The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1890-04-16
SHORT IN HIS ACCOUNTS
The Authorities Preserve Eloquent
Silence and the Police are
Watching Out for Mr..
Jones.

BUTTE, April B.-Just eleven days ago
this evening w. S. Jones', assistant To
postmaster Evans. disappeared as com
pletely ms IL the earth had opened and en-
quilted him. II was on the day, or rather
the evening OF the day, the election Of n
school trustee o place, hat Jones was
las seen by any body, ~ far as Ii known.
In company with another employee 81 the
Office he was walking up Main street.
When In front OF the combination gambl-
ing house, Jones excused himself To his
companion and asked him to wait q few
moments, saying he was going inside and
would return directly. After awaiting a
long time for Jones' return his companion
also entered the place n looked for
him, but could no find him. Jones
failed tn show up at The office
the following day and the day following
that. Monday he had still not reported ut
the Office. Mr.. Evans then went tn where
Jones roomed, thinking that perhaps he
might be i'll, n made inquiries about
him. His surprise can easily be Imagined
when he was informed that Jone was not
in his room and had not been since the
Saturday before. The fact of Jones' dis
appearance leaked out in a few days and
mention was made Of il I'm the STANDARD.
To q reporter who interviewed him Mr..
Evans stated that he was confident Jones'
would he found all right and
gave as a reason for the young mans
abrupt departure hat he was several
weeks behind his work n ~despairing of
being able To catch up with II concluded
to leave without notifying any n Of his
That MIR. Evans was not quite
rs positive OF the correctness OF his
reasoning as he ~endeavored To appear is
evident from the fact hat he cOmmuni-
Gated with the postal authorities and
asked that an agent of the department be
sent to make an investigation Of Jones'
accounts. m accordance with this re-
quest, Charles Il. Sackett, p~ostofice
inspector, arrived Sunday evening from
San Francisco, and Monday morning he
began his task. During tho afternoon. n
STANDARD reporter was informed OF the
inspectors presence. but nothing further
could he learned, although repeated
efforts were made To obtain something
definite concerning the object OF the
officers visit. BY Monday evening
enough had been discovered by the in
spector that Justified him To notify the
police 10 look out for Jones, with a vague
hope that he might still be m the city. a
complete search OF every place where IL
was thought a trace OF him could he
found was made 10y an officer specially
detailed Tor that purpose. II IL needless
to say Mr.. Jones was not located. To-
day il was accidentally learned that the
inspector had discovered a shortage OF
about siso, money which Jones was sup,
IIprth w ttft 's'
by the postal regulations, but which In re-
ality he probably appropriated Ia his own
use. Several attempts were made In in
terview Mr.. Evans, but he declined posi-
lively To make any statements, saying the
matter was in the hands OF the inspector
and information obtained would have Ia
he secured from him. Notwith-
standing Mr.. Evans fiat refusal,
the reporter piled questions until he
became tired without having gained
anything further than a reluctant admls-
sion that Jones was short in his accounts.
spector, who il must he admitted Is an
adapt In dodging news gathercrs. He
was finally cornered at the McDermott
and 10 all questions had but one reply, 81
never talk for publication" This with
an air and sudden closing Of the lips that
denoted plainly the speaker meant IL. Al
last, however, the official relaxed his
austerity sufficiently To request the re.
porter mot 10 publish anything, as u
might hurt the case n added an adj
monition to the reporter to be- careful of a
libel suit. Following the example OF the
declined to suppress anything i'm n.
much as the ease was u oi
public interest aud the facts known
more or less To the public. The
inspector then wished the reporter sue
cess, wrapped himself In a huge ulstel
anu uisuplptaIsi t"' ki'ss"'hk
IL may possibly surprise n great man,
persons not familiar with b workings al
the Butte office that Jones was able To =,
successfully carry out his misappropria
ton Of funds without the postmastel
learning of il. Owing tn the ~niggardl,
policy OF the department the force Of tin
office il insufficient 10 conduct the bust
ness properly and the postmaster
having 10 perform the duties
which generally evolve upon
q clerk, cannot give his persona
supervision TO every department. Jone
was in full charge Of the money order de
partment and Mr.. Evans having implied
confidence in his honesty. allowed hin
complete control and never examined hi
accounts. In addition 10 this. Jone
would frequently complain Of being sicl
and AT such times absent himself from
the oiilce three and four days at "A time
After such absences he would return Z,
the office and say that he had been con
ner he allowed his work 4,
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