The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1905-05-05
:, DlUlCAlIU
.Defaulter Thefts
Are Increasing
in Amount.
Evidence Is Found
Which Raises
the Total.
Grand Jury Called
and Indictment
IS Expected.

The stealings of Edward ]. Smith
may be found much more extensive
than at first supposed. The papers and
] check books found in the private desk
of the defaulting Tax Collector show
! that he had been systematically rob-
bling the city for over year.
| The first approximate estimate made
! by Douglas Young, the Grand July ex-
pert, placed the amount at about S72.-
| OO0 Now it is feared that the total
! will be far in excess of 100000. The
| system of thefts was so intricate that
it will take days and perhaps weeks
! to find out how much the embezzling
official stole in the tax office. Expert
Young will work day and night on this
| phase of the scandal.
why, from what we found by a
hasty perusal yesterday" said Fore
man Andrews, Eve could return
enough indictments against Smith TO
send him to Jail for life. 1t cannot be
estimated yet how large the total
1t will be much larger than at first
supposed
John r. Smith was present when the
desk was opened by Foreman Andrews
and District Attorney Byington.
Among the papers found were bills for
sealskins and jewelry. My brother s
wife never got any of those things.
exclaimed the brother of the defaulter
bitterly. Poor little woman
In Edward ]. Smiths box at the
Western National Banks safe deposit
vaults, Foreman Andrews and the
District Attorney found number Of
shares of oil stock. Information of
this discovery was conveyed to City
Attorney Long and he ordered the
stock attached.
BOOKS WILL BE EXPERTED.
81 have not yet ascertained what it's
exact value is" said Attorney Long.
Il do not think that it can be worth
much; most Of it seems to be in wild
cat concerns
The investigation into the methods
employed in the Treasurer's Office,
which was started yesterday, will be
taken up again. Though the count of
the money in the vaults tailed with the
amounts on the books, Foreman An
drews has expressed dissatisfaction
with the methods employed in the Of
flee.
The books will be ordered exported
for twelve months back. Foreman An
drews believes that from what he and
Eek ,rt Young learned in the inveesti-
cation yesterday such action is justi
fed -
The entire working force of clerks
and deputies in the Treasurer's Office
was examined yesterday by a Grand
Jury committee. They were questioned
infinitely on the routine work of the
office. Following is the list of witnesses
examined: Louis A. Devote. the de-
posed cashier; l.. Chester, c. B. Per-
kins, j. c. Tomalty. j. A. Whiteside.
A. W. Hobro, F. A. Lorrigan and Mrs.
Louis A.. Devote, who has been en-
ployed as an extra clerk, The commit
tee consisted of Foreman Andrews and
Jurymen Sullivan and Porchers-
NO LINE ON CONSPIRACY.
Foreman Andrews believes the al
legged conspiracy behind the story of
the $165,000 shortage will not be un
earthed unless Edward ]. Smith can
be made to throw some light on it.
So far nothing has been found to prove
that such a conspiracy existed.
When Expert Young is able TO report
fully on Smiths system of stealing an
investigation will be made into the
workings of the Auditors Office. The
expert found yesterday that Smith de-
layed accounting for sums collected and
sometimes carried them over for weeks
until other bills could be collected He
had been behind in this manner for
nearly a year. Foreman Andrews be-
lieves that these delays should have
been reported.
There will be meeting of the full
Grand Jury in Judge Lawlor's court at
2 o'clock to-day. At least one in the
Treasurer's office will be indicted for
violation of section 424 of the Penal
Code.
Governor Pardee has signed the
reuuisition papers to bring the
defaulter back to this city and
Detective Wren has left for ST.
Louis. The local police believe
that Smith has cached in the East some
of the money he stole. Even If
he had flung money about as lavishly
as he declared, they believe that he has
hidden somewhere most of the SIS, $50
he obtained from Devote on his per-
sonal check. When Wren arrives in
ST. Louis he will make an effort to
have the defaulter confess where the
loot has been cached.
NrcCorfI,v Casa Nav Ra RPfrfed