The San Francisco call., 1897-07-01

consisted in paying the salaries of the dep
Uties and clerksin the office ana the IN
cidental expenses Of it, by check on the
Sub Treasury. Tie gaugers of the district
are paid b. checks sent direct from Wash
ington. As Disbursing Officer lump sum
was PLACED to his credit in the Sub-Treas-
ury every three months, and the salaries
and 1L-all bills under his jurisdiction were
palG uy him by check. His account with
this fund was audited quarterly at Wash
ington.
1t is broadly intinnated that Welburn
has managed 20 put small sums thus dis
bursed into his own pocket by drawing
checks for dummies, holding back por-
tions of salaries due employees, dividing
salaries with men he had appointed and
tampering with the funds at his disposal
in some such petty ways. Vague guesses
and intim tions of more serious things
that M lght follow thorough exploration
of the affairs of the Office fioated about
yesterday, but they remained only un-
charitable gossip and surmise. All who
are officially concerned in the matter pre-
served much secrecy about 1t, but 1t Is
known that the offense charged is about
as described.
Special Agent Thrasher, with the as
sis ance of Special Accountant Sewcll
from Washing gton, has bean investigating
all the accounts OF the Office since the
books OF Cashier Norton were exported,
and on Monday some things In the &C
counts OF the Discussing Officer that
seemed TO require explanation were run
into.
Welburn did not appear at the Office on
Monday, and search for him that was be-
gun at once and kept up on Tuesday failed
10 afford the slightest cew to bis where
abouts. He had simply disappeared.
Last week Special Agent Thrasher re.
ported to the Treasury Department that
Welburn had said that he was willing to
return the forty odd thousand dollars en-
tezzled by Norton, but asked for time TO
collect from Norton's bondsmen. Thrasher
received instructions that time would be
gwen if Welburn was personally innocent
OF wrongdoing.
On Tuesday, however, Thrasher tele-
craphed report of his discoveries in
Welturn's own accounts and OF his dis
appearance. On the same day Thrasher
notified Welburn's bonds men that Well
burn had disappeared and that new ir-
re -ularities In his Office had been found.
As the Office was running without a
responsible head and as the bondsmen
we're responsible for the administration of
the office, this was notification that 1t was
look after he situation.
Both the department at Washington
and the bondsmen acted promptly yester.
day, but the department relieved the sure
ties OF further responsibility by simply re-
moving Welburn from office. At 10 A. N.
a telegram was received by Thrasher noti-
tying him that Welburn had been re-
moved and that Deputy Bert NJ. Thomas
was made Acting Collector. Thomas re-
ceived notice OF his appointment and a
telegram addressed to Welburn, which. be-
ing opened, was found 10 be modification
OF his removal. Thomas at once assumed
charge OF the office, with which long ex-
perience has made him familiar. For if
teen years he served with special Treasury
agents here as deputy, and two years
ago he became deputy in Welburns Of
tice. Welburn was not suspended pend
ing further Investigations; he was sum-
marily and absolutely removed, a pro-
ceeding that was evidence of the serious
ness OF his own offenses
Early in the afternoon E. B. Pond, w.
a. Whitehurst of Gilroy and James w.
Rea of San Jose met Special Agent
Thrasher and Acting Collector Thomas
at the Appraisers building, and there
were three hours OF closetings while the
situation was being gone into. Pond is
the only San Francisco surety on Wei
burns bond, and Wbitehurst and Rea
represented the sureties of Santa Clara
County, of whom James w. Rea's father
Thomas Rea of Gilroy, is one.
Special Agent Thrasher gave these gen.