The San Francisco call., 1897-06-18
CHECK INC Up
nORTON'S BOOKS
Five Clerks Labored All
Day Yesterday on His
Accounts.
1t Is Hinted BIZ the Government
officials That a Shortage
Exists.
Many Rumors Are Circulated That the
Dead Cashier Was Inclined
10 Sp-rt.

Five clerks labored all day yesterday
counting the internal revenue stamps and
checking up the accounts OF Isaac Norton,
who committed suicide Wednesday even
ing, in order to ascertain whether or not
the dead cashier was an embezzler,
and if so, to figure up the exact amount
he suTreptitiously transferred from the
Golfers of the Government to his own
pocket. 1t Is broadly limited by the agents
OF the Governme mt having the Investiga-
ton in charge, that a shortage exists, but
it will not exceed $4,000 or SIS, 0C0 which
fact saves the Treasury Department from
loss as Norton was under bonds in a sum
which greatly exceeds the amount of the
shortage.
Many packages of large denomination
stamps, aggregating in value sum up in
the seven figures, were counted and found
to be all On hand. This count when com
pleted removed a great load from the
mind OF the Intern al Revenue Collector,
as lhls left no possible chance for the
shortage to exceed the amount OF Norton s
bond. Several hundred thousand dollars
worth of the small denomination stamps
remain to be counted, however, and when
that count IS completed the insinuationS
of EN- bezzlement will either be proven or
the fact established that the young man
who took his life has been done an in
justice.
For a short time the Government off,
Gals were at loss to understand Just how
person could loot the treasury and es-
cape discovery for even single day. This
has since been explained, however, and
tney marvel no more. In the morning
when the large vault is opened about $50
OOO IN stamps are placed in the hands of
the cashier for retail during the day. In
the evening the cashier returns a report
to the deputy inspector of the amount OF
mony on hand and also the sum of
the stamps suIl in his possession. The
remaining stamps are not returned to the
large vault, but remain in the small vault
IN the cashiers office.
The deputy inspector is supposed to
count the money and stamps to see that
they tally with the amount given out in
the morning. but since the illness of
Louis Loupe, deputy inspector, this has
not been done. Owing TO this fact it
would have been an easy matter for the
cashier, had he been so disposed, to have
returned a false account of the amount of
stamps on hand.
Just what cause could have prom Q ted
Norton 10 EN- bezzie the Government
FUNDS, in case he did so, is at present a
matter OF conjecture. He visited the races
frequently, but never gambled to anv
great extent. 1t IS also rumored that he
was wont TO play a little poker once in a
while and that he was interested in q book
at one OF the local tracks, but no one who
might know whether the rumor is true or
not IS willing to either deny or affirm il.
Mrs. Norton and A. Norton, the de-
ceased's brother, refuse to throw any light
on the mystery, if such thing were in
their power, but naturally they refuse to
believe that he ever committed an act in
his life OTHER than an honorable one. The
body OF the dead cashier was removed
from the Morgue yesterday to his late
home. His funeral will take place this
morning at IL o'clock.