The San Francisco call., 1908-10-27
MYSTERY SHROUDS
TREASURY LOOTING
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roborated the statement of BENJAMIN
that the present inquiry has been the
first thorough investigation of the city's
finances for years.
Others have examined the Office" he
said. but this is really the first thor
ough examination for a long time.
If | had all of the papers connected
with the various transactions" the
prisoner continued, "as well as those in
the possession of the experts, I could
prove my innocence without the slight
est difficulty. When you come back on
a man, however, after almost three
years, with books and papers missing,
and ask him to explain some one incl
dent among thousands it seems hardly
reasonable. Why were these books not
exported properly long ago? I wish
they had been, and then 1 would not be
unjustly accused. Since the fire the
books and papers which were saved
have been kicked around and many
have been taken from the Office. Nc
Kannay took some papers from the Of
flee a month ago.
Those who have had charge of To-
malty at the city prison since his in
generation. and noted his manner as
we'll as his disposition to answer all
questions put to him by reporters and
others, have expressed the belief that
he is either the cleverest crook that
they ever came in contact with or the
victim of some most unfortunate mis-
take
FISK DENIES REPORT
Postmaster Arthur Fisk, who it was
reported, had offered immunity to To-
malty, made the following statement
yesterday:
1T is absurd to say that / offered
Immunity to anybody, as 1 am not
prosecuting officer, and my only interest
In the matter was to protect my client,
Mr.. McDougald. l think it has been
proved that he is in no way connected
with the matter. In regard to Tomalty,
did tell him if he was shielding any
one to make it known-in short, to tell
the whole truth. l have known aim
Tomalty for years. and the imputation
of dishonesty to him aStonished me-
hope he can show beyond doubt that he
is not involved in this alleged steal
No statement could be secured from
District Attorney Langdon yesterday
concerning the case. His assistant. Rob-
ert w. Harrison, also refused to dis
cuss the matter When asked IL the ar
rest of any one else was contemplated
they said they did not know
Harry G. Mckannay, Mayor Taylor's
secretary, who swore to the complaint
against Tomalty. spent several hours
ytSltIQdy dIltTHOOD III the IreaSurGr'S
office endeayoring to find data which
would throw light on what is now a
mystery-who got the money?
There is no doubt in my mind" he
said that there was collusion. One
person could not get away with the
money, at least that is the theory we
are working on. / personally would
like to see Tomalty produce evidence
which would clear him, but the case
looks bad for him now. Whether more
arrests will be made in the next few
days / am not in position to saw
the district attorney has charge of that
part of the investigation"
Yesterdays Investigations, SO far as
could be learned, did not bring the
prosecution one step nearer to the dis
covery of Tomalty's coconspirators. at
least one of which, it is claimed. he
must have had if he is guilty as ac-
cused.
A feature of the entire Investigation
has been the absolute indifference of
David Davis and Fred Winter to the
proceeding.
DAVIS COURTS INQUIRY
Il do not think there is any money
missing from the city treasury" said
Davis last night. 81 believe the method
of exporting is at fault in some way
or another. So far as I am concerned
1 am perfectly satisfied to have nv
record in the office thoroughly investi-
gated From April 1, 1907, until noon
of January s, 1908, Mr.. Bantel and
myself were the only men who had ac-
cess to the money as far as 1 know.
1 believe Bantel is absolutely honest.
and do not fear anything myself. as
I have never been party to a dishon
est transaction.
"As far as Tomalty is concerned
basing my opinion of the man on two
years association in the office,>I be-
lieve he would have knocked down anv
man who approached him with dis
honest proposition"
Treasurer John E. McDougald took
occasion last evening to emphatical1v
deny statement published in an
evening paper yesterday to the effect
that while Edwin Newell, an exnert
from the Offices of Herrick & Herricl<
was going over the books in the Of
flee yesterday morning clerks were
jingling money in his immediate yicin-
ity, and that these clerks had had
access to the cash at the time the loot
ing is alleged to have been done.
1T is not true said McDougald.
that there is single man in nv Of
flee who had access to the cash ~ tt,a