The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1899-02-02
TREASURER IN DEFAULT
Henry PrcSSey Short About Five
Thousand Dollars.
CARLESSNESS Is THE CAUSE
The City Will Recoup Its Losses Suits 10 be
Brought Against the Suretes-Pressey's
Store in the Hands of the
City Officials
CARLESSNESS Is THE CAUSE

The shortage ct city Treasurer II.
Pressev has been the one subi-rt Of con-
versation that overshadowed even the
senatorial question this week Mr.. Pres
sey has hosts of friends who cannot be-
lieve that he Intentionally wronped the
city or BETRAYED his trust. But The fact
remains that after several years OF care
less management of the city finances. he
finds hls accounts in inextric6ble confu-
sion. So much is this a fact thqt not.
withstsnding the reputation of Mr.. Bas
det, as an expert, employed by the city
to investigate his accounts, the bonds
men have determined to employ another
expert for the purpose OF throwing more
light on the matter.
The shortage runs back to 1894 and in
cludes the month of January of the Or es-
ent year, during which month over 800
were found to be missing. The first in
timation the general public had of the
condition OF the city's money chest WAS
on Saturday night Immediately upon
the completion of the experts report to
cll was called and a resolution passed to
require the city attorney to attach the
/ feed store Of Pre,sey and secure whatever
available assets he had to rerlup the
city's losses. MIR. Pressev, however,
rendered this summary action nnnece.-
snrv nv offering 70, turn over all his pror-
er'y Including $3S - 10 his safe and
abont 1878 in cash belonging to the city
in the bank. II il believed that through
the careless handling of the money snd
the criminal fault Of others coupled with
his well known generosity in loaninn
. trends money, the money has been
spent. i j. stated that $500 or $1,000 Of
the whole shortage OF about 5000. was
paid by Pressey, but as the warrants were
not cancelled they were paid again to an.
other party. The items cover twenty
pages Of fools'-cap az embraced in the
BoSdet report, and have been kept from
the public inspection pending suits on
are being prepared by City Attorney
Snyder. 1t may interest many TO know
who the various bondsmen are, as the
suits will likely include them all when
brought, inasmuch as the shortage in
some measure occurred in all four years
Of the treasurer's incumbency Of the Of
flee. an office which the mayor has called
upon him to resign in order at the
council on next Monday may appoint his
successor.
There are FIVE sets of bonds. The sure
ties and their wives, who join to pledge
community property, being liable for the
sums they qualify to, varying from one
thousand to twenty-five hun dred dollars
in each individual instance. The follow
ing bondsmen qualified for the different
wears; 1894, bond 5000, Charles Car
penter, w. A. Cox, J. II. Carpenter, J.
NJ. Baxter; 1895, bond s. 600, A. S.
White, Chas. Carpenter, J. II. Carpenter,
q. w. Rodmsn, Walter Walton, NJ. Pro-
bach, Thos. Graney, F. B. Shardlow, j.
ID. McDaniels; 1885, bond 10000, J. Z.
McCafferty, VIM. Lee ST.. III. L. Tucker,
John Napier, John Dignon, Frank Oplistl
ii. A. Griffin, NJ. Probach, A. N. Short,
G. Scow, s. j. Cameron 1897, bond
$4,000, L. III. Dills, John Reed, AL Har-
rison and A. Johnson, 81 900 each; 1898,
bond $4,000, J. II. Timm, A. N. Short,
A. Johnson, Chris Scow, Al Harrison,
Claude Briggs and s. j. Lowe. The
largest liability accrued during the year
1898. amounting to about 81 800
Those in change of the accounts OF the
treasurer are not ready to disclose the
shortage of each year and the several
sureties will, through their expert exam
ination have to determine their joint and
several liability each Tor himself. The
book accounts show about $500 due
Presley which the city will endeavor to
collect. The stock, which is composed
OF staple goods, such as flour, hay, oa'P,