The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1889-12-15
ACCOUNTS ovERDRAWN.



Their Bussse.s Meshosas.
WASHINGTON, Dec. lA.-Thc special
committees Investigations of the slefalca-
ton Of Cashier Silcott held q session to-
day. On the Instructions OF the house tho
committee Immediately began the exami.
nation OF the laws hearing upon the sub
ject. One Of the members OF the commit
tee said II il was decided that the sergeant
alarms was tlisbursing officer then the Sc
rioais question arises as to how the
individual deposits and accumulated
salaries Of the officers should be regarded.
While IL il should he held that the ser
geant-at-arrns is not u disbursinG officer
then the extent Of his agency and other
vexatio,is questions remain tn he settled.
The special committee will probably take
have come to light which cast a suspicion
OF forgery other fraud upon certain
transactions had 10y Silcott with the Ma
tional Metropolitan hank.
The Ereaing Star has the following de-
velopments i'm the case OF the shortage in
the esergeant-at-arrns of the house. While
they do not fix dishonesty upon anybody
hut Silcott, they show astounding loose
ness i'm the financial transactions through
out that office. Members OF the house
criticisc Leetiom for this, and for the al
legged fact that he discounted memtDers'
notes out of the public money, and they
condemn him for that. they say lac was
perfectly aware of the bad habits OF Sill
cott. and yet trusted him in the face of
this knowledge. Leetiom and Silcott were
both fond of attending races and betting,
therefore Leetlom knew the habits of his
cashier and il ia alleged that he knew
Silcott was leading fast life in other
respects. This WAS known of course To "a
of discounting notes appears to have
grown out of the rapid pace at which GER
tain members of congress- were going, Ia
some extent, 1t IL thought, i'm company with
Silcott. The moral atmosphere within
certain circles i'm intimate association
with the sergeant-at-arm'so office does mo-,
| referred to somc days ago are alleged t.
have been forger,es, there are a lot oi
this loose discount business appears to
have been going ON for years. The mem
bcrs of the committee under the i'm
preston, as indicated by some OF III
members i'm discussing this matter, tina
| advances which wers. made were from
public funds, and n Leetiom was no
nothing about the state OF his own bust
| ness.
On this subject Lecslom stated that tn,
| discotinting during sessions OF congress
| was done with his own money with pri
waite moneys deposited with him, not ou
of the public funds, and when congrs =
| WAS not iu session discounts were neunti
| ated with banks. When he was notiiir
hy the paying teller .l,a: hn had "ve ~.i,.' ui
| i'm Silcott's part of the safe and ma,l. th
necessary deposit. Ii appears from th
. books 81 ate sergcaut-itt-ar'ns that A.,
/ ans, WHO Is chairman Of the iuvcstiga;in
committee. has .sSctstrswn his account
the amount of SO. .hat ex-Sprakcr Cur
Isle has ovcrtlrawn his account to tn
amount of Si16. and that Recti ssad over
drawn his account To the amount of $i3. ~
| Other ovcrttrafts are also shown. RI
porter made am investigation of the cas-
of Speaker Reed and discovered that
was IN fact an ovcrlraft. Rec
placed his certificate in the sergeant
alarms Office on December
when the money was due for his aslsiitiona
salary as speaker. and authorized the pro
ctirancs of "a drift for the amount on Ne,
York. day or two aftcrwarl he got tll
draft. His certificate should have bee
taken to the treasury. the. money draw
| and the draft procured. Ii appears, how
| ever, that the, money was not drawn froi
the treasury. though the proper sum WA
. paid To Rend. This give.s the appearanc
4 a., .I, nHcrtlraft. -
| Mr.. Adams of i.iiAaG.ia- heirman of Il,
Silcott investigating comm, >ssr. snid III
| account with the scrReant-atAf1ns VA
overslrawn to the amount of SO. snr"ng
! n MISUNDERSTANDING.