The San Francisco call., 1898-04-21
WAS A HUNGER ON RACES

Augustus c. Widber and $116,0 900 were missed from the City Treasurer's office yesterday. Within a few minutes after this information was conveyed to Mayor Phelan, the police authorities set the machinery of their office at work, and as result Widber was ar rested at Walnut Creek, but, so far as known, none of the missing money has been recovered.
 For many weeks 1t had been rumored that City Treasurer Widber had been plunging on the races, and also that his accounts were not in the condition that they should be- Nothing of a tangible nature, however, could be obtained So strong were these reports that Mayor Phelan caused an examination to be made of Widber's books, and a report was made to him that there was a shortage in Widber's accounts of about 5000. On a further investiga- tion of Widber's accounts, however, the apparent shortage by some mys- terious process of manipulation had disappeared.
 From the facts that developed yes terday 1t appears that there has been B systematic and wholesale robbery of the city's money going on from the vaults of the Treasurer's office, and that Widber is solely and directly re- spOnsible. The greatest shortage has been found in connection with the gen. eral fund. Sacks of money which should have contained s5OO0 in gold have been l found to be filled with about s250 in ysilver coin. The shortage in this fund is estimated to be s76,O00. In the col lateral inheritance tax fund a shortage exists of $15,000. while the money of the Public Administrator in the custody of the City Treasurer is short $25, 900.
 Chief Deputy Treasurer M. de la Montanya discovered the sensational crime by first noticing that a seal on a s50OO sack of gold coin had been tam pered with. He at once suspected that Widber was the culprit, as only Wid- Der and he had the combination to the time lock on the vault that contained the sacks that had been tempered with On bringing the matter to the atten- tion of his superior, the latter admitted that he alone was responsible for any deficit. This was on Tuesday.
 Widber had promised Montanya that he would come to the office yesterday morning and fix matters up. Montanya waited until noon, but Widber failed to put in an appearance. Montanya then sought the Mayor in order to in- form him of the state of affairs that existed in the Treasurer's office. I. was not until after o'clock that he found Mayor Phelan. The latter al once put the police authorities in pos session of all the known facts A search was immediately instituted fol Widber. and the police took charge ot the Treasurer's office.
 At about o'clock Mayor Phelan Auditor Frederick. Deputy District At torney Hosmar, City Attorney Cres- well, Judge Trout and Chief Lees went into conference in the Treasurer's of flee They decided to begin immediate investigation, and statements were taken in shorthand of each of the of flee employees. All the moneys were placed under lock and seal, and 6 thorough examination of the fund: will be made to-day.
 The news was not made public abou the City Hall until after 4 o'clock, bu after the first word got out 1t spread like wildfire, and the threatened Wal with Spain became a secondary matter of interest.
 It is a notorious fact that for many weeks Widber went to a certain saloor on Stockton street at about 6 o'clock every evening" Here he met Thomas A. McGowan and Is reported to have received reports from him of the re- suits of the days races, and to have placed commissions with McGowan fol the following day. Widber Is also the reputed owner of a number of race horses. Rubicon. said to be one of the animals owned by Widber, won the last race at Ingleside yesterday. He was played heavily by McGowan and his friends. and was entered in the name of McGoN.an.
 According to the statement of one of the deputies in the City Treasurer office, Widber was under a bond of on1v $lO0,OOo, with the Fidelity and Casualty Company of Maryland as surety. The smallness of the bond occasioned con- siderable comment yesterday, as there are times when the City Treasurer has the custody of more than $2.0OO. .OO0
 While the shortage discovered thus far is believed to be not less than s116.- 900, 1t is possible that this amount may be increased, and materially, when the investigation Is completed.
 With one exception this is the largest loss ever sustained by the city by de falcation. Alexander Austin, who was Tax Collector of this city many years ago, stole s275 0O0. which was lost ir mining stock speculations. He had this money deposited in bank in his owr ee0 anne for several years pending the de ' cision of the Supreme Court relative tC the tax under which this money hat been collected. The money had beer paid under protest. When Austins de faIcation was discovered he commute! auicide by shooting himself Another no.