Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1889-12-12
SNIrpno wIrh Ne. a..
Knowing that anc HAD 80 d
s,slnhier SilcptI TOOK PLENTY


Representatives has fed, carrying Off
about $72, 900 OF the funds entrusted 20
his care.
6ileott was the appointee of late ser
geant-at.arms, d0hn 2. Leadom, and
would bave been soop succeeded by o Re
publican. He il IN Ohio man. The
salary of the position is $1,000 per
Rnnum.
OFFICIALLY REP0RTED TO THE HOUSE.
WAsurNaroN DEG. 5.--Ine speaker laid
before the House the following communal
cation from j. p. Leedom, late serg SAINT
Rt,arms of the House, directed to the
speaker:
II regret to report that O. Z. Siloott,
late cashier Of the office OF the sergeant
It-arms, has departed from this city with
out settling his accGunts aud have been
unable to ascertain his whereabouts; and
there is deficiency in the cash of the
Office. In view OF these circumstances |
respectfully request an immediate in
vsstigation of my accounts under such
Rotion as the House of Representatives.
may take in the premises"
MIR. Adams CIll.) therefore offered the
following resolution, which WAS unani-
mously adopted:
WHEREAS j.. p. I.eedom, late sergeant-nt-
House that @. II. Sllcott, cashier of the
office oil the sergeant-at.nrms, has departed
| from the city without settling his accounts
; and his whereabouts are unknown; and
that there Is deficiency III cash In said
ofiice Of about S75,000,
iies0toed, That select committee, 5s
appointed by the speaker to examine the
accounts Of said oiilcs and report thereon
70 the House.
The committee (Which has authority to
ndninister oRths and to report in whole
or in part at any time) was appointed by
the speaker as follows: Mssars. Adams,
Stewart, Payne, Reed, (Ia)., Holman,
Blount, Aemphill
DETAILS OF THE STEAL,
The history oil the case az far as il can
90 gathered at prGseat ia al follows
Bilcott was trusted employe who Gems
bore from Ohio aud WAS appointed by
klr. Leedom when that gentleman
assumed Office, six years ago. lie had
good business qualifications and soon
poss 'gsed himself of the unlimited conf
dence Of is superior. LaRt Saturday he
notified Mr.. LIsedom That no Was going to
New York aud woHlt be beck Sunday
night. message was received from hi-u
dated New York, Monday morning, Gay.
ing that he had boon detained but wonld
roturn that might. A similar message
Eeached Lis vito in this city.
As lie did not appear Tuesday Mr.
LaedOm was fearful ttAt he had beer
ovhrtakeu by some accident, but 10 sat
isfy rising suapicions began eu investiga
ttun, The information thRt Siicott hat
drawn his bank balance dsepennd these
Huspicions, aud the inquiry waa pursued
The enormous Office safe could not be
X opened at the moment 81 siloott had Tux
n combination, but when an entrance waI
YIN finally effected Il vas found that aoEi
M $50 O90 sVt apart for Tie use OF tue p1Y
NW ing-teller YVES intact. The mex
inquiry was made at the Treasury De
paTtment and MIR Leedom was stunned
by tho result. He was informed tina
siicott had called there Saturday and hA,
drawn about $72 600. It was possibl
for him to draw this large sum wi.hou
exciting comment, as In had been charge
with the duty OF collecting the none
with which the salaries OF the Represent
ativos are paid
Silcott Is under bonds in the sum @
$50 COO, his sureties numbering about l
persons. This ia, however, an indemnit
bond given 10 the approximation an
MIR. Leedom, who is himself bonded
the sum OF 100000, is directly respons
BILE for the shortage.
The first news Of the state Of affair
came ont juFt before the House met /
noon to-day and there was All excitin
Bpene in the oifi 10 OF the sergennra
arms. Mr.. beedom, who was sitting
the rear of his office, WINS surrounded b
number Of members OF the House, WI
were rendering advice OF all kinds. II
most practical suggestion was adopted
once by MIR. Lesdom, who appeared
be completely unnarved and unab
to net for himself aud kilograms we
dispatched TO his Gureties, notifyir
them OF Silcott's disappearance and e
pressing willingness to 90 operate full
in every effort to find him and secu
n the retnrn OF the missing funds. OEtsi,
v the bank, like railing RcroaB the roo
stood another crowd Of members, 9,
y IDENTIFY anxious for themselves as we'll
for Mr.. Leed0m, as they put mai
quesiea ns 10 the amount Of money left
tho safe and the prospects of gettti
their snlnries.
ooNFIrEscE BADLY MISPLACED.
Mr.. Leedorn Oays that he would ha
trusted silco,t with any sum of mone
80 lrm was he in this belief that he ID
even hesitatod 60 begin the investigate
which has had such disastrous conc
sion, fearing that SilcOtt had been saI
by some untoward happening.
What to do next lie docs not vet ku,
and is seeking advice He wss inst abe
to tnrn over his office to the new
elected sergeant .sEme, Mr.. Holmes
this event necessarily delays the .ransf
Mr. Leedom says that il was viii
BiicotEs pawaf to have carried OF
loss than $l5G,00D. instead OF
z 572 900 which Ia missing. IL was 81
gested by person standing nearby Il
20 have carried of the balance Wo,
Asve changed the nature Of the cri
from embe2zlement to theft and there
w have subjected the petpetrstor 10 ext
AZ Gition, even in Canads, whittier, II
H already rumcred, tho missing man
led.
This is on the theory that EiIcott !
the custodian Of money drawn from
IN treasury for the payment OF salAries, I
that his retention OF this money wo
~ constitute simply emeezalemant, Will
m he had taken lbe money III tho pay
teiler's drawer of the safe il would h
been q direct theft.
1t Yves stated thRt MIR. Leed1m
victimiAsd once before by the inlmed
predecessor OF Si!cott, but tue amo
was insignificant in comparison with
" present less.
THE EXTENT OF THE'THEFr.
Ninety-three thousand dollars is
amount Sergeant. at Arms Leedom {
- L. ~ -.