The Indianapolis journal., 1896-06-26
TRUSTED CLERK LEAVES
CHARLES w. GREENE THOUGHT TO
BE A DEFAULTER.
For Seventeen Years He Has Held the
Confidence of the United states
Express Company officials.

Charles w. Greene, money clerk of the
United States Express Company. is miss
ing. and it is supposed he is a defauiter in
a large sum. The officials of the company
placed the matter in the hands of the po-
lice yesterday afternoon, but no figures
were given as to the amount of Greene's
supposed populations, except when one of
the officers limited that it was between 81 500
and s, 500.
Yesterday morning Greene failed to report
at the office, e South Meridian street, as
usual, and Caleb S. Phillips, local agent of
the company, took his desk and carried on
his work, thinking that Greene would re-
pert later in the day. He, however, sent a
messenger to Greene's house and learned
that the money clerk had left home the
night before at Z o'clock and had not been
seen since.
This aroused the suspicious of Mr.. Phil
lips, and he began an investigation. Just
about this time E. r. Hogle of Toledo,
assistant superintendent of the company
for the central division. and Travelling Aud
itor Snyder, of New York, came into the
Office. The former chanced to come to the
city at this time but the visit of Mr.. Sny-
der was in the nature of a regular audit
ing trip The appearance of Mr.. Snyder
increased Mr. Phiilipss suspicious, as it
was probable that Greene had learned of
the coming of the auditor and realized
that his inspection of the accounts of the
money department would disclose shortages.
Mr.. Phillips and the visiting officials made
a hasty examination of the accounts and
became satisfied that it was matter to be
placed in the hands of the police. Superin-
tendent Colbert was given the case and
lofa mt
SO far as reported last night no clew to the
whereabouts of Greene had been found.
The ticket seller at the Union Station
thought he remembered man of the de-
scription purchasing ticket to ST. Louis,
and the officers in that city were notified to
be on the lookout for him. That was the
curate. ft
Greene had been in the employ of the
company nearly seventeen years, and there
never has been thing to mar his good
reputation. Mr.. Phillips said yesterday
that he had always been a trusted employe.
Regarding the possible amount of money
Greene could have taken. Superintendent
Hogle volunteered the information that ii
could not have been great, for the reason
that no large sums are handled through the
simply handled the money orders for this
city. Large shipments of money to and
fl ON banks were always handled directly
may be that Greene has been taking money
for some time, and in this manner has
taken large amount in the aggregate"
To Mr.. Colbert one of the officers esti
mated the amount of the shortage at from
81 500 to 81 .S00 Mr. Phillips was asked las
| night about the amount of the shortage
well. we do not know yet" he said
whether there really is any shortage ol
not and cannot tell until thorough in
vestigation is made. 1 really inclined
| to the belief that Greene is somewhere IL
| the city and that when he is found every
| thing will be explained. for i believe he 1.
simply somewhere drunk"
The police are pretty actively at worl
| to locate drunken man, are they not p
| Mr.. Phillips did not push his drunk theor,
any further. but was content TO repea
| that nothing could be known until furthe
| investigation and examination OF the books
Greene lived at 360 South New Jerse,
street, in n neat little cottage near Nc
| Carly street. He has a wife and two chill
| dren, a boy about eighteen years of age
| and fifteen-year-old girl. Mrs. Green,
| was almost prostrated when a Journal re
porter called at the house last night. Sh
| had evidently been advised TO talk littl
about the case and refused to discuss /
| more than TO tell the story of her hus
| bands departure from home the night be
| fore. He did not say where he was going
| but Mrs Greene supposed he was going I.
| the Office, as he frequently did. TO balanc
/ his books at night. The house in which tn
i family lives is rented. Greene had the rep
| utation of being hard drinker at times