The San Francisco call., 1897-06-24

I he produced and read the following
telegram:
SACRAMENTO. Cal, June 22, 1897.
Rothchfld & Ach. San Francisco:
L. Hoffman registered the night of
May IL and left the afternoon OF 18th.
GOLDEN EAGLE HOTEL.
Henry Wiener, n drummer for "A local
firm, was also produced, who swore to
seeing Al offman in Sacramento on the
morning of the 18th of May. He stated
that Hoffman told him he had an ap-
pOintment to show samples to some
one of the firm of the weinstock-Lubin
Company during the afternoon of that
day.
1t was learned later from other sources
that Hoffman had taken the $40 p. NJ
train from Sacramento on the 18Th inst
and arrived here about S:45 P. NJ He
did not go to his place of business, but
went direct home. where he arrived
about p. M.
In the course of his testimony Ach
swore that FIgel had misappropri ated
large sums of RENTED money other than
those that have heretofore been made
public He also testified that Figel had
misappropriated checks for large amounts
that had been signed by E. s. RothchiId,
to be applied 10 the payment OF notes
owed by the firm to the London, Paris
and American Bank These defalcations,
as Ach calls them, were made prior to
/ March 9. the date OF Rothchild's departure
| for the East and while Hoffman was
absent from the City.
| Chief Lees came in for a sarcastic refer
ence. Ach said that whenever anything
/ Of damaging character to Figel came up
the latter went 10 the Chief whom Ach
| dubbed Counsel Lees for the defense, 4"
anu made explanations, which the Chief
always informed the newspaper men were
| satisfactory to him.
b. Joseph added to tine sensations OF the
session when he testified he consented to
testify for Figel that he had seen HofT-
man sign the $500 check. He explained
that be at first refused to do so, but when
Figel walked behind his chair it made
him feel mot very comforta bic, intimat-
ing that he feared personal injury from
the bookkeeper.
Most OF the checks and drafts which
Figel had wrongly deposited to his own
credit in bank were Endorsed with the
firm name by him. E s. Rothchild testi-
fed that he had no authority to sign the
name of Hoffman, RothchiId g. Co. It is
claimed for this reason that the bank
where Figel deposited these drafts will
have 10 make them good to the firm if
Figei does not do so. Aud Joseph, for the
same reason, will have to refund the firm s
moneys that were wrongfuIiy deposi,ed to
his credit by Figel
In statement read by Alfred Meyer
stein 1t was shown that Hoffman for sew
eral months past had intended to have
the books of the firm exported, owing to
his knowledge of the betting proclivities
OF his bookkeeper.
There was rumor current last night
that Flgel bad called at the office of the
Chief of Police to surrender himself, on
the advice of his attorneys. When the
Chief was questioned about this he pro-
nounced the report to be absurd.
He explained that Figel had called last
night with Henry Eichoff, one of his
attorneys, to get the receipt in order to
submit 1t TO an expert. The Chief referred
him TO the Coroner. in whose possession
ne thought it was as an exhibit.
While the Chief admitted that the evil
dence introduced by Ach, if it could not
be retuted, might prove embezziement, it
would not follow that Figel was guilty of
murder. He had no idea of taking him
into custody, but was ready to perform
his duty if any body swore to a complaint
against the suspected man.