The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1903-12-07
WICKED CLERKS BUNCO SINCLAIR
Idaho Man indicated at Trial In Ma
Mia On Negligence Charge.

Particulars of the acQuittal of
the island of Rial in the Philippines
on charges of carelessenss in office are
contained in copies of the Manila
Times of October q, received here
yesterday. Mr.. Sinclair, whose home
is at Bonners Ferry, Idaho, is we'll
known az the former auditor of Ida
no who ruled the Occur dAlenes with
an iron hand after the riots of 1899.
The Manila Times, in it's report of
his trial says:
The government undertook to prove
that Mr.. Sinclair gave no personal at
tentiOn to the records OF the office,
| deegating that branch of his duties
to subordinates, caring little or moth
| ing what they did, provided they did
not modest him in his artistic and lit
erary activities. Mr.. Sinclair claimed
| he bestowed upon the clerks all the
watchfulness he could compatible with
respect and gave the records all the
| care he could in the light of his intel
| ligence and other multifarious official
duties.
| There is no charge or evidence in
| any way affecting Mr. Sinclairs hon
esty either in the charge, the testi-
nony or the findings of the court.
Clerks Jobbed Him.
| The most sensational testimony
| was that of Emory H FOgerty, former
chief clerk in the office of the treas
urer. who swore that for six months
he had systematically robbed and lied
| to the treasurer and detailed his
crooked methods. He and some Of the
| other clerks cOntrived to so alter and
| obliterate the records that the most
conclusive and skilful detective work
alone could reveal the thefts. Foyer
| ty is now in Bilibid prison and three
native deputies who were under his
charge have been convicted of embez-
Element.
1T is generally known that the case
against Mr.. Sinclair, has been hanging
| FIRE for long time-ever since Feb
ruary. Till recently there has been
doubt that il would ever be pressed
| to a trial. Attorney General Whitley
was in favor of dismissing it, but Gov
ernOr Taft insisted that the matter be
| tried 1t is said that Mr. Sinclair has
been anxious for a trial and has done
everything in his power to get hear
ing. The expense and h1mlHauon
have borne heavily upon him, bit il
is said that he will not leave the is
lands till these resulting obligations
are Cancelled.
Judge CrossfieId Acuuits.
The findings of Judge Crossfie!C
were that Mr.. Sinclair had been APP
pointed treasurer in October, 1901
| that he had assumed the Office anC
was relieved in January. 1901; that as
4 result of the examination which fol-
lowed. as required by law. a discrep-
ancy was reported amounting to a
certain amount: that. owing to the
character of the proceedings the ex-
act amount was not adjudicated, but
that this shortage. whatever it may be
if any, is not due to carelessness OF
abandonment on the part of Mr.. Sin
clair.
Tt will be remembered that when
the examiners made their report IN
January, 1902, Mr.. Sinclair was arrest
ed by the direct orders of Governor
Taft under a charge of embezzlement-
He was not held in custody, as re-
investigation was ordered. To con-
duct this investigation the same men
who made the first were delegated
being reinforced by an older man from
the same office-thd' auditors office
The second examination failed to fol-
| low the first in that $4,000 more was
tackled on. The embezzlement charge
was then dismissed and the one when
has just been tried was substituted ana
Mr.. Sinclair has since been under
bond of $1,000 to appear in court and
| if guilty, make good the alleged snort
| &c of something like 10000 pesos.
|