The San Francisco call., 1897-06-17

ties at the usual hour. and at 3 O'Clock in
quired as to Norton's wherea bouts. No
one had seen him, and the Collector i'm
mediately detailed several of the internal
department detectives to find him.
As the hours passed and no trace OF the
cashier could be found, his books were
taken up and the examination cone
menced. Many points needed expiana-
tion, however, and more men wers sent
out to ind Morton. He was not to be
foun !. however. and at o'clock impa
tienCe changed to worry.
At o'clock Collector Welburn was in
formed that Norton had taken his own
life. He was 10th to believe it at first,
but on investigation found it to be true.
The failure on Norton's part to return at
3 o'clock. when he knew his books we're
10 be checked up, took on significant as
pect when it was learn ed that Norton was
dead, and Collector Welburn hurried to
his office 10 cheek up the stamps.
Assisted by Bert NJ. Thomas the Col
lector checked up the stamps of large de-
nomination and found them to be correct.
Mr. Welburn then went TO the Morgue
and looked over the papers found on the
body. Among them were three vouchers
for beer stamps sold, which, as the Col
lector said, should have been left in the
Government safe in The Federal building
The first was dated March IL and was q
voucher for stamps of 1923 70 value sold
TO the Enterprise Brewing Company.
The second was from the Frederick burg
Brewing Co. and called for 1925. 1t was
dated Nav l. 1897. Both of these vouchers
were stamped and had evidently been
checked up IN the Government books
in a proper manner, but why Norton
chose 10 keep them in his posses
sion is a mystery. a third voucher
however, found on the body, has pe-
cuiar appearance. 1t calls for stamps
valued at $462 80 purchased on June II by
the National Brewing Company. tits not
properly cancelled, and is evidently not
recorded on the books.
In the large vault of the Internal Rev.
enue Department from 81 OOO,O coo to $3, 600, =
600 worth of stamps are constantly kept.
In The morning when the office is opened
the seal which is placed on the vault at
night is broken and stamps valued at
from $4,000 to $50, 600 are taken cut and
passeI 10 the cashier Tor retail during the
day.
during the day, and when the office is
closed at night the remaining stamps are
returned to the large vault for safe
Keeping. AS the cashier handles all
money as we'll as stamps, the
stamps returned TO the vault might
not, if cashier were disposed to
be dishonest. tally with the mum Der taken
out in the mornIng when added to the
days vouchers.
The National Brewing Company's
voucher is not stamped as it should be"
said Collector Welburn last evening
However, out of the three found on the
body 1t is the only one about which there
is any question OF shortage. 1t is not as
it should be, and its peculiarity will be
investigated tomorrow.
If Norton was short in his accounts the
extent OF his EN- bezZ!ement must be con-
fined to the limit OF a few thousand dol
lars. We have checked up all the stamps
OF large denomination and find that all
are on hand.
1T Will take some time TO check up the
stamps of small denominations, and
when that is done if a shortage exists it
will be discovered. Norton has been cash
ier OF the Internal Revenue Department
since January, 1895 and was always an
industrious man OF exem plary habits.
His suicide was great surprise TO me,
and unless 1t is a shortage in his accounts
am al loss to find motive which could
have prompted him to self-destruclion."
The widow OF the dead cashier, when
seen at the family residence late last night,
was almost prosJrated with grief. Norton
had lett his wife and three little children
IN the morning seemingly in the best spir-
its, and the sudden news of his death
proved d great shock to her.
'Mr. Norton left the house this morn
ing" said his sister-in-law, Mrs. Abraham
Norton, OF 1909 Howard street, IN good
spirits as usual. He has had no family
troubles that would cause him to take his
lie, and so far as we know he has ex-
perienced no financial difficulties. 4"
Isaac Norton, the dead cashier, was
man SO years OF age and native of Cali
fornia. Besides widow and children he
left other relatives living in this C:ty-a
brother, Abraham Norton, a com putting
clerk in the Mint.
He received a salary of $3.50 a wear
from the Government and was certainly
not IN want. He was also in the best of
health and these facts make his suicide
one OF mystery, which neither friends nor
relatives will attempt to explain.
CIereIG"d Doctor # Lace.
PRINCETON, n. J., June l6-The de-