The San Francisco call., 1905-05-18

According to the detectives Of the
Pinkerton agency. two cities are prom
ised the questionable honor of possess
ing share of the plunder of defaulting
Tax Collector Edward j. Smith
planted within their limits. They are
Denver and Los Angeles. The former,
the detectives assert, has the greater
part of the loot 1t is alleged to have
been taken to Denver by Leona Brooks
on a flying trip made by her before she
left with Smith on mis- absconding
flight. Nearly all of the remainder was
hidden in Los Angeles on April 2l,
where Smith stopped for five hours dur
ing his flight from San Francisco.
After careful inquiry and a searching
investigation by the Pinkerton detec-
tives in New York the Pinkerton
agency has practically proved that de-
faulting Tax Collector Edward j. Smith
did not plunge heavily in the Wall
street stock market. Smith, from the
moment of his capture, has repeatedly
asserted that greater part of the sum
taken by him was lost in Wall street.
The inquiries of the detectives have
persistently turned to Leona Brooks,
the companion of Smith. The woman
made a particular point OF visiting
Denver and the detectives and local au-
thorities are convinced that the greater
portion of the embezzled money is hid
den there. So sure are they of this fact
that it is asserted they are nearly ready
to put their hands on a large share of
the treasure.
The local branch of the agency has
had its men, at the direction of the Ma
tional Surety Company, visiting every
broker representing a new York firm in
this city in the endeavor to ascertain
whether Smith had used their offices
for the purpose of piunging in stocks.
The inquiry was made so exhaustive as
to include even the bucket shops that
Smith might have used to cautiously
play the market with few hundred
dollars at a time. All inquiry has
shown that Smith has not done any
stock rlunging in San Francisco and
the local officers are convinced that
Leona Brooks disposed of a portion of
the money on her visit to Denver.
WOMAN VISITS DENVER.
Leona Brooks before accompanying
Smith showed great anxiety to go to
Denver There she tarried for a day
before leaving for New York. 1t is al
legged that at that time she disposed of
some of the money. 1t is asserted that
had not Smith presented Leona Brooks
with d ticket to the coast she would
have returned by way of Denver and
possibly disclosed the hiding place.
The detectives have been investigat-
ing the statement that Smith gave
money and jewelry to the amount of
$4,000 TO Miss Lillian Leslie and Leona
Brooks These statements the police
and detectives have proved to be false.
The finger of suspicion still points more
persistently at Smith as having still at
his command the sums of which he
mulcted the city's taxpayers.
From the extreme reticence Of the
Pinkertof officials in Los Angeles it is
believed that important discoveries in
connection with j portion of the miss
ing money have been made and that
within a very short time its actual loca-
tion may be revealed. 1t is the opinion
of parties who have reliable informa-
tion bearing on the case that the plum
der is in a safe deposit vault in the city
and will shortly be secured by the Off
GERS. The amount of money Smith is
supposed to have left here has not been
estimated Assistant Superintendent
Bacon of the Pinkerton agency at Los
Angeles would not say to-day what was
the actual amount they expected to find.
FURTHER INDICTMENTS.
Last night T. P Andrews of the Grand
Jury would not say that further indict-
ments would be brought against Smith.
The Grand Jury expert, Douglas Young,
was in consultation with r. CT. Wood
ward and A. Wenzelberger of thelsurety
company. explaining his methods in
tracing the amount taken by Smith.
Nothing will be done by the jury as
whole until next Tuesday, when, after
the Collins case has been probed. An
drews will resume his place as foreman
and the Smith case will proceed.
1t has been announced that Garret
McEnerney will take up the defense of
Smith and become one of the array of
lawyers with which the embezzler will
surround himself. McEnerney, when in
terviewed. refused to affirm or deny the
statement. The fees that Smith will
have TO pay for his defense will be no
small item.
Smith was arraigned in Judge Law
lor's court yesterday on two charges of
felony embezZlement. He was repre-
sented by Attorneys John j. Barrett
and A Barnard. While Clerk Martin