The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1902-09-17
Wright's Shortage
Said to Be
$500.
NEW CHARGE WILL
NOW BE BROUGHT
first Complaint Was for Failure
TO Account for Hawaiian
Electric Co. Check.


A second charge of embezzlement of
government monies amountingA TO
S5252.10 will be brought against B. H
Wright. late chief clerk in the Public
Works Department, within few days.
This, 1T is said, is the amount of the
shortage SO far discovered by Deputy
Auditor Henry Myers in his examina-
ton of the books of the imprisoned
clerk, which. with the first charge of
embezzIemens of $3,2Ss.5S makes a total
of over IS, 500.
Deputy Auditor Myers is still at work
upon the books, but is extremely reti-
cent aszto the discoveries so far made.
The total of the shortage as now ascer-
tained may not include all the irregu-
larities in the finances of the Public
Works Department, as the examination
has not been entirely completed The
amount as above given is said to be
the shortage as shown by Wright's
own books. 1t is the practice to keep
large sums of money in the safe at the
a Considerable amount collected daily,
and though this money should have
been turned over to the treasurer every
evening, it was not done, some of it
being required for current expenses.
The amount of cash which should have
been on hand was short $5.252.10 and it
is with the embezzlement of this
amount that B. H. Wright is now to be
charged.
The first charge of embezzlement up
on which Wright was originally arrest
ed was for money alleged to have been
taken at one time, within the past
month or two. This was for $3,289. 50,
and it is said was the amount collected
by Wright for the Territory from the
Hawaiian Electric Co., being the gov
ernment's share of the corporations
profits during the year. The amount
was paid by a check upon SDreckels
Bank and was cashed by Wright
though the Whereabouts of the money
has not so far been ascertained.
Money is paid into the Department
of Public Works from many different
sources. Sewer and garbage charges
annually reach a large amount, in addi-
ton 10 which are rents from the city
market and various other sources. All
this money passes through the hands
of the chief clerk and an accounting
should be made with the Treasurer at
least once month,
J. H. Boyd. Superintendent of Public
Works. who left for San Francisco on
vacation of two or three months early
in September, has been summoned to
return because of the developments in
the Wright case.
"BUTTING-INr OF GEAR.
Judge Wilcox scored Judge Gear in
the District Court yesterday morning
when the case of B. H Wright, charg-
ed with embezzlement, came UP for
trial in the forenoon. Wright was not
present when his name was called and
one Of his attorneys, Davis, asked for
a continuance, but Judge Wilcox sug-
gested that such a motion should not
be made unless the defendant was in
court He was ordered to be brought
into court Davis again took the floor
to urge his motion, saying that the con-
tinuance was asked only for the pur-
pose Of preparing for trial. The High
Sheriff, who is at present conducting
the prosecution, said he was averse to
having the case continued beyond the
present week. He was willing to have
the case continued for a brief time,
however as he expected to be assisted
by one of the deputies from the At
torney Generals office.
Judge Wilcox then gave his opinion
Continued on Page ~