White Pine news weekly mining review. [volume] (East Ely, Nev.) 1910-1920, 1911-05-28

Sheriff Al Butler mas been MISSING
from the county for seventeen days
and 1t is alleged that large sum o.
money OF the county funds Is alsC
missing. A suspicion that all was
not right In the sheriff's Office be-
gun to gain ground soon after the
sheriff left. although such an idea
never entered the mind of the gen.
eral public with whom there was nc
more popular official in the county
Mr.. Butler left here on the 18th
of this month, ostensibly to go to San
Francisco in search of two French.
men who were accused Of swindline
several citizens on scheme
OF getting the alleged estate of a
former San Franciscan, who mys'
teriously disappeared leaving an es.
tate of several thousands of dollars
somewhere in some bank. This was
known only to a few and secrecy was
supposed to be maintained. As the
days wore on. and no tidings were
heard from the missing official. in
quiries were set afoot. AT the
sheriff's office all that could be learn
ed was that the chief of that depart
ment was expected in each night.
The grand jury went into session
the first day of the month. and in the
routine of the inquisitorial body. the
affairs OF the sheriff's Office as we'll
as all other officers were due 10 be
Investigated II was ten days after
the grand jury met that Sheriff But
Ter set out on his journey journey
from which. IL Is now generally be-
lieyed he did not intend, voluntarily
TO return. IL Is presumed that the
time for investigating the office OF
the missing official arrived, and the
grand jury was unable TO get at the
records of the office. On Monday
last II became generally known that
suspicion was directed to Sheriff
Butler. and on Tuesday afternoon his
safe was broken into. and money sup
posed to be in there was not TO be
found.
II has been since learned
that many efforts had been made,
meanwhile to locate Sheriff Butler,
but that friends and investigators
failed to get the slightest clew to his
whereabouts. In a roundabout way
II is found that he was in San Diego.
headed for Mexico. and In all prob
ability he is now in that country of
revolt with small chance of bringing
him bacS to explain the discrepancies
In his Office. James Haley, who was
formerly editor of the Expositor, is
now connected with the San Diego
Union, and a story appears In that
paper, in which Butler gave an in
terview to the effect that he was
after holdup men who robbed the
Southern saloon in last September.
The sheriff said that he had the men
located in Tia Juana. which is about
fourteen miles south of San Diego,
and Just over the Mexican border.
In the mind of every thinking man
there is no longer any doubt that Al
Butler has gone from here-never to
return. unless within the grasp of the
law The sentiment is common
street talk, and the utterance Is
more In sorrow than in blame for
his act. Friends of the defaulting Of
heial declare that he could have rails
ed the amount of his shortage among
them, made good In the Office and be
given year, two years in which TO
pay the money back. But that sort
OF talk is always made when Ii is too
late TO be effective. As a matter OF
TACT, Butler did go to several friends
10 borrow the money, and was unable
10 raise any. To be sure he did not
take these friends into his confidence
and 1t was hardly to be expected that
man In his condition would do so.
IL Is street talk that the sheriff was
snort $2,100 when the last grand
Jury met. but that he was able 10
raise the money before investigation
was made. How that shortage arose
Is not known, but 1t is presumed that
II was made good by borrowing the
money. and returning 1t after the