Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1867-08-10
AMONG THE BOOK.KEEPERs.
a Record Of FrRuds Detected-Why
Merchants Should net Employ Law
priced AeeOunfauts-An Interesting
s,R.or,1ar. Of Personalities

IIOul lub AlliClnnAlt A9LHllcIciat
The following chapter of embezzlements
perpetrated by different bookskeepers and
clerks in this city may be interesting to
our readers, and merchants especially, and
will demonstrate the fact thar it is not all
ways best, or even profitable In the least, to
employ low priced accountants TO manage
| their business behind the desk. The null
tiplieity of methods that are adopted by
them in order to swindle their employers is
fearful, and can only, in a great measure,
| be detected BY that class Of accountants,
who, by years of experience, have come in
contact with the different modes of hiding
money under the name of book keeping
We here enumerate some few of such em-
bezzlements, which have come under onr
observation. We do not, by this article,
intend to convey the idea that a knowl-
edge of doubleentry book keeping is a
dangerous part of business education, but
insist that if every person pretending to
do business, no matter how small, had a
fair knowledge of the bearing of accounts,
there would be far less swindling:
No. /. A young man aged eighteen,
book-keeper and cashier for tobacco
firm on NJ" street, appropriated in the
space of eight months over nine hundred
dollars.
No. 2 A middle aged gentleman, and a
member of the church in high standing,
employed as bOok-keeper for large COM
mission and forwarding house on C
street, borrowed from the firm, without
their knowledge or consent, the sum of
over three thousand dollars in the space of
five months, and the ,embezzIement was
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the honest church member had moved too
far north to be within the Jurisdiction of
the State of Ohio.
No. ). large manufacturing establish
ment in the western part of the city, being
desiroGs TO lessen expenses, employed an
elderly gentleman TO attend to the Office
business and accounts, at a nominal salary
per annum, and by his superior knowledge
of accounts, (or rather by the ignorance of
the firm,) managed to increase his wages
two thousand five hundred dollars a year,
and continued it for several years, and this
fact has lately come to light, the partner
ship being dissolved and a thorough in
vestigation of the books being necessary.
No. A. A promising young man Of TWEEN
ty-two summers, employed as book keeper
by large grocery and commission house
situated on c. street, between W
and v streets, in whom the firm had
the utmost confidence, lost S14S0 of his EN-
ployers capital in two months, in a fash
ionable gambling house on Fourth street,
and when the time came for closing up the
books and rendering a statement, this Young
man concluded to engage his services else
where, and advised the firm of his inten-
tioDs. When more experienced account
ant was called upon to settle the books this
embezzlement made its appearance, to the
astonishment of the firm. The young man
was called upon to explain bnt could not,
and frankly acknowled the truth and Sc
cured his misguided benefaetors by mort
gage, which was duly paid. We are glad
to know that this young man has reformed
and is doing we'll.
No. 5. A young man, B, who was
employed as a book-keeper in a -four mill
in this city, on a salary of $1,000 per an
mum, drove fast horse, wore diamond
rings and shirt pin forabout fifteen months,
until il was discovered that he had stolen
Sll 600 of his employers money He was
arrested, and an examination of the books
was had, when his shortcomings were found
out. He has been indicted for embezzle-
ment, and will have to stand trial
No. 6. A prominent drygoods house on
| Fourth street lost 5000 short cash, by a
dishonest cashier. The fraud was dis
covered and the dishonest employe was
| discharged, with the understanding that he
| would have to refund or stand exposure.
| We understand that he did refund, and is
now in good situation.
No. T. A book-keeper for a house on
| Vine street, forced his trial and cash bal
ances, and took for his own pocket an
average of SIS per month, for thirteen
! months, and finally made his escape before
| the frauds were discovered. He has never
returned to this city
No. s. A book-keeper for A. p,
- street, - house, stole $4,000 and
over, in the last year, took trip to Cana
| da, after losing the money at faro bank
on v street, and afteward wrote letter
to his employers, telling them about where
they would find the errors.
| No. 8. A book-keeper and partner of a
firm on NJ street, in the bottom, appro-
! priated Sl3,60 at different times, and in
vested it in real estate for his particular
female friend, but was afterward compelled
TO hand it over. r A
No. 10. A middle aged man, book keep
er for liquor house ON W street, en-
bezzled $4,000 in two years, and acknowl-
edged to have spent it at the faro bank.
No. IL. A clerk and book keeper in a
hardware store on M street, working
together in their rascality, took $4,000 10
ten years and three months, out of the re-
tail cash sales. Upon being detected, the
book-keeper paid back portion and was
released. The clerks father, who happened
to have plenty of ready money, settled up
for his son, and sent him to Europe to the
Paris Exposition
No Y. The cashier and confidential
correspondent of a large importing house
on c. street, took about $4,000 in two
years. The fraud was detected while the
cashier was 80 sick as to be unable to attend
TO his duties, and shortly after, when in
formed that he could not recover, he made
full confession of his sin, and explained
that he had lost most of it In stock anC
gold speculstions.
No. Is. This relates to a steamboat clerl
who, in one season, appropriated to hi
own use between $4,000 and $4,000 of tn,
earnings of the boat. When he found tha
an examination was to be made into thu
accounts, he seized the books and dashed
them into barrel half full of New Orlean
molasses. The books were sweet, but coul'
not be touched. None of those fraud
were ever anaiyzed
No IA. Tells of a clerk in large bool
house on M street, who for six o
seven years enjoyed the entire confdeDc
of his employers, handled hundreds of dol
lars every day, and was never supected q
dishonesty until quite recently. 1t wa
then noticed by the proprietors that tn
cash in the drawer did not represent th
stock sold. A watch was placed upon hi
actions. A detective purchased from hin
quite qusnty of stationary and accoun
books, and paid for them in marke
money. BY this plan positive evidence c
his guilt was obtained. He was called
account, (which did not balance refunde
about $4,000 Of his stealings, and was al
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