The evening times., 1901-08-17
PRICE ONE CENT.
E. Y. SHEPARD DISCHARGED
Chief Clerk of the Patent Office
Summarily Removed.

The Disappearance OF Funds En-
trusted 60 His Care Assigned a the
ReRsOn-Statement of the Coun,i.-
sioner in Regard To the Natter.
Edward V Shepard, who has held re-
/ sDonsible positions at the Patent once
for the past five years. and has for three
years been chief clerk Of the bureau, was
today summariiy discharged from the
Government service. Mr Shepard was
discharged by +. J. Allen, COMMISSIONS
Of Patents, after a searching enquiry had
been made into the disappearance OF GER
! tain moneys, which had at one time been
in the keeping Of Mr. Shepard.
Immediately after Mr.. Allen had issued
the notice disharging the chief clerk.
the Commissioner made the following
statement concerning the case.
"W hiIe / was absent on my vacation,
Mr. Moore. the Assistant Commissioner OF
Patents. was informed by Mr. Mortimer,
chief Of the mail room. that the latter
had discovered that an old safe IN MS
office contained some funds which had ac-
cumulated in the Patent once by reason
Of the fact that after they had been for
warded to the senders they found their
way back 20 the Patent Office. because
the senders could not be located. These
funds were contained In envelopes and
bore the names Of the persons who should
have received them The envelopes bore
dates indicating that the moneys had
been accommodating at the Patent once
for eleven years
Immediately upon learning that the
funds were in the old safe. Mt Moore
called several clerks into his office and an
enquiry into the matter was begun The
Acting Commissioner wrote tc me advis-
ing me Of the discovery and requesting
thet / return 20 Washington / came back
here August 8. when Ny Moore explained
the situation 10 me. On August :, by my
direction a committee counted the funds
ln the safe, and next morning they were
ctirered 10 Mr. Shepard. the chief clerk
who was instructed 10 turn tnem over 20
F. j. Shoat, financial clerk OF the Office.
AT the close OF business on the after
noon Of that day the chief clerk reported
that he had delivered he money 10 Mr.
Shcat- and that the latter had placed Il
in MS safe The next evening the com
Eittee that had counted the money the
day before. again counted H. II was
learned that Sss-e5 was missing 1 then
began an investigation IN order 10 learn
what had become Of the missing funds
and was forced by the character OF the
evidence disclosed to the conclusion tnat
IL had been taken by Mr Sh-pard 1.
therefore, recommended his dismissal
and he has been discharged.
Further ,han this the Commissioner OF
Patents would not discuss the c1se
Whether any other funds have been taken
from the Patent Ofica is not known save
10 possibly a few OF Jne high officials Of
the bureau
The dismissal Of Mr. Shepard and the
cloud under which he rests have caused
great surprise in the Patent once. The
chief clerk was regarded as thoroughly
honest BY everyone in the Office. and was
exceedingly popular with the large force
Of cie~LS employed there Many Of those
connected with che Office are IOath 10 be-
Heve that Mr.. Shepard has been guilty
Of improper conduct. and express the be-
lief that some mistake has been made
Mr- Shepard. when seen this afternoon.
declined TO discuss the matter He said
a subject fraught with so much import
ance 20 him, but added that ne might
make a statement later.
Il Is understood that the money alleged
TO nave been stolen from the Patent Once
consists OF funds sent TO the Commission
er by persons throughout the country for
drawings. copies Of specifications. etc.
and while returned 70 the send~rs. failed
10 reach them and came back to the Pat
eut once. How IL got into The old safe
referred 10 has not been made clear BY
the Patent once officials.
Mr. She pard was considered one Of the
most valuable employees Of the Patent Of
fee He was recently assigned TO the i'm
pnrtant work Of preparing a monograph
containing a history Of the Patent Ofice
from its installation 10 the present and
proof sheets Of this work have from tine
20 time been given 10 the press. His woElI
has heen fraught With much interesting
personal matter concerning the COmmis-
sioners OF early days and the other high
officials OF the bureau In one chapter OF
this history Mr.. Shepard referred TO the
honesty and iutC gritty Of those connected
With the Patent Office and made the as
Sertion that II was next 70 impossible for
anyone 10 take money IN that institution.