The herald., 1893-09-09
THREE INDICTMENTS
Found Against City Bank
Officials. ~
Mr.. Childress, Mr.. Belts and An
other officer.
Mr.. Childress Gives Statement
About the Matter.
A Partial Result OF tho Labors Of tho
Grand Jury-Mr. ChiIdress Gives
81 an Interview which Out
lines His Position.


lines His Position.
In advance Of the report OF the grand
jury the HERALD Is able to state that
among the indictments ordered and
drawn up are one against A. d. Childress,
president, one against LIE Grande Belts,
!. teller, and one against another ofticr OF
the defunct City bank.
It Is very we'll known that the grand
jury has had under investigation the al
fairs Of the deiunct City bank.
At one time and another number
of bankers as we'll as persons familiar
with the management Of the bank have
been observed in attendance on the
grand jury. waiting to be called in as
witnesses.
These pointers have not been lost upon
persons who have happened around the
grand jury room.
They have been enough to set the city
on the qui vive as to the possible out
come Of the investigation.
The fact that the grand jury attempted
to report batch OF indictrnents Thurs
day afternoon, which Judge Pierce from
San Diego would not receive because one
juror was absent, has added to the in
terest felt throughout the city in the
matter, and the probability Of the bring.
ing OF criminal charge against A. d.
Childress. president of the closed bank,
and others, is q subject that is being
very widely discussed. f4iE,s, ~
1t was expected that the grand jury
would make their report yesterday
morning, but Judge Pierce waited in
vain for it, and it is said that the jurors
felt somewhat piqued at the conserva-
tive Judge because he failed to let them
file the big batch OF indictments they
handed up to him. At any rate they
did not report. and will not now until
Monday.
Bankers and people interested in the
Childresa case have by the unexpected
obstacles thrown in the way OF the re-
port OF the grand jury, had their curios-
ey worked up to fever heat.
THE SECRET LEAKS OUT.
Up to yesterday the grand jury guard
d the secret of the indictments ordered,
srcry well. There had been no leaks,
and the newspapers had not even pub
lished rumors about their action. q =
1t ia very difficult to keep such q
sensational thing as an Indictment
against A. D. Childress anietE however.
no matter how carefully grand jury
may guard the avenues Of Information.
THE FILING PosTPoNED. ., ~
The indictments are not yet filed OF
course, but they have been drawn up
and unless the grand jury changes it's
mind, they will be among the batch
which will be reported Monday. ,ssi3 y J. "a "a
The crime which it is alleged. has
been committed by the indictments is
the embezzlement of county funds
which were on special deposit in the
City bank at the time it closed.
There was at that time over $22 900 OF
tha coupky y,,ouau l., tho bo,l- U,b;c
money was in the bank by virtue OF
an arrangement with County Treasurer
J. De Bsrth Shorb, who distributed the
county funds around to the various
clearing house banks. In order to hedge
against the provision of the law which
says such thing must not be done, LIE
Grande Belts, teller in the City bank,
was appointed deputy county treas
urer. The county funds deposited in
the bank were in his charge, and he was
supposed to see that they we're kept
intact as q special deposit.
But when the bank closed it became
at once patent that the county funds
had not been kept as a special deposit.
There was not enough coin in the bank
to replace the $4,000. and the trouble
began.
Under the law the provisions relative
to county funds say that they are to be
sacredly guarded. The statutes are
mandatory and expressed with clear
ness and emphasis which admits OF no
dispute. They say that the person en-
trusted with such funds who diverts
them from their proper use is guilty OF
embezzlement, and shall be punished.
Bat in order to get at the true inward
ness OF the intent OF President Childress
the grand jury naturally went thorough
ly into the management of the bank,
and it is said they discovered a
REcKLEssNEss AND LoosENEss
that was appalling. These things were