlnKs
office.
Accountants from the trunk lines yesterday be-
gan an examin alton of the joint agents books indie
pendently of the previous Investigation made for
the Commissioner. The Baltimore and ONO Kali
road was the only company not represented. The
examination will be finished Tomorrow and official
reports will then be submitted 10 the general
passenger agents of the trunk lines at their regular
meeting on Tuesday. AT that meeting II is prob
able that action will be taken for the formal
moval of Mr.. Booth. unless word is received from
him in explanation of his conduct in the meantime.
The JOINT agent has not been under bonds so that
selves. The shortages have been confined princ-
pally 10 last months business although
the Of of few '5 hundred aoars sf
missing man left in bank and in thus office
about $1,000 in cash. The money in bank
is not his private account. as ithas, been
ceipts at Castle Garden Allowing for these as
sets and for the salary due to MI Booth in July the
net shortage has been discovered to be within
$4,000.
The deficiency is principally in the funds rec ,ived
by MIR. Booth from tue surplus baggage account ion
the immigrant business Of tho railroads. He had
been allowed to draw from these funds as he col
lected them to meet the ordinary expenses
of his office, inseadof receiving his eIpen-
to the trunk lines Bv this arrangement the
failure of q prompt settlement of the baggage
account at any time excited no suspicion About
two weeks ago Assistant Commissioner Pcrson
asked Mr. Booth for explanation of his failure 10
remit of the roads money due on this account
Mr. Booth furnished statement apparently show
ing that the deficiency fully protected by
vouchers. A prominent official in the auditing de-
paftment of of the roads said yesterday that the
system was more loose than IT would have been
probably had not Mr.. Booths previous reputation
inspired the companies with absolute confidence In
his integrity. 1t was mistake" he said. to
allow any one such a latitude Mr. Booth enjoyed.
His expenses should have been provided for directly
and than all othor moneys collected by him should
have gone at TO the companies or To the Com
missioners Office. The checks provided IN the
conduct of his agency were thorough except regard
ing his collection of the charges on the baggage
carried by immigrants in excess OF the 100 pounds
allowed each fare The under officers OF the roads
have probably been little lax, the first serious
shortage would have been soon brought 10 light
and demanded an investigation" The payroll for
June at Castle Garden was found to be short. but
only TO the extent of a few hundred dollars. The
possible loss to the Erie and the NewYork Central,
far as yet ascertalned. Will he nearly Equal. Inc
heaviest loss in proportion IN the immigrant busl.
ness done by the four trunk lines will fall prob
ably on Tho Baltimore and Ohio Railroad.
Assistant Commissioner PlersOn returned TO the
city Yesterday from bnef vacation. He lent his
aid in the investigation OF Mr. Booths accounts, but
he declined to say that the absence of the joint
agent and the shortage already discovered might
not be explained should the latter return. lie eI-
pressed the hope that the illness of Mr. Booth
might be found to be the of all the irregular
ties Mrs Booth and her children are living At
Newark. She is said to he much broken down at
the MYSTERIOUS disappearance of her husband and
the discoveries 1t has led to. Mr.. Booth il said to
have received a salary of So 900 year. II IS not
known that his habIts were expensive or that he
speculated Not long ago he told an intimate friend
that ne never dealt in stocks IL stated that the
,,;oe m n several