Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-05-09
LOSS OF TEACHERS CHECK
PAPER CASHED ON FORGED IN.
DoRsEMENT.
Was Recovered, However, and Payee
Will Not Lose-Detectives Max
ing an Investigation.

Supt. Chancellor and members of the
board of education were informed yester-
day afternoon that check for $50, payable
to Callie F. Moore, teacher in the second
grade Of the Petworth public school, was
missed last week from the offices Of the
board and had not been received by the
payee. Investigation, which was begun at
once, disclosed the fact that the United
States Savings Bank had cashed the check
for an unknown colored person.
Supt. Chancellor said this morning that
the school authorities spent all Of yester-
day afternoon and this morning investi-
eating the matter, and that the facts, SO
far as they were able to learn them, were
as follows:
The check disappeared from the proper
channels through which 1t would go from
the District diSbursing officer to the
teacher 1t showed up at the United States
Savings Bank, where it was cashed, the
| money being paid to a person whom the
teller cannot remember. Through the reg
ular channels the check went to the treas
ury. When 1t was returned to the bank, II
| is said. it was discovered that 1t had
| forged Endorsement.
Date of Loss Not Known.
The superintendent said he did not know
whether the check disappeared Wednesday
or Thursday of last week, when the teach
ers salaries were being disbursed. or at
some other time Three explanations are
regarded as possible for the disappearance,
| said DR.. Chancellor. 1t may have been
handed out while adhering to another
| check and thus come into the possession OF
| an outsider: it may have been dropped by
somebody, OF 1t may have been taken from
the safe in the office Of the school board
| in the Franklin School building. The SUI
perintendent is inclined to think that the
last mentioned explanation is not the right
| one. He went on to say, however, that
there were two conflicting stories about
| the state of the safe last Thursday even
ing, one being that 1t was left open and
another that 1t had been locked.
1t Is stated that the loss of the check
was known by the Office force last Friday,
but was not reported to the board or to the
superintendent, although the treasury Off
Gals, it is stated. were notified to stop
payment.
Miss Moore signed the pay roll in receipt
Of her salary several days before the salary
was due, according to the custom prevail
Ing in the office.
Will Be Delivered to Teacher.
Neither the District nor the United States
government nor the teacher will lose any
thing by the disappearance and cashing of
Mss Moore's pay check. am according to
Charles C. Rogers, dsbursing officer of the
District, the teacher will receive her money.
| The check with the forged Endorsement Is
| in the hands of the police department.
At the proper time 1t Will be returned
| to Mr.. Rogers and he will have it delivered
| to Miss Moore, who will be able to have
1t caShed.
Mr. Rogers was reluctant to speak of the
! mysterious disappearance of the check,
saying 1t is the first time to his knowledge
that a check issued to teacher, fireman
| or policeman was ever forged and cashed.
| He said the check was sent to the board
| OF education May I. and two days later ne
was informed by a member of the board
Il hat fha oho
| afterward it was discovered that the check
had been presented at the bank and was
| honored. He learned that after being
| cashed at the United States Savings BANK,
| and passing through the Commercial Bank,
| the check was presented at the Treasury
| Department
Detectives Detailed.
Inspector Boardman learned of the dis
| appearance Of the check yesterday after
| noon, when the disbursing officer called
| upon him and related briefly the story as he
had gathered it from those who had known
| Of its disappearance. and who had made ar
| Investigation The inspector detailed Be-
| tectiyes Baur and Cornwell upon the case
| and they did what they could yesterday
| afternoon in the matter of endeavorfng to
| ascertain something Of the identity of the
| individual who obtained 1t from the school
| oficials They were not able to determine
Yesterday just how the check happened to
get out Of the possession of the school
| authorities but they hope to be able to
trace 1t to some individual in the neal
future.
| It is stated that cleaners in the Franklin
| building found the safe open Wednesday
] afternoon, indicating that the check may
| are not inclined to believe, however, that
| the check fell into the hands of a teacher.
| 1t was necessary for the person who dis
| posed of the check to forge the name of
l tha han of