The San Francisco call., 1898-04-21

Lees, who at once went to the Treas urer's office to notify Mayor Phelan and the others of Widber's arrival.
 Messrs. Phelan, Frederick and Cres- we'll and Judge Trout hurried down the long corridor and were soon closeted with the defaulter. Besides these gentlemen and Chief Lees there were present at the interview Constable Palmer, Thomas Sullivan, who went to Walnut Creek with Widber and was detained as a witness, and a Stenog rapher.
 Mayor Phelan conducted the exami- nation, Widber answering such ques- tions as he saw fit promptly; others he ignored or turned aside. The prisoner, though entirely sober, bore evidence of having been drinking heavily, from the effects of which he had not yet fully re- covered He was exceedingly nervous and seemed to hold himself together with an effort.
 Are you aware of any shortage in r the funds in your custody" asked the Mayor.
 "I am," came the prompt reply.
 "Who took the money"
 T did,
 'Is anybody else implicated?"
 "No; I alone am responsible. There was nobody in with me"
 How much did you take?"
 "I have no idea. I kept no account of what I took. When I wanted any money I watched my opportunity and helped myself"
 "Mr Widber, 1t has been stated that you have been seen in your office at night and that you probably took the money there. Is that true?"
 NO; I took it all in the daytime. did not take any at night"
 But how did you manage to get away with so much money when the clerks were present."
 Tt was very risky; had to watch for an opportunity and slip into the vault unobserved."
 How long have your peculations been going on!''
 "Oh, the money has all been taken within a year"
 But can't you tell when you took the first money?"
 NO; it has been within a year; that's near enough"
 Widber then described, in response to the Mayors questioning, how he man. aged to abstract the coin. He would tcke a sack containing S5000 in fold, and, sealed with the Mint seal, which covers the string the sack Is tied with. | Deftly cutting the string he would work 1t through the seal without in- turing the latter.
 oh hcfy Of irey hA 1n 5 refill the sack with silver, and with the aid of a needle he would run a new string under the seal and fasten it so 1 that a casual inspection would never discover that the sack had been tam 1 pered with.
 The needle Widber used for this work was found in the vault by Chief Deputy Montanya.
 Mayor Phelan next questioned Wid- Der as to how he had used the money taken from the treasury.
 In reply he said he had sunk some of 1t in mine at Grass Valley, more went into the Walnut Creek property. some was used to purchase property on Castro street in this city, and at Noun tain View while the races absorbed a considerable share of it.
 What induced you to first begin this work?' asked the Mayor.
 Hard times. I had some property and to save it I had to raise money; then other demands on me were made and I took more" :"
 Did you visit the race tracks?" No; I sent the money out"
 Whom did you send it by?"
 hot ,oly ence took the money and am respon- sible for it; I don't propose to drag anybody else into this affair."" All attempts to get anything further out of Widber were fruitless, and after