The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-05-23
1RailroadC Cashiers Books
Show Discrepancy
Of $40, 900.
TOTAL MAY YET
r EACH $4,000
Police Put Gregory on Missing
List" but Theory That He
Killed Himself After Leaving
Note to Wife Is Dis
credited-Had Money
Galore.

AtHoueh a tull examination of his
hooks will not be completed for sew
eral days, officials of the Atlantic Coast
Line Railroad Company admitted yes
terday that the shortage in the ac-
counts of Louis L. Gregory, the miss.
ING cashier of the freight Office, may
reach $4,000.
From a source which is absolutely
reliable. IT is learned that UP to the
time the auditors quit work on the
BOOKS late Sunday night. the Shortage
amounted to 10000. Exactly how
much was revealed up to las, night
va not made public. though officials
oelieve that the total will not go te.
yond the total figure named above.
Discredit Suicide Threat. l.
II is not generally believed that
gregory. killed himself. yet some mem.
ners OF his family and e number of his
friends think that he jumped into the
James River some time Saturday night
after leaving a note 10 his wife, in
which he stated that he would end his
earthly troubles.
But absolutely no effort has been
made to drag the river. In the nolicc
records Gregory Is put down as miss
ing. the department having been noti-
ned yesterday by his family and tho
railroad that he had disappeared
Even when the Atlantic Coas, Line is
aware that Gregory's count are
snort. and although mis- bonding COM
pnny has been notified. no warrant has
been Issued and no formal complaint
In which he is charged with being a
idefaulter has reached police read
quarters.
Until a warrant Is issued the police
nre not expected 10 act. Gregory's
brother said last night that the miss
Ing cashiers mind had been affected;
that he had been acting strangely. and
fearing that he might have committed
suicide the waters will be watched to-
day so that the body may be recov-
cred If Gregory carried out his threat.
Family Engage Lawyer.
Robert H. Talley has been retained
TO look after the affairs and the In
terests Of Gregory, and. acting on his
instructions. members of the family
have declined to discuss the case. The
police thought well OF the Idea of hav-
ing a copy of the mans picture. al
though Mrs. Joseph Phillips. a sister
In-law. said that Mr.. Talley had told
her rot TO let the detectives have 1t.
GreSory's brother. however. is anxious
for some clue. and If ne can hear moth
ing to-day he Will give 1t out. in the
hope that 1t might be the means of
locating the man whose troubles have
brought him SO prominently before the
public.
AS published in The Times-Dispatch
yesterday morning. Gregory tele-
phoned his wife In Brookland Park at
Q o'clock Saturday night that he would
be home in a few minutes. That was
the last heard OF him.. He had been
requested to meet the railroad aud
tors who are examining his books on
Saturday night. the first shortage
being found that morning.
What Police Heard.
Picking up a few threads indepen-
IDENTIFY. the police discovered that while
Gregory's salary was small. ne spent
money with a lavish hand, his neigh
bors In Brookland Park not being able
to understand how q railroad cashier
could be SO plcntifully supplied with
cash. Following that custom which
is as old as the world itself. man after
man has come forth since Sunday to
tell how he lived. how he was always
found around the cafes and the So
called clubs. and how ne was always
eager and willing to gamble.
The explanation was Forthcoming.
however. that he did not own his home
in Brookland Park, and that 1t was
built there for his wife. and that Greg
DRY never got there until long after
midnight. The police did not drag the
river of their own accord, for like
the Atlantic Coast Line people. they
di%scredited the idea that Gregory had
committed suicide. The general theory
is that he feared to face the music n
skipped, though his intimate friends
still believe that the body will yet be
dragged from the river.
Did Not Arouse Suspicion.
At the railroad office it was said that
there was nothing in Gregory's con-
duct to aronse suspicion. nobody down
there having seen him act strangely.
although one or two of his associates
thought that he was worried. They
attributed this to some other cause
than money matters. recalling an I'M
pleasant incident which happened in
March and which had an ending in the
Henrico county magistrates court. He
is only t~wenty-four yeats old. and has
been with the company for SO many
years that his honesty. was accepted
without question: Higher officials did
not travel with him, and they express
ed surprise and regret when they
found that ne had been living at a
rate not justified by the salary &c was
receiving.
The Atlantic Coast Line Railroad
Company will call upon the bondine
company to make good the shortage
which II must do