The San Francisco call., 1908-08-06
REGULATIONS MAY
AMOUNT TO$2O,OOO
Forum Cafe Manager Alleged
to Have Looted System
aticaIly
Accused Man Said to Have Been
Known as 'Free Spender"
in Road Houses

OAKLAND, Aug. 5.-Grasping her
husbands hand through the wire graf
ing of the prisoners dock in the police
court, Mrs. W. F. Kane sobbed out a
plea for mercy to the judge when the
former manager of the Forum cafe was
called to face three charges OF felony
embezzlement this morning. For a
moment the woman called Historically
to the court officers to free her hus-
band. She tottered and would have
fallen but for the protecting arm of
her mother, who accompanied her. As
gently as possible the weeping woman
was led from the courtroom. despite
her cries to be allowed to remain at
her husbands side.
Although the complaints against
Kane only specify the embezzlement
of s1,42S.45. it is stated that his total
peeulations may aggregate $4,000 Ex-
perts are now at work on the books of
the cafe and until their Investigations
end it will be impossible TO ascertain
exactly how much money is missing.
w. H Brown, proprietor of the Forum.
told Captain of Detectives Petersen to-
day that he believed his loss would
amount to $4,000.
SYSTEMATIC L0OTING
Kane was appointed as cashier and
manager OF the Forum IN May, 1907,
and it is alleged that he began svs-
tematic Iooting of the funds Of the
establishment Immediately after he as
sumed the position. The alleged en-
bezzlements specified in the complaints
upon which he was arrested all oc-
Cured more than a year ago. They
are as follows: July II, 1907, $44045;
July l, 1907, s417.10; June 20. 1907.
$5SO.9O.
Kane was regarded as absolutely
trustworthy by Brown and he was his
employers confidential adviser in many
Of his business transactions. He had
full charge of the books and accounts of
the cafe and it is charged that by
skiilful manipulations OF the entries he
was able to cover up his alleged en-
bezzlements so successfully that the
experts who were recently set at work
on the books had the greatest difficulty
in discovering anything wrong.
A fondness for automobile rides and
midnight parties is said to have been
responsible for Kane's undoing The
police have been informed that he was
a regular visitor at the East Oakland
roadhouses last year, and that he was
known as one OF the most liberal
spenders among the high rollers who
frequented those resorts.
SUSPICION AROUSED
The frequency of his alleged visits
to these places is said to have aroused
the suspicious of acquaintances, who
warned Brown to be on his guard. The
latter refused absolutely to attach any
Importance to the reports, however.
until one of his friends insisted that
he submit his books to an expert The
subsequent developments resulted in
Kanes arrest.
1t is claimed that Kane's favorite
method of securing his EMPLOYERS
money was to make out dummy com
missary bills and pay rolls. with false
entries in his books. 1t is said that
he frequently audited bills for $4,000
which only represented $1,000 worth Of
purchases.
Kane and his wife formerly lived at
S65 Eighteenth street. but 1t is said
that he left his home about a year ago
and has been living since then at 326
Tenth street.
Prior to his connections with the
Forum Kane was a mining man in
Nevada, where he was associated with
Brown. An ENHANCEMENT with a
woman in Goldfield is said to have
caused Brown to move to Oakland ar,
the police say that she has made fre-
quent financial demands upon him
since he came here. The racetrack is
also said to have played a part in
Kane's alleged defalcations.