The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1857-08-23

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Tbs Gaze Of Lswior, the clerk of the st. Nicho-
Las Hotel, WHO was arrested on Friday for en-
hezz'iyg the money Of his Employers, is in some
respects, The counterpart Of shat Of Adams. the
dishon st bartender at the Howard The chief
diff'rerce between them in fact was that where
Adams took a shilling Lswlor took five dollars;
though the greatest humber of thefts committed
by tie former make this deficiency in bis cash as
large as ttat Of his associate in crime Lawlor
was corf dentiai clerk, it seems; some years
ago, he had detected bookkeeper in defrauding
Meesrs Treadwell and Acker, and had won the
esteem of his employers tor the sagscity and
fidelity he displayed on that occasion; thus till
the hour that suspicion fell upon him. he bore
the very highest character, and must have been
on intimate terms With the proprietors Of the
house. All this time-or at least for several
months back-be was leading a reckessly extra
vsgant life of gaiety with California widow
who actually lived in the house, and taking bis
employers money to carry on the amour gallantly.
If it was singular that the bartender Adams
could rob his employer of twenty thousand dol
lars In drinks at a shilling each, keep mistress
and several fast horses, and be we'll known as one
of the fastest men on "the road" how very
odd it appears that Lawlor could carry on
e1Eh an affair as his under the very nose
OF bis employers without attracting Sis
picion. Surely it argues culpable care
lessness in some one that nobody dreamed Of
The sort Of life this gay youth was leading. We
insist that in all such cases the employer who
does not display sensible vigilance over the
morals and habits and connections Of his en-
pioyes ought at least to obtain no sympathy when
be is robbed. 1t is his business, it is his duty to
himself to his employ es, and to society, to keep
as narrow watch on the habits and the expendi-
ture of all who are in his employ as a prudent
father does upon the morals of his con. When
be fails in this watch, when he shows his en-
ployes such confidence that crime becomes feast
BILE, be is their tempter; and if be be not an &C
complete in their guilt, he ought at least to be
told by society, when he is robbed that he is
rightly punished. Negligence in the matter
ought to be complete bar to recovery in an &C
ton ageinst servant for dishonesty.
Lawlor, it seems, pursued very simple course
in regard to his robberies. When he wanted
money. he took what was paid him by the next
guest who left the house, put 1t into his pocket,
did not enter il in the ledger or cash book, aud
made it his own. Can it be that frauds of this
simple nature can be practiced successfully at
the ST. Nicholas for a period of eight
consecutive months One would suppose that
the day book, or ledger, or whatever book is
appropriated to the accounts of the details of
the business would be constantly checked of
by the travellers register, and that it would be
the simplest matter in the world to detect the
omission in the former, of name which occur
red in the latter. One can easily conceive sys.
tenn OF checks from the travellers register to the
day book, from the cash book to the bank book.
Are none of these in use at the st. Nicholas.
When the Howard Hotel was robbed, the same
looseness and want Of care were made manifest.
The thief sold City drinks and accounted for for
ty, keeping the balance. But how easy to check
the number Of drinks by the quantity Of liquor in
the bar! Why could not an account of stock be
taken every Saturday, and the barkeeper be
made 10 account, at retail prices for the differ
ence between the amount supplied week before
and that on hand at the time?
1t is very hard, II you own stock in railway,
not to be robbed by the President and Directors
1t is hard to buy coal, or sugar, or many other
necessaries Of life, and not to be robbed by the
parties who sell them. II is hard to avoid being
robbed by man who saws hole through your
window shutter at night and lets himself in ST.
lently. But II is not hard to save yourself from
robbery by your own servants, If you will only
use little common prudence and caution, and do
them and yourself the decent charity of watching
closely over their habits, expenditures and espe-
cially their associations