Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1889-12-13
THE SILcoTT SHORTAGE INvEsTt
CATION.

CATION.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 12-The partial re-
port of the Silcott Investigating commit
tee submitted to the house today states
the shortage was found to be $40, 1913 and
was found in the Office Of the sergeant-at-
arms of the house. There appears among
the assets the individual check of j. p.
Leedom for 81, 900, on which there has been
paid the sum of $50 and the balance of
$3.50 is unpaid. The check was made by
Mr.. Leedom and deposited with the cash
in the safe in his Office for 81, 600 drawn by
the treasury for the payment
of the salaries of the members.
Mr.. Leedom has stated that he was ready
to pay the balance of $3.50 and take up he
check. There appeared attached to this
check bond on the Trenton Watch COM
pany for 81, coo. The committee Is in
formed that this bond was attached to this
check on December 4.
A discrepancy of s., 244 is stated to exist
between the balance of SIG, 657 which the
committee fonnd remaining in the Ma
tional Metropolitan bank to the credit of
c. +. Silcott, cashier, and S19.902 which
should have been there according to the
books OF the sergeant-at-arms. 1t appears
in one case on the Goth of September a
HumpCI VI uOteS dIuOuutluB w SC,cfO
were discounted at the National
Metropolitan bank and the amount credit
ed to the account of G.. E. Silcott, cashier.
1t also appears from the books of the Ma
tional Metropolitan bank that on the 18th
day Of September last they discounted
notes purporting to have been made by the
members of congress for the amount of
SAG and due on the 4th day of December.
Instant, amounting to the sum of $14, 800
nj no wi
were alleged to have been signed to these
notes have appeared before the committee
and stated that said notes were
forgeries. There is no doubt in the minds
of the committee that these notes
were forged by Silcott and discounted at
this bank in order to cover defalcations
previously made.
story of Siicott's withdrawal of the money
from the treasury and his subsequent
flight and continues: 1.-THE cash was kept
in two distinct compartments of the safe
under the control of the paying teller and
under Silcott himself. The paying teller
kept an account of the receipts and dis
bursements Of cash under his control and
counted his cash from day to day. There was
no deficiency in the cash under his control.
These balances, after deducting the
amount of cash on hand from day to day,
were under the control of Silcott and in
his compartment of the safe. 1t appears
that portion of the cash has never been
counted during the six years of Mr.. Lee
dom's incumbency by any other person
than Mr.. Silcott and it does not appear
that Sicott ever counted the cash or that
asked for count OF cash
during the whole time until
the evening of the 5tb; that when de-
fciency appeared Mr.. Leedom seems to
have exercised no careful supervision of
the interests committed to his care by the
house. Your committee has no criticism
to make Oh the manner of which Henry l..
Ba!entine, the paying teller, and ). X:
Teller. the book-keeper, have discharged
their duties during their entire period of
their services. They appear to have done
their whole duty"
The resolution adopted in the house this
afternoon directing Sergeant-at-arms
Holmes to arrange with the treasury Of
ficials to pay the mileage of members and
delegates was Immediately engrossed and
taken to the department by Mr.. Holmes.
The officials at the department immedi-
ately proceeded to the task of drawing
checks TO the order of individual members
which will be given to the sergeant-at-
arms and by him properly distributed.
This relieves that officer from a response
bility from handling the money until it
can be definitely determined whether he is
a discussing officer.
CONFIRMATION AND NOMINATION..
WASHINGTON, Dec. 12.-The senate this
afternoon confirmed the nomination of
Green B. Raum, of Illinois, to be commits
sioner of pensions.
The president today nominated Joel B.
Erhardt, of New York, TO be collector of
customs for the district of New York.