Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-06-10

ment of public money or other property, or
Of effects belonging or payable to the Dis
trict of Columbia. or in the custody OF the
same, fraudulently convert to his own use.
or to use Of any other person. body cor
porate or association whatever. or uses, py
way of Investment in any kind of security,
stock. loan. property or in any other man
ner or form loans with or without interest
in any company. corporation. association or
individual. excepting by depositing IN
bank to said party's own credit,
in the usual course Of business any public
money. funds. property. bonds. security.
assets or effects received. controlled or
held by him for safekeeping or for any
other purpose shall forfeit all rights. by
way OF commission or compensation. to
any part Of the said money or other prop
element of the whole Of the money or other
property thus converted, used. invested.
loaned. deposited or paid out. and shall be
imprisoned for not more than twenty years
and fined In a sum not exceeding double
the value of the money or property en-
bezzled.'
Forgery Also.
The transaction upon which the District
authorities have based their warrant and
first charge against Watson is in regard
to check and voucher for $1,000 1t is
believed that in this connection Watson Is
guilty not only Of embezzement, but for
gerry as well. He is alleged to have pre-
pared voucher, signed by the auditor, for
the transfer OF the amount stated from the
deposit fund to the assessment appropria-
ton. Mr.. Petty asked for an explanation,
and Watson glibly gave 1t.
Mr.. Petty signed the check. It was
placed to the deposit of Watson at the Cit
liens National Bank, and afterward, when
Watson made a settlement at the bank. was
destroyed by him. Watson Is said to have
acknowledged the destruction of the check
to Mr.. Alonzo Twedale. the deputy auditor.
L0 f,-,, do how
referred to coincide with each other so
often, and being continuing affairs, a great
deal OF confidence has to be placed In the
honesty of the man in charge of them.
Their character and the manner of hand
ling them permit of Irregularities that 1t
is said it Is almost impossible to obviate
The funds are handled In lump sums 1t
will require an examination into almost
every transaction in which this fund has
been drawn upon during the last few
years to get Watson's affairs Strengthened
up. The task Is almost appalling.
The banks in which Mr.. Petty has made
his deposits Of trust funds are the Traders
National, the Central National and the
National Capital. He received from these
today, but cannot tell as to how they tally
with the correct figures that should obtain.
Where It Went.
An effort Is being made to learn what has
become of all the money alleged to have
belief that he has sunk 1t in the various
enterprises In which he was interested.
In addition to the newspaper, the barber
shop and the patent medicine concern. he
is said to have backed a bucket shop on +
street until recently. 1t Is presumed that
a considerable portion of the money may
have gone into this. Watson also engaged
with a partner at the District building some
time ago in selling tips on the races, both
at the local and metropolitan tracks His
connection with the paper Is also being in
quired into. Mr.. Lapham was with him
IN the paper enterprise. and 1t Is charged
that both used their District positions to
influence people to subscribe. - m
There is a great deal of talk at the Dis
trtct building today concerning the Dis
trict Cooperative Association" which
sprung into existence at the magic touch OF
Watson. and without the knowledge of the
District Commissioners. The officers Of this
association. as they appear on letter-heads
and circulars distributed by Watson, are:
A. M. Mckenzie, president; d. G. Patter-
son. vice president: ]. M. A. Watson, sec
rotary and treasurer; F. g. Davis, F. H.
Loving and E. E. Jones. executive commit
tee.
supposed to have been Mr.. Alexander Me-
Kenzie formerly deputy auditor, but now
member Of the board Of personal tax
appraisers. Mr.. Mckenzie admitted today
that he was subscriber to the associa ton
and deposition. but denied that he was
president. He declared he had never ac-
cepted any such office. Mr.. Mckenzie went
to. the Central National Bank today to
learn If any funds were on deposit there to
the credit of the association.
He was asked If he was president, and
was told If he did hold the Office the bank
would give him the information desired.
Mr.. Mckenzie said he was not the presi-
dent. The vice president appearing on the
letter heads Is DR.. A. C. Patterson of the
health office. Mr.. E. q. Davis. the collec-
tor of taxes, said he also had subscribed
to the association. as he believed it a good
scheme to keep the clerks from borrowing
from their chiefs or from one another
The association proposed to lend money
at per cent interest for fifteen days. Mr..
Davis said he had never been acquainted
with the fact that he was a member Of
the executive committee. The other two
Mr. Loving of the auditors Office and Mr..
Jones of the disbursing Office. Mr.. Low
ing stated today that he believed the af-
fairs Of the association were intact.
The Commissioners this afternoon issued
an order officially dismissing Watson from
his place in the auditors Office taking ef-
feet yesterday. copy Of the order was
sent to him at the Police Court.
In Reform School.
In regard to Watson's term in the reform
school it is alleged that he pleaded guilty
In March, 1880. to an Indictment charging
him with forging checks Of DR.. A. P. Far
don on the West End National and the Co
lumbfa Banks to the sum Of $2.75O. He
claimed to be under seventeen years Of age,
and was sentenced to the reform school un-
til the age of twenty-one. He was then"
said DR.. Pardon last evening, "a young
fellow with black eyes and black hair, with
a keenness that always attracted atten-
ton" DR.. Pardon went on to tell of the
sharpness and shrewdness with which
young Watson had cashed the forged
checks.
Watson worked for a man named Eric
Noble, an accountant, who had desk room
in the office of real estate broker on F
street He soon attracted the attention Of
the doctor, who took an interest in him.
One day. however, the doctor discovered
that some one had forged check for $3.50
in his name at the West End National
Bank. An investigation ensued, and c. p
Williams of the bank recognized Watson
as the man who had presented the check
He had cashed another $3.50 check with
the same bank and checks to the amount
of $4,000 at the Columbia Bank He had
been accustomed to cash checks for the
doctor at the latters request and then be-
gan the plan of making a check for the
same amount as that the doctor had, and
cashing both.
Dnf pIa~% lit, IL