The San Francisco call., 1895-12-30
It Is Believed That He Left the
City With Over Three Thou.
sand Dollars.
BONDsMEN GETTING WORRIED.
They Will Have to Fulfill His Agree.
ment to Erect the Armory
Building.

SAN JOSE, CAL, Dec. 29.-No word
has been received from Memo Clinton, the
missing contractor, and his bondsmen are
now preparing to face the inevitable, which
in this case means the fulfillment of Clin-
tons agreement to erect the armory build
ing for the sum of $40, 700.
There is now little or no doubt that Clin-
tons flight was premeditated and that he
took over $4,000 of the contract money
along with him. AS he was last heard of
in Oakland. from which place he sent
telegram last Tuesday morning, his pres
ent whereabouts is supposed to be Upper
Canada, in which section Clinton formerly
lived.
Clinton received his certificate for the
third payment from Architect Van Siclen
on December q. The certificate was at
once presented to Will S. Clayton, who is
the agent of David Jacks, owner of the
building now in course of construction,
and the latter paid over check for $500.
Shortly afterward Michael Kenney, who
had the contract to do the brick and stone
work, asked Clinton if he had received his
check and was given negative answer.
At that time Clinton had the check in his
pocket.
On Monday morning about 10 o'clock
Kenney again inquired about the check
and was told that Will Clayton was out of
the city and there would be no check for
the money handed over until his return.
Clinton added that he had to 60 to San
Francisco on the II 40 O'Clock train to
sign contract to put up q building in that
city, but would return this evening if pos
sible.
Ii not he would surely be back the next
morning. Clinton then went to the First
National Bank, cashed the cheek, and,
without paying dollar out OF the $500,
boarded train for San Francisco.
Definite figures as to how much Clinton
is short were received to-day from Charles
c. Cook, who has been looking after David
Jacks interest as day watchman OF the
Armory building. His main business was
to see that the work was being done &C
cording to contract.
The first payment on the building was
S1776 and the second was $1,000. Of this
$3776 Clinton turned over $500 to SUBJ
contractors and about $400 to the carpen-
ters in his own employ. Kenny has been
paid $1,000 on the brick and stone work,
but still has about $500 due him.
w. w. Montague & Co., sub-contractors
for the plumbing, have done between 500
and $500 worth of work, for which they
have not received a cent. Besides these
two large accounts there are small sums
due for lumber and iron work.
From the figures given it is estimated
that Clinton took away about $4,000 of the
contract money.
If his fight was premeditated he cer-
tainly used uncommon shrewdness in
allaying suspicion. The Saturday he re-
$75. He told them that he had not re-
celved his check, but as he had a little
money of his own he would pay them out
of that.
When he SOLD his residence two weeks
ago Clinton told several persons that he
intended to lease place east of this city.
His place was mortgaged for $500, and he
probably did not realize more than $500
net cash on the deal. When he left for
San Francisco he must have had consid-
cradle over $4,000 on his person.
The family of the missing contractor
consists of wife and six children, the old
est Of whom is girl of % and the young
est boy OF years.
Inquiry at the Clinton residence yester-
day ELECTED the information that no word
had been heard from the head of the
household but further than that nothing
could be ascertained.
The young lady who answered the bell
stated that the family did not care to be
questioned as TO her fathers business.
Clinton S bondsmen will meet tomorrow
and will make an effort to ascertain Just
where they stand. They are now having
statements prepared of just how much
money Clinton paid out.
1t is the general belief that the missing
man took the train from Oakland last
Tuesday afternoon direct to British Co
lumbia and from there went over the Cana
dian Pacific line to his old home in upper
Canada, from which section he came to
this city seven years ago.