Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-06-27

! IL any other man than Watson could. where
| he went and what he did, tells me that he
| was unaware of what was going on In
Watson's world. Watson, it now seems,
held an interest In the News, played the
races ran a barber shop conducted a
lunchroom. sold patent medicines. owned
an automobile storage establishment and
dealt In gum coats for street car motor
men and conductors besides organizing a
cooperative association. of which he was
secretary and treasurer, and last but not
not least, managed a bucket shop. In
whose remorseless NAV. alas! much of his
fll-gotten gain lie buried.
IF Mr.. Lapham, in daily contact with
Watson outside official hours saw moth
ing to awaken suspicion in discrepancies
between his income and his outgo. 1 may
well be pardoned for failing to plead
guilty to the Indictment upon which have
been SO unjustly arraigned.
DR.. Fardon's Belated Revelations.
my good friend. DR.. Pardon, in whose
office Watson was employed when SEN
fenced to the reform sG,ool for forgery.
paid me visit of coincidence after the dis
covery of the embezzlement, and in relat-
ing the events within his knowledge, which
he said had gained for Watson the sobri-
Quet of Jim the Penman," mildly censured
me for his appointment to Office. l was
greatly surprised at these disclosures and
| reminded the doctor that during the four
and half years of Watsons incumbency
ne had often visited my office, and on the
one occasion of one such visit Watson's du-
ties required him to come with a paper to
my desk, near which the doctor was seated
In pleasant converse with me- but neither
by look, gesture nor word of mouth did the
doctor give the slightest indication of the
possession of fact that | would have
given five of the best years of my life to
know.
1t would be objectionable in me to make
TINS reference to my valued but indiscreet
friend were 1t not that his public repetitions
or these belated disclosures have been ex-
plotted in the newspapers to my disadvan-
tage, leaving me no alternative but this re-
ply which make with profound regret
knowledge of Watson's Character.
1 have learned since June 0, 1893, that
scores. possibly hundreds of people in
washington knew that of which was ut
teriy ignorant in Watson's character and
antecedents. but not one solitary custo-
dian of this knowledge, although it now ap-
pears they were about me every hand
passing IN and out of my office daily ever
whispered word of warning in my ear,
ana was left ensnared in the meshes of
net spread for my feet by consummate
trickster and manipulation of accounts
whom so implicitly trusted that on the
DAY oefore the discovery of his awful
crime would not have feared to leave him
alone with uncounted treasure
he won my regard and confidence by
pleasing address, appealing often for ad-
wee and counsel In his private affairs as if
ne were my own son. scorning in speech
every unworthy sentiment, and displaying
IN outward manner a seeming devotion to
every duty
My duties for years have been such as
to require that work nights at the office
and, knowing my habits many a time
when thus engaged he would softly open
the door and come to my desk with offers
OF assistance, and then go to work upon his
books with a zeal which appeared worthy
OF all praise. but was. alas. in the light of
intervening events. the very acme of I'M
speakable vice and criminality.
The Auditors Alleged Concealment.
The most serious accusation, next to
that Of failing to investigate Watson's
criminal record, which has been made
against me in connection with this de-
plorable affair is that, with full knowledge
Of the crime, concealed it from the Com
missoners, my official superors, in order
that 1 might secure a settlement Of the
shortage from General John H. Bryant
Watson's father-in-law.
1T is not possible by the use of human
language, to frame a charge more abso-
lutely devoid OF truth. nor more cruelty
unjust in all that it says or implies, than
1.-THE task of uncovering the evidences "
'Natson's crime, which he had concealed
with skill that almost battles belief, and
setting forth the extent of his defalca-
ton in plain, indIsputable figures, was eX-
ceedingly difficult, requiring the united ef-
forts Of three Of the most expert account
ants In the Office.
Watson, as is well known is a superior
accountant, whose books were models of
neatness with every appearance of ac-
curacy upon merely cursory examina-
ton. Nothing but close scrutiny and care
full comparison of entries, one with another,
could have possibly developed fraudu-
lent entry. The examination of his books,
therefore, which was set on foot by me,
was not for the discovery OF suspected
that branch OF the work in the general
scheme of the Office. being the last step In
reorganization of methods which for
over two years PAST has been in progress,
occupying every moment I could spare
from the regular routine Of official duty.
Watson, as it now appears. realizing his
danger. has for six months past. upon
one or another plausible pretext, delayed
trial balances which he was asked to pre-
pare, and managed to stave off and post
pone the change which at last his absence,
providentialiy, as 1 now believe, gave the
orport unity to make.
AFTER two or three days of patient inves-
tigation appearances indicated that the ac-
counts had been not carelessly, as at first
believed, but purposely confused by per-
forts at acknowledgement. When this idea
took shape the whole plan Of examination
was Immediately changed, the ledgers be-
ing abandoned for the bank books and set
Elements, which are relied upon to supply
proof of the fact of embeZzlement.
Zone incident which FASTENED this deci-
sion was the discovery, May %, that check
No. 1916, dated March 80, 1903. the prop
erly receipted voucher for which was on
file, was not included in the monthly treas
ury statement for April, 1903. where it was
due to appear as paid. "A telephone mes
sage of inquiry was at once dispatched to
the cash room, and reply received that the
check in question had not been paid. I i'm
mediately ordered payment stopped and
began a vigorous search for it in the Office
but after losing several days in a fruitless
quest. concluding that it must certainly
have been paid, determined to visit the
treasury and make a personal search
which I did, with the result that found it
among the paid checks as having been re-
ceived from the Central National Bank I'M
der date of May 4. 1908. Following this i'm
portant clue the investigation thencefor-
ward proceeded to the end with redoubled
zeal and unremitting effort.
LAS there were three accounts in as many
different banks. and appearances indicated
that money belonging to one had been de-
<oI 10, e