Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1889-12-06
sILcorr's LITTLE GAME.
A Number of House Representa-.
tites Nictimiked.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 3. - From
present appearances Edward Silcott,
I cashier Of the Sergeant-st-arms Of
I the House of Representatives, has
certainly fled, carrying Off 81, 600
Of the funds entrusted to his care.
Silcott was a trlisted efnploFe who
came here from Ohio. He was sr-
pointed by Leedom six years ago.
He hal good business qualifications
and soon possessed himself Of the
unlimited confidence of his superior.
Last Saturday he notified LeedOm
he was going to New York and
would be back Sunday. A message
was feeeived from him dated New
York, Monday morning, saying
that he had been detained but
would return that night. A SINH
lar message reached his wife that
night. As he did not appear Tues
day, Ieedom feared he had been
overtaken by some accident, but TO
satisfy his rising suspicious began
All Investigation. The infCr-
nation that Silcott had drawn
his bank balance deepepec
llAS1H SUI flNAthS anu lilt III
quiry was pursued. The enormous
office safe could not he opencd at
once, as SilcOtt had the cOmbina-
ton, but when an entrance was
finally effected il was found that
some $50, 900, set apart for the use
Of the paying teller, was intact
The next inquiry was made at the
Treasury Department, when Iced
ON was informed
sILCOIT HAD CALLED
there Saturday and had drawn
about S72, 0O0 dollars. 1t was posi-
BILE for him 10 draw this large sum
without comment, as he had for
long time been charged with collect
irg the money with which the
salaries Of representatives are paid.
Silcott is under bonds in the sum Of
$4,000. This, however, is an In
demnity bond gisen TO tn. sergeant
alarms, and LeedOm, who "a him
self bonded 10 the extent Of $50, 900,
is directly responsible. LeedOm says
SilcOtt could have taken $4,000
quite rs well.
a number of representatives were
In the habit Of keeping individual
deposits with the Sergeant-at-Arms.
and their losses, when ascertained,
may swell the sum total consider |
ably. Later information is 10 the |
effect that the paying teller's funds,
although in the same safe where |
Silcott kept his money, were pro-
tected by a separate lock and n steel
door. This may explain their pre-
servation. What concerns mem
beers Of the House most deeply Is
whether in giving signed certificates
to the Sergeant-at-Arms, on which
he obtained tins
MONEY FROM THE TREASURY,
they have not released the govern |
ment from liability for their salaries.
Opinions on this point vary.
The object Of Silcott's visit TO New
York Saturday, il is said, was for
the purpose Of collecting SI2, 900 from
eX-CODgreSsmah Paige Of Ohio.
which amount Silcstt had loaned
him out Of the funds in his custody.
the Congressman who lose
personal deposits are Rife of PENN
sylvania, $500; Taylor Of Ohio, 5000.
Boutelle Of Main $500; Bayne OF
Pennsylvania, $1,000; Butterworth
IF Ohio, $500; Herman Of Oregon,
$500: Picker Of North Dakota, S5On:
Parnell Of Nebraska, s2IOO, and
owen Of Indinns, 5000.
Several congressman had LEFT
heir salary in the Sergeant .at-arm;s
hands for nearly year, and these
ire the heaviest losers. Turner Of
Kansas said the question OF mem
,ers losing their salaries wouId de
,cnd on whether the act creating
he office made the sergeant. alarms
! government representative. or
as seemed probable, from
he fact that members signed the
he was n Representa-
i've Of theirs. In the iirSt case the
and in the second the I
themselves, would he the
osers-