The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1906-07-16
STRANGE PROCEEDING
BY SHER|FF'S OFFICE
It Comes Out in a Case Wherein
Employee of Salt Lake Firm
Is En1bezzIer.

| rho = I Crabtree Produce company.
| on Wednesday last. according TO MT
| Crabtree, collected about 500 OF the pro-
| duce compauy's money from customers
| of the house and appropriated II To ms
own use by handing IL over to the
| ShsrIn of Juab county TO square UP a
| transaction OF nearly three years ago
which caused the Sheriff to journey to
| Salt Lake armed with a warrant, on
| the charge above stated.
Back of all this is another story, mat
| OF the Sheriff's office of Salt Lake coun-
" being turned into n collection,
| agency and allowing man asalhst
| whom there was warrant or arrest
| his freedom for an afternoon, therepy
| giving him an opportunity TO go out
| and collect his employers money that
| he might use il In adjusting claim
! that would prevent his arrest rms
| action upon the part of the Sherln Oh
! fee is ineXpiicable-
Had Been n Trusted Employee.
Mccain has been IN the employ OF
| the Crabtree Produce company for
nearly three years. being employed In
the capacity OF city salesman and coll
lector Last Wednesday noon, accord
ing to Mr.. Crabtree, Deputy SheriH
Steele OF this county and Sheriff White
OF Juab county called at his place or
business and asked for McGann. Mr.
Crabtree told them that McGann was
In the office, asked what they wanted
of him and was informed that they had
q warrant for his arrest on charge or
obtaining money under false pretenses.
alleging that he had passed a worthless
check in Juab county. McGann wes
then called out and had conversation
with the officers and left the office, not
returning again during the day, On
Wednesday evening Mr.. Crabtree was
-, ,l.-~ fnG
ened the matter out and that he had
not been arrested.
Crabtrec Makes Investigation.
Thursday morning Mr.. Crabtree
called UP McGanu's boarding place and
was informed that the man had gone
TO work shortly before. Mr.. Crabtree,
when McGann failed to put In an ap-
pearance, started TO make a round of
all the customers in the city that Nc
Gam had been IN the habit OF calling
o nand collecting from, and before he
had called on very many OF them found
that McGann had been collecting the
firms money and had failed TO account
for IL. From one place on Wednesday
afternoon McGann had collected $40 In
cash and some smaller amounts from
several other places which Mr.. Crabtree
says had made the amount sufficient to
square himself with the Juab county
Sheriff and TO satisfy the Sheriff's Of
flee OF Salt Lake county. Mr., Crabtree
also found that McGann had been ap-
propriating to his own use portions OF
his collections OF the firms money since
the first of April. He had secured in
some manner pad OF the firms blank
statements. which the firm is in the
habit OF keeping in the safe. which he
has been using to aid himself in carry
Ing a SVStoO0atlc 1S6 Of Tbe firms
money.
How He Worked.
McGann's method of procedure. said
Mr.. Crabtree, was to hold out a por-
tion OF the money paid him by some
firm and report to the Office a balance
according TO the amount held out.
When this same firms account again
became due the bill of course would
show balance unpaid and McGann
would make out a duplicate bill except
that he would leave off the item of the
unpaid balance. This scheme he was
working with the accounts OF large
number of the customers from whom
he collected so that he was able TO
Shift from one TO the other and not
have to report an unpaid balance for
the same customer all the time
Mr.. Crabtree states that McGann's
total shortage amounts to $3.50, OF
which amount $l00 is on account cf
overdrawing his salary which was al
lowed him on his statement that he
had gotten into trouble over some wo-
man. He promised to pay this amount
back to the firm IS at a time.
Crabtree Hears From McGann.
Though the officers we're notified no
trace Of McGann was found until
Saturday, when II was learned that he
had registered at the Brunswick room
ing-house on Main street, using his
correct name, but naming Ogden as his
place OF residence. He remained at
the Brunswick. It is Supposed, until
some time Friday night. but further
than this no trace has been found OF
him beyond the sudden leaving for Og-
den Saturday of a woman who 1t Is
reported, McGann has been Intimate
with for some time past Mr.. Crab
tree received a letter Saturday morn
Ing which he says was in McGann's
handwriting, but with no signature, in
which II was stated that he. the writer,
was short in his accounts and as soon
as he could secure another position
would make good the shortage. A list
Of the accounts In which there was a
shortage was given In the letter, and
these. Mr.. Crabtree states, tally with
the figures as prepared by the firms
bookkeeper.
Mr.. Crabtree states that McGann has
been an exceptionally good salesman.
being well liked by the trade. He also
stated that McGann had been in the
habit OF making collections that
amounted to about $4,000 a month, and
previous to this time the firm had never
had any reason to be suspicious OF him,
In any way
Emery on Anxious Seat.
Mr., Crabtree also says that Deputy
Sheriff Steele called on him SATURDAY.
night and stated that Sheriff Emery
had criticised him very severely for
having said anything to him, Crab
tree. about the transactions as he
Crabtree, would be very apt to use II
against the SherifT's office. Mr.. Crabtree
being an American party man, while
the Sheriff trains with the Smootites
Detective Shannon made a trip 10
Ogden Sunday in an effort TO locate
McGann in the Junction City, but the
trip was n fruitless one.
Closing out every uncalIed-for sum-
mer suit. from $500 up. Daniels, the