The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-12-29
HIS ACCOUNTS SHORT.
Transfer Company's Cashier
Charged With Embezzling.
BEGUN wlTHA CLERICAL ERROR.
b. b. Earl Becomes an Embezzler
Through Not Admitting an Error
He Confesses the shortage.

Burdette B. Earl, cashier Of the Seattle
Transfer Com pany, was arrested last night on a
charge OF embezzling about $500 from his en-
pioyers He admits his guilt and says he viii
plead guilty at q hearing before Justice Won
Tobel today
For the last ten days Earl had been drinking
hard, although for the previous year ne had not
taken drink. Or Wednesday or Thursday OF
last week, the local freight agent of the North
ern Pacific, VINO had noticed the signs OF drink
ing in Earl's face, gave him friendly warning
and advised him to brace up" Earl said he
would, and for few days he KEEP. sober, but on
Monday he broke out sgain and was confinu-
ally under the influence OF liquor from that day
until his arrest
This Circumstance led r J. Reekie, the secre-
tsry OF the company. to check up his accounts
yesterday. although IL was little earlier than
usual He found some bills entered as uncol-
lected, bus could not find the bills themselves,
though they should have been in evidence. He
called Eari's attention to the fact and receives
the reply:
That's where I'm short
Then he told the whole story of his tronble.
About ten days ago he had found a mistake IL
his accounts which made him short in some
amount He tried TO make them balance, but
failed. he had probably made a mistake in Civ
ing change or not received enough in collecting
bill; there was a shortage, and he could not
account for il. He worried about it so much
that he could not sleep, and he sought
forgetfuluess in whisky. This fuddling OF his
brain caused more mistakes, and he may
have taken some OF his employers money to
buy more whisky. After Mr.. Aliens advice TO
him TO brace up, he did so for few days, but
he could not bear sober thought OF his position.
If he had admitted his shortage in the first in
stance, be might have ended the difficulty there
and then. but he was very reserved man and
shrunk from confession. He sought to conceal
the growing shortage by entering IS uncollected
bills which had been collected and by falsifyiug
his daily certified statements. When the &C.
counts came to be checked up this was easily
discovered, and arrest was the consequence.
While Mr.. Reekie remained in charge OF the
unhappy man, b. +. Shaubut. general manager
OF the transfer company, went TO see o. 4.
Spencer, the agent OF the American Surety Com
pany, of New York, which had gone on Earl's
bond for $500, who caused his arrest He WAS
taken to the city Jail and locked up there TO
await the swearing ont OF a warrant Among
the articles found on him was a bottle of whisky
Earl Is about % years old and has no wife
and no relatives in this city, so far as known
Il is understood that he came here from Michi-
gan. He had been in the freight Office for about
two years. frs: as night expense bill clerk and
since August IS as cashier. succeeding G. ".
Payne when the latter became cashier for the
Northern Pacific in the same Office to sue
coed Julius Westerynau. He was very quiet
man. keeping himself to himself. rarely
joining in the gossip OF the Office and
always coming to tho Office and leaving It alone
He had not been a hard drInker, did not gamble
and had no other expensive vices such as often
explain such troubles his. Mr.. Shaubut pro-
noupces him one OF the most competent men IN
the com pauy's Office 1t is certain that the
shortage Is quito recent, for about three weeks
age, while he was away sick for couple OF days,
Mr.. Alien did his work, and on checking up his
accounts found them ell right.