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Story
November 2, 1881
The Evening Critic
Washington, District Of Columbia
What is this article about?
In 1881, Auditor John T. Vinson reports a $6,280.41 deficit in District of Columbia Collector John F. Cook's accounts from July 1874 to June 1881, due to cashier discrepancies in reporting collections, including $2,496.08 from the permit fund.
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Full Text
The Treasury Deficit.
What is Said About it To-day-An other Official Statement of Auditor Vinson-The Sum Will be Near $7,000.
The discrepancy in the books of the District Collector has not grown above the original figures, although the full amount has not yet been given to the public, and it would seem that Mr. Silas Merchant is shorter in his accounts than was at first supposed. The following communication, which has been the basis of the action of the Commissioners, will show to what extent the defalcation has gone:
OFFICE OF THE AUDITOR AND COMPTROLLER D. C.
WASHINGTON, Oct. 28, 1881.
Hon. Commissioners of the District of Columbia.
Gentlemen: I have the honor to transmit herewith the report of Daniel Donovan a clerk in this office, who has been engaged in the examination of the accounts of John F. Cook, Collector D. C., from July 20, 1874 (the date of his appointment), to the end of the fiscal year, June 30, 1881, together with abstracts and statements of accounts showing a balance of $6,280.41 due the District of Columbia of moneys collected by him during said time and unaccounted for. Of this amount the sum of $3,784.33 is acknowledged by the Collector to be correct, the remainder, $2,496.08, though not ascertained with the same degree of accuracy on account of the imperfect manner in which the permit account was kept for a part of the time covered by the investigation, is believed to be as accurate as can be ascertained from data now obtainable. The discrepancy in the amount collected by the Collector of the District and that deposited by him during said time has arisen entirely from the failure of the cashier in the Collector's Office to report to the Collector the difference between his (the cashier's) actual cash collections, as he knew them to be, and the footings of the entry clerk of the amounts collected at the time the discrepancies occurred. Very respectfully,
JOHN T. VINSON,
Auditor and Comptroller, D. C.
The additional $1,496.08 now made public for the first time comes from tampering with the permit fund, which passes through the hands of the cashier of the collector and which the auditing shows has not correctly been accounted for. It is believed that $6,730.44 will cover the full amount of money improperly taken from the Collector's office.
What is Said About it To-day-An other Official Statement of Auditor Vinson-The Sum Will be Near $7,000.
The discrepancy in the books of the District Collector has not grown above the original figures, although the full amount has not yet been given to the public, and it would seem that Mr. Silas Merchant is shorter in his accounts than was at first supposed. The following communication, which has been the basis of the action of the Commissioners, will show to what extent the defalcation has gone:
OFFICE OF THE AUDITOR AND COMPTROLLER D. C.
WASHINGTON, Oct. 28, 1881.
Hon. Commissioners of the District of Columbia.
Gentlemen: I have the honor to transmit herewith the report of Daniel Donovan a clerk in this office, who has been engaged in the examination of the accounts of John F. Cook, Collector D. C., from July 20, 1874 (the date of his appointment), to the end of the fiscal year, June 30, 1881, together with abstracts and statements of accounts showing a balance of $6,280.41 due the District of Columbia of moneys collected by him during said time and unaccounted for. Of this amount the sum of $3,784.33 is acknowledged by the Collector to be correct, the remainder, $2,496.08, though not ascertained with the same degree of accuracy on account of the imperfect manner in which the permit account was kept for a part of the time covered by the investigation, is believed to be as accurate as can be ascertained from data now obtainable. The discrepancy in the amount collected by the Collector of the District and that deposited by him during said time has arisen entirely from the failure of the cashier in the Collector's Office to report to the Collector the difference between his (the cashier's) actual cash collections, as he knew them to be, and the footings of the entry clerk of the amounts collected at the time the discrepancies occurred. Very respectfully,
JOHN T. VINSON,
Auditor and Comptroller, D. C.
The additional $1,496.08 now made public for the first time comes from tampering with the permit fund, which passes through the hands of the cashier of the collector and which the auditing shows has not correctly been accounted for. It is believed that $6,730.44 will cover the full amount of money improperly taken from the Collector's office.
What sub-type of article is it?
Crime Story
Deception Fraud
What themes does it cover?
Deception
Crime Punishment
What keywords are associated?
Treasury Deficit
Defalcation
District Collector
Auditor Report
Financial Discrepancy
Permit Fund
What entities or persons were involved?
Silas Merchant
John F. Cook
John T. Vinson
Daniel Donovan
Where did it happen?
Washington, D. C.
Story Details
Key Persons
Silas Merchant
John F. Cook
John T. Vinson
Daniel Donovan
Location
Washington, D. C.
Event Date
October 28, 1881
Story Details
Auditor Vinson's report reveals a $6,280.41 defalcation in Collector John F. Cook's accounts from 1874 to 1881, including unaccounted permit funds due to cashier's failure to report discrepancies.