The Washington times., 1906-06-30

whorter was directly under Cashier
Merritt
Immediately after the amount OF the
bond had been determined by Conrnis-
siOner Taylor. MacWhorter's counsel.
w. II. Robeson. said that bail would be
given At a late hour aIacWhorter was
stiu at the commissioners office, and
Mr.. Robson had not returned with the
bond.
Confession Was First Inrimation.
MacWhorter was considered one Of the
most, trusted and faithful er5rloyes af
the city postofGee, and 81 was stated
this morning that his confession last
night was the first suggestion the au-
thorities had had OF any Irregularities
IN his accounts
After serving in various capacities in
the city postoffce since his graduation
from one OF the washington high
schools in 1880. ne was promoted to the
position OF assistant cashier. He had
held the position for four years Ac-
cording TO the postofnce officials the
embezzlement was accomplished by hold
ing invoices for stamps. and making no
record Of them on his books How long
the irregularities had been going on IS
not known. and AIacWhorter declined
this morning 20 make any statement
about his tangled affairs
Has No Statement to Make
"I have nothing to say or no state
nent 10 make I will have 10 refer you
10 my counsel for any information yoD
may desire" was the only answer he
would give. when questioned sOout how
he had disposed Of the money.
BY making no entry on his books Of
5rtain invoices OF stamps he received.
ana making no record Of them when
they were turned over TO the men at the
stamp windows. his books showed a
perfect balance. and there was no way
Of detecting the irregularity without
checking his books with those OF the
auditor of the Postoffce Department.
The postmaster stated 20 a Times re-
porter this morning that the report that
MacWh WhOrter's books had not been eX-
founda ton The postofhce inspectors
make an examination several times a
year" said Nr. Merritt Mr. Merritt
said further that there had been no &C
counting with the auditor OF the Post
Office Department since the investiga-
ton OF the department ebout three
years ago.
BENJAMIN F. Barnes, the newly ap-
poiated postmaster OF Washington. Will
ASSUME the duties OF the office tOmor-
row when Mr.. Merritt viii turn all of
the books over TO him. As is customary
when a new postmaster comes IN. the
books are not transferred until afte,-
they have been carefully audited and
approved Saturday afternoon Mr.
the various divisions that there would
be an inspection OF the books. and that
their accounts would be checked with
those of the auditor for the Postoffice
Department
Why Confession Was Made
MacWhOrter knew that as soon as the
Investigators reached his cooks the
shortage would be discovered. He went
to Attorney Robeson's office about 7:S0
last night. and told him OF the tangled
condition OF his accounts. Mr.. Robe
son advised him to make a clean breast
Of the whole thing.
Mr.. Robson called Postmaster Merritt
on SAe telephone and told him the whole
story. saying that MacWhorter was will
ing to give himself up. Mr.. Merritt vert
to the First precinct station, and Sergt.
companied him to Mr. RObeson's office
in The Bond Building. where MacWhor-
ter was placed under arrest. When TAX
en- to the statioahouse he had about SIS
in his pockets. He gave his age rs thir-
ty-two.
Race Track and Stock Market.
This morning 81acWhorter mace prssc-
fcally the same confession to Inspector
Barclay that he did to Mr.. Merritt last
night. Mr. Merritt said that he asked
the former cashier what he had done
with the money, and that MacWhorter
told him he had lost II on the stock mar
ket. His friends say, however, that he
was deYotee of horse racing. and they
attribute his downfall more TO the racing
game than TO stock market transactions
'.I had fpaplicit confidence IN the man."
said Post master Merritt ''As far as I
knew he was regular in his habits, and
-s.zr 4Gontinusd On Third .Paasl