The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1901-02-12
EIGHT THOUSAND SHY
ShOrG Line Treasurer DOctOred
His Bank Book.
VAN KURAN'S SHORTAGE
APPARENT LooSENEsS IN THE
AUDITORS DEPARTMENT.

An inspection Of the accounts of Arthur
J. Van Kuran. local treasurer of the Ore
gOn Short Line Railroad company, has led
TO the conclusion that the Official is IS, 300
short in his assets. The discovery that
something was wrong in the treasures
department was made last Friday by
Travelling Auditor Craig, who. for tQe
hrst time in six months, was checking up
on the Office. He at once notined his su-
periors and the result was the suspension
OF treasurer y an kuran. The office was
turned over to AudItor Fred Hills who
Is now making the examination which via
Ii al probaoliIty lead 10 the arrest of the
treasurer.
Mr.. Hills stated last evening. after
closing the office Tor the Gay, that until
the lnEeStlga LlOn was further under way
1t would be difficult TO get at the exact
situation. but as matters stand there can
be but one sO4utICn of the case-the money
u HUL ~ mere IL should 81. Inc shortage
OF $500 mas evidently been covered up by
o manipulation OF the bank books. the
OHlcldlS say. The deposit book showed so
many thousand dollars on deposit, where
as IN reality Cnly a portion OF the amount
SHOWN was on deposit. 1t Is a case OF
talSitying accounts the officials say, and
IN order to prevent the discovery, they
DelleNe Van kuran balanced the books
himself instead OF leaving. it to his sub
OTdinateS. This has been going on dur
ing the last SIX months. a shortage being
SHOWN each month, according to Auditor
Hills.
No Statement.
Mr. Van kuran has attempted no ex-
pIdnauOn OF the condition or the treas
ury as yet W hen asked Tor a statement
yesterday, the treasurer answered.: II
am not under arrest yet, am l. l~haVe
no statement to make l am simply await
ing developments"
it is believed the wait for these devel-
Opment5 viii be tedious As soon as the
shortage was discovered Auditor Hills
notlhed the National Surety company o.
he III
| bonds for all Short Line officials They
are on the Van kuran bond tor S53U35
ana Whatever loss there is, ordinarily
WouIu De sustained by them. If the uSud.
procedure is followed, the surety com
pdny viii send a special agent TO Sal.
Lake. He should arrive tonight and there
Is strong probability that after he learns
the condition of affairs. he VIII take steps
towards prosecuting, unless the shortage
Is maze good at once.
Meanwhile the police department is
keeping cases on MIR. Van Kuran. The
FORMER treasurer was up and around early
yesterday morning and by noon had eyl-
IDENTIFY got on the outside of a few thin
pies OF liquor on account of either re-
morse or indifference. He was at his Of
nee several times. Chez t1nUcn, Dettc-
tive sheets and Sergeant Janney canned
on van kuran's trail practically all dav
Ine chief said there mad been no com
pidAlt against the suspended treasurer
but thought it possible that there would
be one some time soon.
Question of Liability.
There is osme question as 20 whether
nc surety company or the railroad COM
pahy VIII nave TO make good the defalca-
uon, according TO those Well informed
1t IS predicted that the surety company
Will take big exception to the apparent
neglect displayed by the auditors deDa RI
meht IN ITS checklng-up system. Auditor
Hills admitted yesterday that the treas
/ urer accounts have not been checked up
IN SIX months. He explained that the To-
cal officials had implicit confidence in
Mr an huren, and thought he was all
right There is supposed TO be a provi-
sion IN every bond furnished by surety
companies that the railroad company
snail exercise reasonable care in seeing
that employees accounts are correct In
probably have some controversy to face
before the shortage is made good by the
National Surety company.
General Inspection.
! Whether this happens or not. one re-
suit OF the Van Kuran disclosure Will
most likely Be an order from New York
/ for q, general inspection of the various
I OThces out here IL Is said thaC another
IIliLol an 9lIICe OF the snort Line mas not
Deen visited by an auditing clerk for more
than a year. This office is supposed to
! be checked UP every two months.
Mr.. Van kuran was brought here by
General Manager Bancroft from Omaha
Previous to the segregation of the two
/ systems he was chief clerk in Union
{ Pacific once.
! He was believed Cby his superiors) to
be steady and honest, although other peO-
pie have or some time heard many stories
indicating that he was leading d fast
life
There was a whole lot of speculation in
dulged in Yesterday as to the cause of
his shortage. Some said he had lost
money in mining stocks. Others took the
less charitable view that there was q
woman in the case. 1t was even rumored
that some time ago he purchased a cigar
stand on Third South street for a girl
who was formerly u waitress in a hotel.
These reports were denied by some of
his friends That Mr.. Van Kuran was
the double victim of a slump in the
, stock market and q fOndneSS Tor poker
/ was also limited.
/ When asked as to the probable success
SOr of Mr.. Van Kuran, General Manager
Bancroft said the matter had not been
considered. The belief is that Mr.. Van
Kuran'S chief clerk A. L. kimball, is in
3 line, for the Mace.