The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1908-06-29
'BULLSACK' BOOK KEEPING
LEAVES H0RTEN SHORT

Charles E. Horton, cashier OF
the city water construction depart
ment, who was arrested on
charge with embezzlement is out
on a $1,000 surety bond and under
constant surveillance by detectives
of the police department. Horton
is not at work in the treasurer's
Office today on account of the seri-
Gus illness of his wife, it is stated.
She took sick from the shock fol-
lowing her husbands arrest Satur-
day night.
Horizons arrest followed sub
mission of an expert bookkeeping
report by LeMaster & Cannon to
city officials Saturday afternoon.
The general opinion is that Horton
is victim of circumstances, yet
his action in so readily paying in
81 1000 and his declarations as to
the methods pursued in his de-
partment have increased the sus-
picion against him.
The actual shortage discovered
by the experts is $500. The dis
covery came through the fact that
the entries on Horizons cash book
are that much short of what ap-
pears on the duplicate receipt
stubs in the construction depart
ment. These show poor system
of bookkeeping. The receipts and
duplicate stub were sent up to Hor-
ton and following payment the re-
ceipt would be given to the GUS
toner and the stub sent back to
the department after Horton was
supposed to have made the cash
entry on the books.- The stubs
were marked paid by a stamp but
did not contain Horizons signature,
as it has not been customary to
sign the stubs.
City Treasurer Eggleston does
mot know how tn explain the short
age. Il had not the least mixing
of the way things stood until Sa-
turday afternoon" he said. 81 ex-
pected that there would be mis-
takes of small Importance found.
but nothing like this. | cannot ex-
plain it, Horton is not a man who
needs to stoop to such thing. Last
winter, during the panic, he loaned
the city $4,000"
When Intercepted by city Of
ficials Saturday Horton claimed
that there had been shortages and
money left over in his department
and that what was left over when
the books were balanced was put
into an account called the bull
sack" In case there was short
age 1t was made up out of this
amount. But this explanation
would not account for there not be-
ing cash entries on his books cor
responding to the stubs in the
water department, and Horton Of
fers no explanation for this. He
says he cannot account for it him
self. However, he offers to shout
der his end of the blame and has
paid in $4,000.
Regarding this socalled "bull
sack" the contents of which Hor-
ton says he and his clerks used to
divide among themselves at times,
| Treasurer Eggleston says he knew
nothing of 1t until Horton told the
| officials. How much was so di-
vided and what authority existed
for this division of surplus is not
known.
Eggleston is much broken up
| over the matter. II wanted to
leave this Office without blemish
against the manner in which 1t was
conducted. have been honored
four times by the citizens of this
city and 1t was my ambition to go
out of Office with the records clean.
am sorry this occurred. There
was never a bookkeeping system
invented that dishonest person
could not beat. ] am not declaring
that Mr.. Horton is dishonest.
state now that | believe In his hon
esty But things look funny.