Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1892-12-23
Multitude of Troubles Besets
st. Louis City Treas
urer.
The Father Tries to Cover Crime
With Crime by Burn
ing Records.
And at the Same Time His Way.
ward Son Takes His
Own Life.

st. LOUIS, MO-, Dec. ly.-oulclae,
robbery, fire and alleged forgery all
play a part in sensation in which
City Treasurer Foerstel is concerned,
and to which is probably due the mel
ancholy death, by his own hand,
of Ed Foerstel, the treasurer's
son and assistant. About 81
O'Clock this morning fire was dscoy-
cred in the City Treasurer's office in
the City Hall. The fire depar tment re-
sponded and the fire was soon ex-
tinguished. Then it was discovered
that the vault of the City Treasurer
was open and that a quantity CT papers
he'd been taken from the vault and
placed on table in the Treasurer's
office and set on fire, which
was the occasion for the
alarm. There was hole near
the vault calculated to leave the inn
preston that the vault had been bur
glarized. About the time the discov-
cry was made news reached the CITY
Hall that young Ed Foerstel, son of
City Treasurer Foerstel, had comitted
suicide by shooting himself through
the head at his room at 2I2 Pine
Street.
The ritling of the City Treasarers
vault and the burning of the papers
taken therefrom is supposed to be the
elimination of sensa tionai suits and
developments concerning the City
Treasurer and certain money lenders.
About Sept. 20 suit was brought in the
-,
Barton against City Treasurer Foerstel
on the three notes, aggregating S., 900,
drawn by W. +. Vow, an employe of
the City Treasurer, and purporting to
bear the Endorsement of Mr. Focrstel
The notes were held by the ST. Louis
National Bank for account of Barton.
who had discounted them for
Vow. MIR. Foerstel at once repudiated
the Endorsements on the notes, claim
ing that his name had been forged.
On the other hand, Barton claimed
that the Endorsements were genuine
and that the money had been obtained
with the full knowledge of Mr.
Goerstel, to be used j.. concealing q
shortage in mis- cash as the regular
monthly auditing OF the Treasnrar's
accounts
When the news was communicated
to the father he was Frustrated for Il
short time, but by violent effort sup
pressed his emotion and directed that
an investigation begin at once into the
affairs of the office. This was COM
pleted late this evening.
no t,1,n, Iiat n1 InnNSn1
the treasurer and appointed Charles
Parsons. a welI-known banker, to act
III his stead.
For several weeks there have been
rumors atioat about young Foerstel,
who has been what Is known as Il
plunger. There have been suits brought
against his father by money lenders
notorious for exorbitant charges, and
assertions were made regarding real
estate deals and allegations Of use Of
city money by some one who recOuped
the treasury previous to the regular
examinations by borrowing from Shy
lock, who at last sued the treasurer
himself on ontes which the old man de-
clares to be forseries. Today's events
mark the elimination of all these
runners.
The young mans record Is that of u
wild plunger. On horses he was u
heavy better, placing thousands or more
at time. He was also interested in
real estate deals beyond his capacity
to handle, as shown by recent develop
ments He is only % years old but had
large experience in financial matters.
In his capacity Of assistant treasurer,
over ten millions passed through his
hands annually. He was treasurer of
two building associations and was In
terested in a company manufacturing
novelties, but his accounts In these are
said to be all right. His attorney says
he was terribly worried Of late by an
attempt by some one to blackmail him
out of $4,000 for keeping quiet what
he knew.
1t is settled by the inquiry that the
father, personally, is innocent Of wrong
doing His son sunk a vast sum In
frantic real estate investments.