The latest defalcation was made public yesterday. It is in the city collector's office, and the amount stolen is not less than $100,000, and may possibly reach double that sum. George Von Hollen is the defaulter, and today he is a fugitive from justice. Von Hollen loved whiskey, and he loved cards better.

It is said that after the Times had let up on the collector, the editor and Von Hollen became chums, and that together they made the rounds of the gambling dens. Their great game was poker and roulette, and Von Hollen is said to have lost as high as $2,000 at the latter in one sitting. The frequented the Hankins' boys' place mostly, and there, nearly all the city's money has been lost.

George Von Hollen first came into political notoriety on the fire proof ticket of 1871, when he was elected city collector. He began to steal as soon, almost, as he entered the office, from all appearances. He was in 2the habit of collecting the taxes outside and giving receipts therefor, pocketing cash which was never in any way accounted for. How much was stolen in this way, will never be told.

The city collector, at the time of his sudden leave-taking, had in his possession the delinquent warrants from 1871 to 1875. Of these he has been collecting from time to time, and how much he has pocketed, can not now be told. When the People's party was organized, Von Hollen became one of its shining lights, and one of the bowers of Harvey D. Colvin's then full hand. He was renominated on the People's party ticket for the office which he then held. At that time, according to the evidence of Morris J. Dooley, Von Hollen's cashier, he was a defaulter to the tune of $30,000.

At last fall's election, he was a candidate against Hesing for county treasurer. He was a strong opponent in the convention held at McCormick Hall. Hesing set up his claims for the office, for the reason that, through it, he could retrieve his fallen fortune. Von Hollen begged and pleaded 3for it on the same grounds. His cash was short at that time; he might be called upon at any time to show his books. A compromise was arranged between Hesing and Von Hollen. If the former was elected, he would see that George's deficit was made good. Von Hollen kept no bank account for the city money and had no system of correct bookkeeping. His cashier, himself, whose evidence is given in full below, stated that Von Hollen deposited due bills of from $30,000 to $100,000 in the safe, instead of money.

Dooley knew Von Hollen was a defaulter, or at least, was behind in his accounts; yet he said nothing to the proper authorities, because he had been told by the collector he would fix matters all right. When he was behind, say, $30,000 or $100,000, George used to put an "I. O. U." in the safe, which would generally read that he owed the city treasurer that amount in cash, and the due bill was counted as so much of the taxpayers' money in the city vaults, which seems a great deal like the greenbacker's irredeemable paper joke. And then again, he would take in checks to the 4amount, say, of $3,000 or $4,000; George would get these cashed and just drop a memorandum in the drawer. He gave the city's receipts for the money, but Von Hollen took the cash.

This thing, from every evidence which is being brought to light now, ran right along, covering a period of nearly four years. At night Von Hollen would be carousing around the Clark Street gambling hells, and during the day collecting money, which he was pocketing. The comptroller stated that Von Hollen had misappropriated the funds of the city for years, from what he had learned since his departure, from cashier Dooley. He had stated that Von Hollen was delinquent two years ago, when he was re-elected, and expected then to make good his deficiency.

Wednesday evening Von Hollen went to his office and from the vault took about $700, all there was in it. That he went away pretty well fixed, there can be no doubt, and he is now probably on his way to Bremerhaven, Germany.