The Washington times., 1922-10-09
BURIAL
At HOME ENDS
THIEF CAREER
Bridgeton DefauIter. Missing
20 Years, Took $4,000
in County Funds.

BRIDGETON, n. j., Oct. O.
Now that Bridgeton has Just learned
that William o. Garrison, The de-
faulting county treasurer, lies buried
in an unmarked grave in a secret
spot near here. speculation has
started anew as to the fate Of the
young woman said to have gone
away with him twenty years ago
and to have remained a partner in
his world wanderings while his wife
hoped and waited in vain at home.
Whether Garrison married this wo-
man, who had been n confidential
clerk in his office. Is not known.
One story Is that the couple We're
married in Arizona and later went
to California, while another rumor
has 1t that they went to Australia,
where the embezzler Is believed to
have died. If Garrison's wife whom
he left behind knows the secret, she
has kept it well.
Strange As Fiction.
The story of Garrisok's disappear.
ance, his life, and death is as strange
as fiction. and dates back to August
~, 1902, when he walked out Of his
office as county treasurer, after bid
ding good-by to his wife and chill
dren, with the assertion he was on
his way to a convention in Salt
Lake City. With him went the
young woman, S25.000 Of the county
funds. and the s50,000 bond that
covered his tenure Of office.
Men who wore Garrison's political
4 80 ~ m
reer and who now are prominent
and wealthy are silent and indiffer-
ent about the stories of his disap'
pearance. Bridgeton never under
stood why the $4,000 bond which
Garrison had given when he became
County Treasurer disappeared and
why no greater effort was ever
made to find him.
From two different sources 1t has
become known recently that Garrison
died last spring and that his last
wish was that his body be sent to
the county which he wronged as
youth, that he might find his last
rest among the home folks from
whom he was exilcd b. his own act.
Those who know the facts Of the
burial have refused to say more than
that the body was shipped here
secretly and buried at midnight In
an, unmarked grave. Officials and
others state that they know this to
be a fact, but declare they will not
make known where and how they
obtained the information or tn"
exact spot where Garrison is buried.
A Leading Citizen.
Garrison was q leading citizen In
his early manhood and quickly won
office. The shortage was found In
his office two weeks after he had
gone West to the convention.
Then, too, it was found the bond
was gone.
There were anxious days In
Bridgeton for some of the County
Treasurer's associates. 1t developed
that he had for years been using
public money for stock speculation.
Garrison is said to have left a let.
ter for his family which told what h"
done when he was a thousand miles
away, and 1t always has been hinted
that one or two letters came back
home from him years after he dis
appeared. These told of his wander.
lngs and his longing for his native
land and old friends, and II Is be
lieved that longing never left his
mind and was expressed In his last
wish to be buried here.
There appears to be no disposition
among his relatives or friends to go
deeper into the mystery. They are
anxious to let it die.