The San Francisco call., 1898-11-29
HEAVY LOSS
 OF SAN LUIS
 OB|SPO COUNTY Tax Collector Find- ley's Shortage. MAY EXCEED FIFTY THOUSAND DISCOVERY MADE IN A TASTY
 INVESTIGATION. Trace of the Fugitive Officials Move ments Lost After His Ar
 rival in San Fran
MAY EXCEED FIFTY THOUSAND
DISCOVERY MADE IN A TASTY
 INVESTIGATION.
Special Dispatch to The Call.

SAN LUIS OBISPO, Nov. 2S.-For some days it has been suspected that County Tax Collector S. NJ. Findley had fled because of shortage. He left here on the 18th inst. saying he would collect licenses In the eastern part of the county. He was not seen in that section and the Fidelity and Deposit Company of Maryland, which held his bond, was notified. A special agent ar rived Sunday evening and this morn ing the safe in the office was broken open by county officials and there was found missing $11,S37 37. The suppo- sition is that much more is gone.
 Findley stopped at Santa Margarita on Friday and went on to San Fran cisco on Saturday, the 18th inst. He purchased two valises in this city be- fore leaving. One was a small one, probably intended for coin and cur rency. Findley since having been ap- pointed to office in December, 1897, has been drinking heavily and playing jnickel-in- -the-slot machines around town.
 The Board of Supervisors met this evening to take action. Its eXamina- tion was hasty and incomplete but 1t
 
 $55, 900. The accounts will now be aud ited accurately and until examination Is completed the exact shortage can not be known.
 Findley was an old resident of the county and hitherto has borne an ex- cellent character. He was one of the leading men in the creation of the Pop ulist party in this county and for the first two years of it's existence was the chairman of its County Committee. His first reward in the shape of office was his appointment by the Board of Su- pervisors as Tax Collector to fill the unexpired term of George w. Ramage, who died a year ago.. Soon after as- suming control of the office he began drinking heavily and gambling, and the attention of Thomas Barrett, local agent of his bondsmen, the Fidelity and Deposit Company, was attracted.
 Findley had expected the fusion nom- ination and reelection to his office, but was disappointed, and that fact doubt less precipitated his flight. He went away without exciting suspicion, it being his custom to take trips about the county to serve the convenience of li- cense taxpayers. To acquaintances at the train on which he left on Friday he casually stated that he was taking a trip of that nature. He stopped at Santa Margarita, the first point north of here, evidently to carry out this de- ception, but when he next boarded the train he went through to San Francisco, where he disappeared. A few days later his absence reawak- ened suspicion. and Barrett notified the l officers of the Fidelity Company There vas much telephoning and telegraph ng, but nothing could be learned of his | 
 Findley leaves an estimable family. | in entire ignorance of his | movements and in deep distress over he shame which has overtaken them l through his act. The office is in the | lands of his deputies, Messrs. Nesbit | md Scott, and the receipt of revenues goes on without interruption, except hat occasioned by the experts of the | Board of Supervisors and the Fidelity Company, who are laboriously engaged | n the big volumes which conceal the efalcatiOn