The San Francisco call., 1909-03-02
|BANT[['S BOOKS
IN BAD SHAPE
Experts Are Unable to Say If
Shortage Is Real or
Apparent
Continued Investigation Only
Brings More Irregularities
to Light

AS a sequel to the disclosures made
last October regarding an alleged
shortage of approxima tely s60 0O0
shown on the books of the city treas
urer during the incumbency of C. A.
Bantel as treasurer and James c.
Tomalty Is book keeper in Banters
office, reports of Increased shorta ges
the deficit to $4,000. At present it is
impossible, according to Thomas Jen-
nlngs, chairman of the supervisors
flnance committee, and Norman Me
Laren of the accountancy firm of Nc
Laren & Goode. to state whether the
additional charge can be laid to bad
book keeping or dishonesty. That is
at this stage of the investigation the
experts can not determine if there is a
real ior an apparent shortage. If the
latter, it might be later explained by
the discovery Of legal orders at present
Eunavailing.
But it is asserted with certainty that
of the $4,000 deficit yet to be ex-
planned all can not be accounted for
honestly.
In three funds of the city govern
ment there have been found deficits
amounting to between $4,000 and
| $4,000.
THREE FUNDS INVOLVED
! These funds are the special redenlp-
| tion of taxes fund, the public admins
traitors fund and the absent heirs
fund. The shortage~in the special re-
demption of taxes fund was not dis
covered last fall when the experts were
going Tnfnalt1y'S. hooks The
cusations made against James c.
Tomalty, the former book keeper, were
that he altered the books in the public
administrators fund, the absent heirs
fund and the bail bond fund. He was
indicted by the grand jury for altering
public records and is now awaiting
trial on the true bills brought against
him. The deficits now discovered were
found in the books for the period when
Tomalty was book keeper under Bantel
Some of the reputed Irregularities are
said to have been discovered in entries
made as late as January g. 1908, OF
during the last week of Banters in
cumbency.
Supervisor Jennings. in discussing
the alleged shortage yesterday after
noon, said: Since the Tomalty matter
was exposed we have known that there
was something rotten among the bail
bond funds, and for that reason we put
experts to work out in the treasurer's
Office. Friday last the experts met
with the finance committee and re-
ported that the books for the period
covered by Bantel's term were in bad
shape, but that they would not def
nitely say whether there was short
age in the funds or simply that bad
book keeping was practiced.''
ORDERS ARE MISSING.
The reported trouble with the bail
bond fund is that. while there have
been found receipts for all moneys
paid out, the orders of the courts au-
thorizing the payments in the dubious
instances have not been discovered,
They may later be found and the un-
certain cases cleared up. according to
the experts.
! Norman McLaren, the accountant
said: "As yet we can not tell what, if
any, shortage will be discovered, but
! it looks as if more Irregularities will
be found. This is certain, we have
found nothing wrong with the books
| of City Treasurer McDougald. Al
present I am not prepared TO say what
we might discover. Our work will not
be completed for about three months
City Treasurer McDougald declared
| that he knew nothing about the affairs
of the office during the term before he
took his place. He asserted positively
that there was nothing wrong with his
accounts,