Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-10-08
WHERE HAS HE GONE?
Secretary Padgett Of Columbia
Typographical Union Disappears.
SUSPICION OF FINANCIAL TROUBLES
Yet His Accounts So Far Seem
to Be All Right.
EX CITED P Rim T e R S

EX CIT ED P Rim T E R S
The members of Columbia Typographical
Union were shocked yesterday to learn
that their secretary Frank H. Padgett,
had apparently fed, a defaulter to the
amount Of about 5000.
Mr.. Padgett has been the secretary of
the union for eight years, and was most
popular member of the organization.
Last July at the annual election he was
reelected by an overwhelming majority
and leading his ticket, the vote being S66 for
Padgett to 200 for his opponent. He learned
his trade in Washington, and has lived here
all his life. He began as an apprentice in
the office of the Army and Navy Register,
and has worked for nearly all the leading
newspapers here and also in the government
printing office. He has always been esteem
ed as man of the highest probity.
Record for Probity.
During the eight years that he has been
secretary of the union Mr.. Padgett has
handled upward of $4,000 without
shortage of a single cent. He entered the
office following an official who had given
the union considerable trouble in the mat
ter of financial responsibilities. so that he
was always mindful of the confidence that
was reposed in him and apparently strove
to deserve it. He received salary of
81, 200 a year and gave his entire time to
the business Of the union. All the moneys
of the union passed through MS hands.
He collected dues from the members, re-
ceived rents for offices in the building be
longing to the union, paid out relief
moneys to members of the union out OF
work and on special occasions was entrust-
ed with the funds of the union for various
uses.
While he had. to a certain extent. dis
cretiona.y powers in the handling of the
money of the union, there was a check
upon him every month when he was re-
orired to make mis- report of receipts and
expenditures to the auditing committee,
and upon their auditing his statement, to
make settlement with the treasurer.
No Proof of Defnlcntion.
So far as the strictest inquiry could as
certain today there is no evidence that
Mr. Padgett has made way with any of
the funds of the union. AT the office of
the union Mr.. Padgett's desk and papers
were found in their usual condition. The
safe has not been opened since his disap-
pearance, ard he alone knows the COM
bination. This morning lockSm1th was
called in and opened the various drawers
in the secretarys desk, but was not per-
mitted to tamper with the safe.
The officers and trustees of the union
thought it best to have the safe opened In
the presence of Mr.. Padgetts bondsmen'
who are a Baltimore trust concern. From
AIR. Padgett's papers 1t appears that he
has made the regular monthly payments
expected of him. About 800 interest was
paid this month on the debt on the build
ing. Something like 800 has also been
paid to the Internationl Typographical
Union, being the share Of dues required
of the local union. 1t was for time
feared that the money placed in Mr.. Pad
gett's hands for the expenses of the mem
Nf tha oh nr q a
appeared. He had the paying of the va
rious bills against the union incurred in
the demonstration. 1t was found that he
had paid about 5000 worth of these bills
the aggregate amount being in the neigh
borhood of 81 600. No unpaid bills for La
Dor day expenses have been presented to-
day to the officers of the union, although
it is supposed that there are some out
standing.
Causes Excitement.
Naturally, the announcement of Mr.. Pad
gets disappearance caused great deal of
excitement among members of the union.
The offices in Typographical Temple con-
tanned all day long gathering of printers
earnestly discussing the mystery and mar
rating circumstances in their acquaintance
with Mr.. Padgett which would go to show
he was, or was not, a defaulter, according
to the view which each individual took of
the affair. number of printers frankly
admitted that they had borrowed money
of MIR. Padgett, but in such small amounts
shat the aggregate could not nave ocsn
the cause of his flight. One printer who
has been without work for several months,
mentioned fact which goes to snow mat
the secretary had been remiss In his book
keeping This printer said that he had re-
ceived four regular relief allowances,
amounting to s25 each, without giving re-
ceipts for Them
1t was agreed quite generally among
nrinters that while MIR. Padgett was good
hearted and honest man, he had been lax
in his methods of administration and IN
doubtedly careless in keeping his DOORS
posted up, although he was good book
keeper. One printer said that he had not
posted his books since last January. others
said they We're posted up to and lnciudin2
July, when the union voted to give their
secretary months leave, and Mr. PadSett,
with his family, left the city for a few
weeks. At that time his books got behind;
Since his return he had been sick good
deal of the time with malarial fever, which
aggravated the delinquency. Friends had
offered to assist him in bringing his books
up to date, but he had invariably thanked
them ard declined their proffers
Various Stories.
Two theories to account for his disap-
pearance have currency among his friends
One is that he became delirious after sew
| eral weeks illness which constantly threat
ened to develop into typhoid fever, and,
| like young Deloe, the Washington printer
who disappeared from Dubois, Pa, the
other day, has wandered off suddenly, with
out giving any warning of his condition,
and that sooner or later he will be found.
| The other view of the matter Is that
| Padgetr had loaned a considerable sum Of
money to somebody, who has failed to pay
| Up, and in his mental distress over it has
| lost his head and run away. All his friends
agree in saying that he was man OF most
| frugal habits, without any disposition to
gamble, drink to excess or indulge in any
money-losing practices. He was a home
| loving man, seldom away from his fireside
a: night, and to his family his disappear
| ance is terrible shock.
Mrs. Padgett, by the advice of friends,
| has, with her mother. left her home for a
| few days and found a retreat with rela-
| tives, in order to avoid the continual in
quiry of newspaper men and others at the
house The sudden blow has Frustrated her
| with grief, and she is under physicians
| care She knows absolutely nothing of her