Morning appeal. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1877-1906, 1901-04-30
SKIPPED.
John F. Mcdonnell Disappears
For Parts Unknown Under
a Cloud.

A sensation was created here yester- |
day by the startling news that John F.
Mcdonnell, Financial Secretary OF the
Miners Union and Vice-President Of the
Western Federation of Miners, was short
in his accounts and had left town yes.er-
day. via the Geiger grade.
After the meeting of the Miners Union
last Friday night, ugly rumors began 10
| circulate, but what transpired at that
| meeting people could notesactlv say. It
was whisper ed among "A few that Nc
poneli had been denounced upon the
| floor of the hail and accused of dishon-
| e7ty by member of the order. The
| Unions proceedings are conducted under
| the seal OF secrecy, and it could not be
| definitely aScel tanned how much truth
was in the report, but the r,imors con-
tinued to spread until yesterday evening
| when it became generally known that
the officers had gone in search Of Nc
DoneIl aud found that he had left town.
He was seen yesterday morning headed
north on the Geiger grade and it was pre-
| sumed that carriage was awaiting him
at some point further north on the
grade.
Just what the defalcation amounts to
is not known. but it was stated last even
ing that the Finance Committee of the
Union, which has the task of investigat-
ing the books, and to whom are due the
discovery of the shortage, had found
Mcdonnell about Sl,l00 short up to date
and had only proceeded part way with
the investigation.
Mcdonnell, before leaving town, com
, pletelv eXonerated John l.. Finnegan
Treasurer Of the Union, from all blame
Mcdonnell stated that lie and he alone had
handled the funds OF the order for the
last five years, and that he was respousi-
ole for the entire shortage. He said thai
it was his Intention to seek the aid of
: | wealthy relative and get enOugh to make
good the deficiency. Those who Still
- feel some degree OF confidence ia thu
: man believe that this was his object i,
leaving town. and that he will return.
There have been many rumors of mai
teasaHce in the office of the Financis,
Secretary during the past four years, hu
these have as regularly died out, and j
e finally came to be an accepted fact tina
!, nothing would ever come of The man,
i'll reports, when the sudden denounce
. meat of Friday night took place.
What became OF the money is NO
known. Mcdonnell always enjoyed {
:, good salary, and so far as known, ha(
~ no expensive habits. The creates
IS source of expense to him was proba bl!
his custom of paying up the dues o
,. members, who owing to their inabilit.
a to keep up their assess ments had fallel
II into bad standing. This was a heav.
drain upon his purse, but it was b.
this means that he was enabled to holt
y Office so long in defiance of the report
" concerning his manner of conductin.
g his Office, as those whom he befriende'
in this manner felt themselves bount
]. to support him.
Le In addition to these he had man
he other friends and attained to certai
degree of popularity and notoriety. II
II was elected to the office of Vice Presi
, dent of the Western Federation {
4 Miners for three successive terms, an
IS it was asserted with some appearance
of truth that he might have had tn
IS Presidency OF that organization at tn
" last election had he consented to RI
o. against Edward Boyce the present il
10 cum bent. He also took a prominen
ne part in local politics and was IL dele
d. gate to every State convention OF tn
, Silver Party up to the last one, an
l., was the Silver Party nominee fC
~ County Recorder in 1896.
-. The officers in the Union today turl
ed over the books to District Attorne
Pyne and that official will at one
determine whether the evidence to |
rs obtained from the accounts will justlf
he the county's being put to the expen:
es OF trial. La case he Is satisfied tn;
r. the case stands chance of being SUI
TO cessfully prosecuted he will draw u
40 an Indictment which will be presente
to the Grand Jury without delay
he Report.