The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-12-18

ing old houses. The cash on hand when
Croke left was 1878, but it should be con-
siderably over $4,000. The funds embezzled
amounted to S2457, but this amount Is
growing hourly. as new defalcations are
discovered.
The last act of Croke was to embeZzie
$40 on permit issued April 10, 1894, to d.
Hogan, for tearing down an old building
at Taylor and O'Farrell streets. Hogan
deposited $40. On May 1. 1894, he re-
turned the permit and had his money re-
funded. The stub was stamped with a
rubber stamp in red ink paid May 1,
1894" as was the returned permit attached
thereto in regular order.
On the reverse of the stub was Hogan's
signature acknowledging receipt of 500.
Croke took this up at random last Wednes-
day and wrote on the back. after FASTING
the permit over Hogan's signature, "Re-
eeved payment, D. Hogan. his mark.
December II. 1894" Then he wrote a
name like 7. Core, but intended for his
own. as witness. Croke evidently be-
lleved that writing "hs mark" saved him
from forgery in signing Hogan's name. In
this he was mistaken. as the act in itself
is felony and Croke's handwriting is
plainly recognizable. His object in max
ing the entry was to get the money and
charge up in cash.
Another specimen entry Is one on July
q, 1894. when the 500 deposit of S. B..
Cushing, sidewalk contractor, was entered
on the credit side of Croke's cashbook.
About the same time a similar entry of
500 deposit of Goodman & Co. was made.
The contractors retain their permits or
certificates of deposits, which guaranteed
they would leave streets in good condition
after completing their work.
These deposits were continued from one
contract to another, and remained in the
Street Department office. or at least such
was the superstition, although the mon ey
had been taken surreptitiously. A certi-
fied check of L. E. Clawson s. Co. for 5000
was entered as returned July 90 1894, but
wandered into Croke's wallet. As it was
on the Pacific Bank it had to be made
Croke got the gold coin.
And so the string of false entries and
thefts runs through the books. The de-
velopments of the next few days will show
that Observation-Disclosures Of Streets James
Gilleran will have to make good possibly
a few thousand dollars to contractors about
which he never dreamed.
Il intend paying every dollar taken dur
ing my term of Office" Ackerson said yes
terday. ''even if l have to sell piece of
resl estate TO get the money. But | shall
have nothing to do with defacations made
under Mr.. Gilleran's management. pro-
pose TO let him look out for himself"
1t was only within the past few days
that Ackerson learned of Croke's record,
and he is indignant that his friends who
knew it all along did not tell him before.
Croke was deputy In County Clerk Rud-
dicks office, where he had charge of the
cash. 1t is said 5000 of the money was
misappropriated. By methods similar to
his latest ones he deceived Ruddick, and
finally went so far as to check off his
fraudulent entries with a pencil of the
same color as that used by the expert of
the finance committee. Deputy John
Greif discovered the fraud, and then
Croke's sureties made good the amount of
Croke's defalcations.
Previously Croke was employed as a
bookkeeper by Durham. Carrigan & Co.,
and got into some trouble with that firm
which caused his dismissal
Between Ii and IL o'clock last night
Street Superin tendent Ackerson and one
of his deputies ca1ed upon Captain Doug
lass at the Central police station. After
half an hours consultation with the cap
tain the deputy went to the Street Superin-
tendent's office, where Croke was locked
in, and took him before the captain, when
Mr.. Ackerson preferred a charge of felony
against him.
Croke had been captured early in the
evening by one of the deputies, and he
had evidently been trayersing the cock
tail route"
He was taken to the City Prison and
booked on the charge. Only So Is was
found in his pockets. he declined to
make a statement, and when told that he
was accused of embezzling $1,000 he re-
piled, THAT is an ignorant state ment."
Further than that he would say nothing.
A Uni atI Intfn