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Show PRiTGHARD Oil TIL f IN OFFIGESHDRTAGEj Former Assistant Postmast-i er Is Accused of Having Taken Money. j gjj IN CONTROL OF FUNDS Several Witnesses Give Testimony for Government Govern-ment During Day. Alfred E.' Pritchard, former assistant postmaster and superintendent of finance of the Salt Lake postoffice, was formally placed on trial yesterday In the federal court, charged with the misappropriation ! of sums of money, the property of the United ' States government. The prosecu-tion prosecu-tion is under the direction of United Stales Attorney William W. Ray and his assistant, David S. Cook. The opening address of United States Attorney Ray outlined what the government govern-ment expected to prove in fastening the crime charged against Pritchard; that in response to numerous inquiries or the present postmaster, Noble Wamim, Pritchard stated that his accounts were correct, but made no mention of the sum', of $305.1.32, which the government alleges was withdrawn from the postal funds by Pritchard after Mr. Warrum had assumed the duties of his office on March 33. 1914. which sum is alleged to have been placed to the credit of former Postmaster Arthur Ar-thur L. Thomas in the Deseret National bank. Was in Entire Charge. It was also stated by the government that proof would be forthcoming to show that an overcharge of one of the clerks, amounting to ?21, had been turned over to the defendant, but "that the record of the transaction does not appear on the postoffice books; further that the post-, office inspectors, on January 10, 1916. found a shortaee in the postal accounts of $5040.06. The total shortage discovered discov-ered by the postoffice inspectors, according accord-ing to Mr. Ray, amounted to more than $7000, but that credit for uncollected box rents and other items had reduced the specific amount missing to a little more than $5000, the total amount alleged to have been embezzled. Postmaster Noble Warrum, first witness wit-ness called, testified that during Pritch-ard's Pritch-ard's connection with the postoffice he had entire charge of the finances; that when he (Warrum) went east on December Decem-ber 31, 1915, he drew his salary, amounting amount-ing to $416, and gave J100 to Pritchard to give to his (Warrum's) sons, and directed di-rected Pritchard to draw upon him at Indianapolis through his brother for fur- . ther money if necessary: that he never authorized the placing of $115 worth of I. O. U.'s, written in the handwriting of Pritchard and later found in the post-office post-office accounts, and that he knew nothing of the notes until March, 1916, and that while Pritchard had $100 of his money and drew $115 from a specla.1 account, he told the witness that he gave the boys only S115, and has to' date never accounted account-ed for the balance of $100. Identifies Handwriting. M Frank T. Frawley, postoffice Inspector, testified as to the handwriting on deposit slips of $3055.32 in the Desaret National bank which came from the funds of the present postmaster and were credited to the former postmaster. Arthur L. Thomas, Thom-as, former postmaster, testified that he held the office for eighteen years and knew of the existence of no shortage; that prior to the time he relinquished office of-fice Pritchard had entire charge of finances and reported to him that there were no irregularities. Miss Deora Tolman, formerly a clerk in the monev order department, testified that she gave Pritchard $21.09, which never appeared in the postoffice accounts. John H. Neilson testified that he gave Pritcha.rd S120, when postmaster at Fort Douglas, which never appeared In the postoffice accounts. Robert J. Twigg, assistant as-sistant superintendent of mails, testified to the changing of dates on certain post-office post-office data by Pritchard, removing items from one quarter to a succeeding quarter. quar-ter. August H. Tjlmer, a postoffice employee, testified to the finding of certain memoranda mem-oranda in the basement after Pritch-ard's Pritch-ard's discharge. Francis W. Gundry. assistant as-sistant cashier of the postoffice, testified as to certain monies alleged to have been collected by Pritchard not appearing in the postoffice accounts. The trial will be resumed this morning. |