Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-06-19
SHORT IN ACCOUNTS
Disbursing Clerk Henry Rech-
tin Arrested This Afternoon.
GOVERN N M ENT FUND
MAKES A CONFESSION TO ATToR-
NEY GENERAL.
Experts Go Over the Books in Absence
of the Clerk-Borrowed and
Paid Back.
MENT FUND

A sensation was caused at the Depart
ment of Justice this afternoon by the ar
rest of Henry Rechtin, the dsbursing clerk
He was arrested by Detective Horne of
Capt. Boardmans staff on warrant charg-
ing him with the embeZzlement of IS, 600 of
the moneys of the United States. The war
rant charges the embezzlement of the
money under statute applying to such Of
ficials, and is similar to the warrant issued
In the case of Disbursing officer Barrows
of the census bureau several weeks ago.
An unusual thing in connection with the
case is that the warrant was issued on the
affidavit Of Mr.. Ashley NJ. Gould, the Dis
trict attorney. 1t is alleged that the short
age charged covers a period of three or
four years. The alleged shortage was dis
covered only recently, and District Attor-
ney Gould was consulted. He was in pos
session of all the facts connected with the
case. The records of the disbursing clerk
had been carefully gone over and this
morning the warrant was issued from the
Police Court
Detective Horne was sent for to go to
the Department of Justice, but for what he
did not know until he was handed the war
rant. Then he went TO the office and made
the arrest. as stated He had not rea ched
police Headquarters with his prisoner
shortly after o'clock, and Capt. Board
man said he knew nothing of the case.
Methods Pursued
The defalcaton and arrest of Mr.. Rechtin
fell with great surprise upon his fellow
workers in the Department of Justice. Few
employees had been more popular, and the
Attorney General himself had a most kind
ly feeling for his disbursing officer.
The story of the discovery of the defalca-
tlon and the arrest shows the promptnesS
with which the Attorney General acts.
For some time his suspicious as to the ac-
curacy of the account of Rechtn have been
aroused, and on Tuesday he had a con-
ference with Controller TraceWell, whose
experts have been making regular eXami-
nations of the accounts of Rechtin at in
terVaiS. He requested the controller to de-
tail two experts to go to the office of
Rechtin the first thing this morning.
The experts arrived before Rechtin
reached his office and got access to the
books They were at work without his
knowledge when he arrived. He took the
situation in at a glance, turned somewhat
pale, walked down stairs to the Office of
Attorney General Knox, promptly unbos-
omed himself to the latter and confessed
that he was short in his accounts between
$1,000 and $1,000 He said that this state of
affairs had been caused by fast living and
speculation and that he had hoped to event
ually take up the shortage and get his ac-
counts straight again.
The confession revealed that Rechtin's
shortage had existed probably six years,
ey at each examination of his books and
paying 1t back afterward. Rechtin always
Knew when his books were to be examined
by the controllers experts and borrowed
money from friends to conceal the shortage
Just as soon as the examination was over
ne paid the money back. He kept this up
for six years right along.
Rechtin Is bachelor and was brought
here from Cincinnati by Attorney General
Harmon In 1895. Prior to that time he was
the clerk of one of the Cincinnati courts
and was as popular there as here. In a con-
fession he made to Controller Tracewell
this morning, after he had talked with
Attorney General Knox, Rechtin said he
came here in debt and indicated that he
borrowed from the government soon after
he became disbursing officer to pay off
what he owed He had been unable. owing
TO fast living, to make his losses good. al
though he was bachelor and making
about $500 a year.
Rechtin is under bond for $50 600. and the
government will lose nothing by his short
age: The company will pay the money
back Friends Of the arrested man will
whether they will be able to do anything
Is not known.
Rechtin. in talking with the Attorney
General and Controller Tracewell, appeared
to feel Inundated at his situation, and
there was general regret over the fact that
so popular man had been unable to resist
wrongdoing.
Attorney General Knox. soon after he
was In possession of all the facts inform
ed the police officials OF the city and Dis
trict Attorney Gould that they might take
the required legal action. This was follow
ed by the arrest.
Surprise at Old Home.
CINCINNATI, Ohio, June 19-Henry
Rechtin was appointed as dsbursing agent
of the Department of Justice when Judson
Harmon of Cincinnati was Attorney Cen
eral under Clevelands administration
Judge Harmon was astounded at the Asso-
ciated Press dispatches. and said he could
not believe Rechtin guilty. Rechtin had
been prominent as democratic worker in
Hamilton county for many years He has
been clerk in the mayors office probate
court, county clerks office and internal
revenue Office of this district