The Washington herald., 1907-07-06
Detectives Huntingfo Police
Property Clerk.
RACES CAUSE TROUBLE
FOndneSs for Betting on Horses
Blamed for Shortage.
Alleged EmbezEIement Discovered
When widow of PatroIman B.
Flynn Notifies Mai. Sylvester that
$500 Subscribed by FeIIow-OfIicers
Was Not Turned over TO Her by
CustOdian-Iias Farm in Maryland.

Charged with the ombezzlement Of be-
tween 5000 and $4,000 Of the reserve fund
of the insurance department Of the Po-
! liccmen's Protective Association. a war
rant was issued yesterday for the arrest
Of J. Arthur Kemp chief property
clerk Of the police department and for
| twenty-four years a valued and trusted
employe Of the District government The
specific charge is the cmbczzlcment Of
SIP from the clothing and helmet fund OF
the police department. which sum is also
missing.
A description Of the missing man was
| wired to all the large cities Of the United
States and Detectives Baur and Corn
well. Of the local office. We're assigned to
the case. The funds which Kemp Is al
legged 70 have embezzIed are those Of an
/ organization formed by the members Of
the police department for the protection
/ Of their families in ease of death.
In the event of the death of a police
man each member subscribes 81 70 be-
paid the widow or other beneficiary. OF
the several deaths which have recently
! occurred. Kemp. as secretary Of the as-
sociation. instead OF converting it into its
proper channels. applied the money. ii is
stated. 20 his own uses.
Shortage Blamed on Ponies.
/ The races are ascribed by the police ms
the cause Of the trouble ln which Kemp
is now involved. An investigation shows
| that De has been iH the habit Of visiting
Baltimore and there playing his selections
at the various tracks. Although his hab-
its We're regarded as exemplary by his
official associates and many friends. it
developed yesterday that he was not
strictly temperate. and was a daily WISE
/ itor az certain local bars While t was
known that DE occasionally placed a mod
est bet upon the horses. iJ was never for
q moment suspected that he would become
deeply involved iH the racing game
It .s said also that Kemp has expended
considerable money upon his farm near
Rockville Md. which is estimated 10 be
worth between $1,000 and H5u0. The
property is regarded as Il model Earm be-
the residents Of Montgomery County. and
WAS always spoken OF with pride h,.
Kemp who made il his home the greater
part o. the year Always lover of
biooded animals, il is said he has recently
been eX 1er'mentng iu STOCK raising and
has also made number of more or less
costly improvements 10 his place AS he
was In receipt Uf an annual salary of
5000 and Was generally accredited with
being in comfortable circumstance. r1th-
ing was thought Of this expenditure.
The news OF his disappearance and his
alleged defalcau0u came therefore as a
terrific shock 10 the members OF the police
department
Widow Flynn Complains.
The first iUtimation received by Mai
Sylvester that there was anything wror,
was occasi0Ded by the visit Of Mrs FI,nn
widow of Policeman b. FLYNN. who an
Wednesday, called upon the major with
the statement that Kemp had arranged
upon that day TO pay her the money d-e
upon the death Of her husband amount-
ing % $3.50 Kemp. however. failed n
keep the engagement having arrived al
the Office between Z and : O'Clock ana
leaving shortly after 9, saying nothing n
..' '.s w Ntl'.lf ilf hGE going
Upon his failure TO return upon wed
nesday. Mai Sylvester became uneasy
and then began the Investigation which
led to the discovery Of a shortage i'm his
accounts. Information from his homo
near Rockville. Nd. disclosed the fact
that he had not been seen by his wife
since Tuesday evening and Mrs. Kamn
was unable 10 render any assistance In
the search for her husband Inquiries by
the police We're made also throughout the
city, but without success.
In the absence of Commissioners Mac
farland. West. and Morrow. all of whom
are out Of the city. Maj. Sylvester YES
terd3y informed Acting Commissioner
William Kelly of the alleged defaIcation
and was directed by him 20 take the nee
essary steps for Kemps arrest Commis-
sion7r West who Is at the Blue Ridge
Club. near Harpers Ferry, W. Va. was
informed by long distance telephone. and
confirmed the instructions given by Cant
Kelly to the major
Kemp Bonded for $4,000.
Kemp Is bonded in the sum Of 5000 and
liz is the unofficial opinion Of District
Auditor Tweedale that this may be an
Piled to cover in part the amount Of the
alleged defalcation. The Policeman.s
Protective Association. however. is a CO.
operative affair organized. in a sense
by the members Of the department
as private individuals and its funds are
not part of the revenues of the District
The question will probably bo referred
to the corporation counsel for an opinion
The association was recently reorgan-
lied, each member contributing % cents
in order 10 provide a surplus for tba
treasury. This amount. together with
several assessments made by reason of
the death of members, is the sum al |
legged to have been embczzled
Leslie L. Kemp, the niueteen-year-old |
son of Mr.. Kemp. employed as a messen-
ger in the Office of the District auditor
broke down completely when questioned
concerning the whereabouts Of his father /
Il don't know where he is. said he the /
tears streaming down his face. "You
don't know what this means TO me-
Unable to say more, the boy turned |
away 10 hide his grief
Anxious Over Sons Appointment.
Young Kemp began his duties I'm the
District building July l. and is spoken Of
in the highest terms by Auditor TweedaIA
and other officials. In reference 10 his an
pointment one of the officials said vester.
day that Kemp must have been for some
n a