East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1906-10-23

w. j. sewell, former manager of
the Poilatch Lumber company, has
been charged with the embezZlement
OF Sl29S and a warrant is now out
for his arrest. Where he is at this
time is not known, but II Is feared he
has fled the country to avoid arrest.
The complaint against Scwell was
made this forenoon before John Nc
Court, acting district attorney, by
Jonn Kendall, in charge Of the yards
of the Potlatch company
When asked If he believed the
$l293 shortage named in the COM
plant was the extent of Sewelfs|
wrongdninG, Mr.. Kendall said:
at II impossible to tell now, but
/ fear not. That much Of shortage
was evident upon the surface and al
careful investigation may show the
amount to be much larger Under
the rules of the company Mr.. Sewell
should have remitted daily all the
money ne received on account of the
company. rhe 1928 now missing is
money that he did not so remit. IT.
is possible that he may have collect
ed money on accounts and not cred
tied the customers with the payments.
In thaa case It will take some time
to discover the whole shortage"
No Funds In Banks.
This afternoon Mr.. Kendall inquired
a; all of the local banks to ascertain
If the missing manager had any funds
20 his credit with them. But he found
he has not, though he had an ac-
count with the First National which
had bsen. closed
In view Of the fact that he had no
property, 1t is believed that Sewell
has no intentions of making the
amount Of his shortage good. 1t isl
the belief OF Mr.. Kendall that he has
left for parts unknown and that he
will return to PendletOn only in the
custody of the sheriff. Sewell was
last seen here Saturday morning,
when he left on the delsH ed west
bound train, No. 5. which passed
through xbout 1880. To NJ. r. Yates
the missing manager said before leav-
ing that ne would be gon. several
days, but did not tell his destination.
However, In view of the fact that he
went west 1t is presumed he went
from acre to Portland.
According to some friends of Sew
ell he Went from here to Kalispell, |
Mont. where he has an aunt from
whom he hoped to secure money with |
which to make un the shortage ia
his accounts. In the opinion OF James
Spence, he will return this evening.
Made Up Shortage Once.
The PotiatcA Lumber company Sc
cured its local lumber yard from the
Grdy's Harhor Commercial company
last February. Mr.. Kendall says at
that time Mr.. Sswell was recommend
ed To the company as honest and
trustworthy. He had previously been
manager here for the Gray's Harbor
people and about a year ago II was
currently reported that he was sever
al thousand dollars short In his ac-
counts with them. That such was
true is admitted by some of Sewells
friends, but they say he made up the
amount of the shortage. To do so he
Is said to have mortgaged his home
ana some other property for $4,000.
Expensive habits and family quar-
rels are given as the source of Sew
els downfall. According TO those
who knew him well, he spent money
too freely and as a result he was un-
able to make his income meet his
spendings. Stories of heavy losses
at gambling are told of him though
others say he did not gamble much.
He Is also known to have squandcred
much money In otherwise leading the
sporting life.
Domestic Troubles the Climax.
That his relations with his wife
have not been pleasant has been
known to friends and neighbors for a
long time and many attribute much
o o Q o o Q q o o q q