Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-09-08

been omitted on account of the absence of
receipt stubs. which were burned in the
garbage furnace at the market house.
HASTINGS MAKES A STATEMENT.
Market Clerk David Hastings was inter
viewed last night and denied that there
was any crookedneSs. Said he: 81 have
held that position for about 20 years. The
shortages they show would make it appear
that ! have taken about 81 500 year. j am
not much better of than when l
went into the office. Then l owned
my home on Poplar street. 1t is now
worth from 50 500 to 5000. That is all the
property that own in the world. Neither
do l own any bonds or stocks. The way
they make that shortage is that. they count
up rent for the past Is years for ali the stalls
in the market. 1 have known many as %
butchers stalls to be vacan3 at one time.
Then for years Eefore the center was rooted
only the outside stalls were in use the year
round. Lots of them were not rented SO it
Is easy to figure out shortage of over $780,
600. As for the stub receipts that were
burned it was done by an old German who is
an assistant sweeper. 1 told him to dust
them and put them away. but instead he
threw them into the garbage furnace"
KRAFT Is SHORT $4,000.
The Borough of Sharpsburg is in fever of
excitement over the shortage in the ac-
counts of Borough Treasurer Gottleib Kraft.
This shortage amounts to about $4,000. for
which the borough is fully secured,
Mr.. Kraft being under bond in the
sum o $4,000 His bondsmen are
john joyce, George Wertz, Christian Forster
and Charles Reithmiller, all business men of
Sharpsburg, and amply able to make good
the loss
The first intimation of the shortage came
on last Saturday, when Kraft confessed
Judgment to W. p Potter, the Borough At
torney, IN the sum of $1,000, in favor of
his hondsmen. On learning the state of
affairs Burgess Lloyd called a special meet
ing OF Councils and had auditors appointed
ard ordered that the books of the Treasurer
DC handed over to them at once. The bonds
men filed confessed Judgment through
Mr.. Potter for Sl2,GO0 to await the report of
the auditors.
Burgess Lloyd was seen and he stated
there was no cause for alarm, as the borough
finances were all right and as sound as
ever. He said the bondsmen were per
fectIy sound and responsible, and the
deficiency would be made good. He
about by Kraft's penchant for betting and
the lax system of bookkeeping which had
been in vogue.
LOST MONEY on DELAMATER.
'In fact said he, "there was no book
keeping at all of any kind, and this coupled
with the fact that Sharpsburg is under a
special act whereby the treasurer of the
borough is also authorized to act as tax col
lector has brought about a very compli-
Gated state of affairs. Kraft was to-
tally incompetent for the position,
and it was this Ignorance and carelessness
rather than any criminality on his part that
has caused the trouble. l opened up a set
of books for him and started the headings,
hut find that this system was never pur-
sued. He lost a large sum sof money on the
Delamater defeat, and ever since that time
has been in difficulties. but was enabled to
until last week, when matters
were precipitated by warrant
for 5, ,362 80 to pay interest on water bonds
drawn on the Philadelphia Safe Trust
nm a narNr n 1nf fY1r nod tn fl,n
A. & NJ. Bank of this city, when it was at
once protested. Mr.. Kraft endeavored to
negotiate loan of 5000 last week from the
Metropolitan Bank, but was unsuccessful,
and, recognizing the seriousness of his
position and desiring to make all amends
in his power threw up his hands and
took the only wise anu honorable course
left him"
HE WILL NOT DE PROSECUTED.
Burgess LLOYD said that he did not think
any criminal proceedings would ensue. He
had been requested by certain persons to
bring action. but having taken every step
necessary to secure the treasury he thought
his duty as public officer ended there. The
bondsmen were seen, and stated that they
would not institute any proceedings against
Mr.. Kraft, as they had agreed
with him to make up the deficit and allow
him time to reimburse them. There seems
TO be a tende .cy on all sides to treat the |
misguided Treasurer leniently, although an
attorney said last night he would undoubt-
edly be liable for embezzlement if his |
bondsmeu desired to prosecute Mr.. Kraft |
was seen last night and admitted |
everything. He said that the fig |
ures as given above were, to the |
best of his knowledge about |
correct. He said that he had lost several |
thousand dollars prior to the Delamater |
election, and hoping to recover this loss he |
had dropped about 5000 more on Delama- |
ter, as he had a sure tip" and from this he |
dHtes his downfall Kraft said he had had |
a talk with his bondSmen, and that they /
would let him down easy. lie said he would |
continue in his butchering business, and |
would repay them every dollar.
Kraft : liabilities amount to between S25 600 /
and S50, 900, and his assets about $4,000. He |
had personal paper out to the amount of /
about s., COO in various amounts, some of |
which was by +. c. Pilgrim, s., ,OOl Peter
Wertz, $1,000: c. Bellman, $500; George Beck,
$780, and several others
At the meeting of councils last
night the resignation of Mr.. Kraft |
was accepted and George II. Wan
ner was elected to serve the remain
der OF the term. lie was directed to file a
such q way that they could be readily ex-
amined by the Burgess or Councilmanic
Committee. He Is to deposit in the Metro
politan Bank, and the bank is to be required
TO furnish security in the sum of SIC, 900.
Mr. kraft's bondsmen stated that they
could not Immediately secure the money nee
essary to pay of the water bond interestand
other bills which had been presented to
councils, and they were given thirty DAYS to
make good the deficit, and Mr.. Potter having
on the MOnongahela National Bank of Pitts
burg for So 900 the sum necessary to pay off
all pressing bills.
Back Taxes Drifting In.
Comm ee OOO l,onl- +or Ou-in1 tba oo,,,+- |