The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-01-17

the DefaulterS Will LOSe
Assistant Postmaster Frank N. Nc
Bride whose resignation was noted in
The Herald a few days ago, was ar
rested yesterday afternoon at o'clock
for embezzling $4,000 from the postal
funds of the Salt Lake Office. At
o'clock followed the arrest of J. w
Cunnington, chief clerk of the stamp
department. for embezzling $4OO from
the same account.
Both arrests We're made on the in
stance of Postoffice Inspector c l.
Nichols, who swore out the complaints
before United States Commissioner
Twomey. Service of the warrants was
rendered by Deputy United States
Marshal Dan Swan. The entire affair
is directly the sequel of an investiga-
ton Of the postofice by Inspector
Nichols and the defalcation of Nc
Bride has extended backward to july
1896 After arrest Mcbride was ar
raigned before the commissioner on
the specific charge of having embez-
zled postal funds to the amount Of
81. The prisoner waived examina-
ton and was required TO furnish
bond of $4,000. which amount had not
been secured at a late hour last even
ing, the United States marshal retain
ing the young man in custody
Cunnington's arrest having occurred
after the commissioner hours for
holding examinations he viii spend
his time in the county jail until tonloT-
row afternoon, when United states
District Attorney Judd Will have him
aTraigncd-
to conceal the peculations Of his supei-
ior officer and with felOniousiy appro-
priating 1868 TO his personal use.
BOTH CONFESSED.
Both Mcbride and Cunnington have
confessed 70 Inspector Nichols taeir
wrong doings. admitting that their
stealings have been in progress for
several months.
Mcbride. according TO his own state
ment. began TO transfer the govern
ment's funds to his pockets as far back
as last July. at which time the short
age was about Sf100 Since that time
it has been increased from time to
time until on January 18th. the date
of Inspector Nichols first inspection,
IT had reached the total sum of $4,0'l.-
53 All Of the stolen money was OBJ
tained from the stamp department, OF
which Cunnington was chief clerk.
Whether both men were Steaung at the
! ime they first discovered one another
Us 2 matter Of speculation. McBride's
Official duty is assistant postmaster. and
so far as il related to the stamp depart
lnent was to charge the stamp clerk
each day with whatever happeaed TO
be the amount OF stamp stock taken
from the vault. This was usually sew
eral hundreds of dollars worth AT
checking time. after the close of public
hours. Mcbride would enter the stamp
division and check the stock then on
hand against the money on hand. BY
making a false entry Of the stock on
hand at the end of each da-'s opera
tions he was enabled 10 cover I'D the
shortage. shielding both himself ana
his subordinate Ihat Mcbrlde was
thoroughly familiar with Cunnington's
defalcation is quite apparent from the
fact that the stamp clerk could not
,ossibly take any of the funds without
McBride's knowledge, owing 10 the
complete system of check that the
assistant postmaster had against him.
Mcbride. on the contrary, made his
secondhand return to the postmaster
and by falsifying the daily sale sheet
of stamps was able TO keep the true
conditions from Mr.. Barratt. on the
first check by Inspector Nichols, jan
uary l4th. he took the stamp stock on
hand and by comparison with remit
tances to the audit'rs office at Wash
ington. was not long in discovering a
shortage. The absolute check on the
defalcations down to its minutest
pennv will be obtained from the ac-
counts OF the auditor.
DID NOT KNOW WHERE THE
MONEY WENT.
Neither of the culprits would tell to
what uses their stealings were put.
Mcbride said that he had no idea
where it all had gone. He was not
positive about the total amount reach
ing "a 900 and did not believe that
II would attain those figures; but no
attempt was made TO deny the en-
bezzlement. AS a matter of fact, the
disgraced official freely acknowledged
that he had taken the money, and
nartIv explained the method operated
nv himself and Cunnington. He would
moi admit that he had been a con-
firn1ed opium fiend for two years and
consequently claimed no immunity for
his act by reason of responsibility.
Acouaintances of Mcbride, who are
also attaches of the postof1ce, say that
he has been the victim of some MOm-
so's wiles and upon her has lavished
S1ost of the stolen funds.
MERE SURMISES.
THESE, however, come merely in the
garh of statements made by those who
have worked under McBride's former
directions. 1t is quite we'll assured,
however, that the young man has been
the slave of the opium drug for A year
mast 1t is considered doubtful whether
he could have spent $4,000 for gratifica-
ton of that passion. These are prob
a bly particulars that may be devel- |
oped by the prosecution when the case
is called before the United States dis
trict court.
knowledge of McBride's shortcomings
and confines his confession to the
amount charged against him in the
He has no explanation |