The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-08-22
EMgEXZLEMENT by A WOnis.

A Paper Cellar Manufacturing Firm SWIM
died Oat Of several Thousand DoIars--Onc
or tho FOrew0men and Her Daughter Ar
rested.
For some time past Messrs. Merserole Libby,
manufacturers OF paper collars, doing business at
Nos 49, 7sand 80 Centre street. have had In their en-
ploy as the forewoman Of tie patching room one
Mrs. Sarah f. Poer, who had her daughter, Henriet-
to, az assistant forewoman. The 'patchng'' room
Ia where the small pieces OF linen are inserted In
paper collars for the strengthening Of tho button
holes, and Mrs. Poer had under her control from
fifty to sixty young girls who patched collars at SC
much per thousand, the rates ranging from fifty tc
eighty cents according to the demand and season.
lions OF collars during the past SIX months and when
they took stock few days ago the firm were
astonshed that instead OF having some three millions
hand already patched they had scarcely million.
Further investigation led to the discovery that the
girls employed and placed under the direction OF Mrs.
Poer had been made innocent accOmplices In o
wholesale scheme Of enbezzlement. From the state
ments of these girls II appears that the forewOman
was In the regular habit OF crediting on her pass
book each employe with surplus number of collars
would be credited with nfteen hundred per day.
The girl would draw the whole amount aud return
the surplus SIS or so to her forewoman under threat
of dismissal noncompliance BY these means
the firm were made TO pay for the patching OF over
two millions Of collars which never passed under the
hands OF their employees.
Acting Captain Kennedy, OF the Sixth precinct. was
called upon In the emergency which presented ITSELF
had been planned and carried out by Mrs. Poer and
her daughter Henrietta; SO he and detective Wool
bridge arrested them and took both 10 the Tombs
Police Court, where they were arrnigned before Al
derman Conan. The large number Of thirty-two
witnesses were also produced. When the Alderman
heard the facts as narrated above he directed the
complainant, Mr.. Cornelius NJ. MeserOle, TO make
alldavls covering three instances OF embezzements,
which was done In the sums OF So and So each.
These af1davits were corroborated by az many made
by girls who had been used a. a cover by the ac-
cused for obtaining the sums specified.
used the names or discharged employees for the pur
pose OF obtaining additional sums. She would
deliberately credit the discharged girl with
seven or eight thousand collars each week,
and by means OF "dummcs" draw the
money to be paid for such fictitious work.
Each girl used BY the forewonsn was threatened
with dismissal II she refused TO comply with the d.
rectons The girls are all quite young, the greater
number being inmates OF girls lodging houses and
houses for working women, being that class easily
led by q designing woman.
When Mrs. Poer was arraigned before the acting
magistrate she strenuously denied her guilt, and
claimed that the firm had never made nor could
make as many collars az they pretended. Both she
and her daughter were held for trial at the Special
Sessions, andswcre locked up In default OF bail.