The Goldfield news and weekly tribune. [volume] (Goldfield, Nev.) 1911-1947, 1914-02-21
Err. COLLINS !.
SOUGHT AS
A FUGITIVE
Embezzlement Charge Has
Been Issued
SHORTAGE DISCOVERED BY
POSTOFFICE INSPECTOR
Believed to Have Taken Flight to
Mexico Or Honduras With $4,000
of Government Funds

Edward r. Collins, postmaster of
Goldfield for more than nine years.
is a fugitive from justice, charged
with the embezzlement of govern
ment funds. A warrant for his ar
rest was issued Saturday night at
Carson City by United States District
Attorney Samuel Plat, upon infor-
nation furnished by Donald G.
Means, postofice inspector with
headquarters in Reno, who arrived
in Goldfield yesterday morning. The
present whereabouts of Collins is
not known but it is thought that he
has taken flight either to Mexico or
Honduras or is at present on the
high seas.
Although the task of checking ove
all the accounts of the local post
office will not be completed for a
day or two by Inspector Means and
H. B. Lind, local representative of
the U. S. Fidelity and Casualty COM
pany of New York, n of the sure
ties of the fugitive postmaster, it is
known that Collins is at least $4,000
short in his accounts. AS is the pro-
cedure under the law in such cases,
Mr.. Lind, as representative of the
bonding company, has taken charge
of the affairs of the postoffice until
Collins successor is appointed. AS
Senators Newlands and Pittman
have already recommended the ap-
pointment of Benjamin Rosenthal as
postmaster, Collins term of office
having expired in December, it is
probable that the a%bsconding of Col
Inns will bring about the confirma-
ton by the United States senate of
Rosenthal sooner than otherwise.
One Shortage Made Good
The warrant for Collins arrest
was issued in consequence of a short
age of $500, discovered by In.
spector Means when he checked up
the local postoffice between January
so and February 8. Collins made
good that shortage on the night of
February 8. The following MORN
ing, February 4, Inspector Means
left Goldfield for Carson City, taking
with him approximately $4,000, all
the cash on hand at that time at the
local postoffice. Knowing that In
spector Means would lay fully before
U. S. District Attorney Platt at
Carson City and the postal authori-
ties at Washington the discoveries
he had made, Collins within a few
hours after Means departure, went
to the bank of John S. Cook e Com
pany, and drew to the extent of $4,000
on an 81, 900 credit which the local
postoffice had with the p~ostoffice in
New York. Since Collins had been
in the habit of depositing money with
the local bank, to be placed to the
credit of the Goldfeld postoffice in
the New York pOstOffice from time
to time, as well as drawing upon the
funds when necessary, no significance
was attached to his action the morn
ing of the departure of Inspector
Means. Collins made out two drafts
for the money, each for $500, one
on the money order account and the
other on the postal savings account.
It is believed that Collins look with
him the book of bank drafts used in
drawing upon the New York postof-
fee, as thus far it has not been
found in the local p~ostoffice. AS
this book of blank drafts was kept
by Collins personally no other en-
ployes of the postoffice had any
knowledge of transactions with the
New York p%ostoffice .
Left Here February 4
Collins left Goldfield Wednesday
afternoon, February 4, within eight
hours after the departure of Inspec-
tor Means for Carson City. Collins
bought a ticket over the TOnopah and
Tidewater RAILROAD to Beatty and up
on the arrival of the train at that
town he bought another ticket from
there to Los Angeles, arriving in
the latter city the x day. Accord
ing to information since obtained by
Inspector Means, Collins was last
seer in Los Angeles on Monday of
last week. His movements since
ludC IilC dIO AT PiOoChS
News of Collins departure from
Goldfeld reached Inspector Means at
Reno. Saturday. He had previously
advised United States District Attor-
ney Platt of the shortage of $500
discovered in Collins accounts and
the latter Immediately issued a war
-ant for the local postmaster's ar
rest after learning of his leave-tak-
ing from this camp. Inspector
Means at once started for Goldfield,
arriving yesterday morning. Upon
his arrival here, he advised H. L.
Lind, the local representative of the
bonding company, of the fact that a
federal warrant had been issued for
Collins arrest and asked Mr.. Lind
to take charge of the local office,
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