Los Angeles daily herald., 1889-08-14
THAT BIG STEAL.
who Else is Rank I'm This Grea


who Else is Rank I'm This Great
CrimeT
No new developments were made yes
terday in the matter of the robbing of the
county through the Auditors office while
A. A. Montana was in charge. Montafio
walked about all yesterday morning
under the shelter Of the bond given by
Colonel Dunkelberger and General Bou-
ton. But during the afternoon the
Colonel heard that Montsfio was more
than likely to leave the State, and as the
ex- Auditor had failed to get such bond
as he represented would be forthcoming,
he went into the Sherif's office and gave
up the man. General Bouton was not
in the city at the time, and had not re-
turned up to a late hour last night. 1t is
not known what steps he will take. But
at any rate the detection of Dunkel-
berger from the bond gave Montafio up
to the Sheriff, and he is now in Jail.
There are all sorts of rumors on the
street as to this sensational matter.
There is no doubt that the Auditor g
Office was aided and abetted in this steal
by some person or persons outside of
that office. 1t is impossible that the
Clerks books could have been doctored
as we'll as they were unless some such
confederate existed.
1t was generally reported that the
Sheriff and District Attorney had Lau.
terio's confession, but the officials are
holding this back for the purpose, they
say, Of making arrests. An evening
paper published last night what purported
to be the District Attorneys reasons TO,
delay. They are not good reasons il
Lauterio has made confession, and
given up his "pals." A statement sworr
to by Lauterio, charging John Doe oi
Richard Roe with completely in the
crime, is all that is necessary to cause
the arrest of any person 80 charged.
There was much comment on the street
yesterday over the perfect way in which
the steal was planned and worked. II
took thought, deliberation and the put
ting of several long heads and longer
fingers together to carry on that steal
There is partial safeguard provided
against it's repetition. The list sen
from the Clerks office to the Treas
urer gives the latter official som'
means OF detecting any attempt at steal
But il Deputy CLERK and some one in
| tno AuulIOr'S y OInc6 get up COliu5lOn tC
rob the county, they can do it even un.
der the present system. Then there are
no end of school funds in which the
County Superintendent draws authoriza
ton, and the Treasurer has at present
no means of knowing whether warrants
presented on these funds are false Of
correct. The biggest steal, that of So 600
made under Montafio, was on one of these
funds. That means should be taken a
once to remedy this loose way of doing
business is the universal opinion of the
people whose money is thus at the mercy
of any rogue who happens to get into
official life. The comment on this point
was general yesterday.
Meantime the public await with much
interest further developments in the past
steal, and the knowing ones look to see
some very important arrests made today
or tomorrow. Those who ought to know
most outside of the two who know it all
say the sooner the better. If those guilty
of completely in the steal escape, the peo
pie will want to know why they escaped