New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-11-23
and vii, he taken before Justice Dodge at the Jefferson
| pn1ic Cour to-day.
INVESTIG ATION OF TIE METHODIST bum
CONCERN FRA UDS.

frau0s" I'm the Methodist Book Concern has nearly "u'
ont the investigation has been going on Win unap"
industry Not only have the General Book ConI'eeoi
the Methodist Episcopal Church given the difficulties
tber undivided attention for two weeks but they nave
also been abored for AZ days by subcommittee Va
three assisted by expert accountant lnelnVeSuS"
has not been trial. but an inquest. IL mas not Deeh "
g T. Goodenough and Mr.. II. r. Hoffman, the aeouscu
heads OF departments, who have been tried pu nus
been the affairs OF the Book Concern which nave pech III
op,red into The system pursued has been this; sub
committee composed OF the Rev. Messrs Pike OF the new
Hampshire Conference Irwin OF the North ONO Conier
ence and Van Cleeve OF the Newark Conference "eie
appointed to work the matter up.
They have accordingly spent nearly TWO months III
thoroughly oyerhauling the business and looking into
the accounts Of the impeached departments. Inc ID
vestgailon spreads over eight OF nine years Ai'eI
making patient and thorough examination Of the al
fairs OF these departments and especially OF everything
which could 20 TO crminate either OF tho genuemch
named by Dr. Ianahan they appeared before the Gene
raj Book Committee which convened two weeks ago 10
press the case The Book Committee isapponted by the
General Conference and consists Of Is ministers selected
on account OF high character and ability. All the pub
fishing interests Of the Church. including OF course lns
great book institution In their charge ana the agents
are directly responsible TO them They are the connect
ing Ink in short between the Church and the Dooktoe
As 80 much prominence and Importance had been ascoeu
to these frauds almost the whole OF the last session
NJ the Committee has been given TO the work OF Sitting
them After the Committee had presented their side OF the
case Messrs GOodenough midlothian were given an OPP
portunty to testify witnesses what they Knew also 10
ask questions and sft any evidence presented against
them. The examination was continued two weeks Inc
principal charge against Mr. j. Goodenough the mead
Of the printing department. was that the great quahu
ties OF paper used by the establishment had been pur
chased by him from mlddemen rather than directly
from the manufacturer, thus benettnR him aud the mid
demen largely and increasing the cost OF the paper 10
the establishment. Mr.. Goodenough presented laDo-
rously prepared pamphlet TO the Committee to prove
that, although had thus bought In many cases by
means Of agents had always resulted to the advantage
OF the house. He undertook TO show by evidence OF
dealers and by comparison Of the prices PAID Dy the
Concern and those paid by the Bible House ana other
public institutions, that the Book Concern had
as o rule bought its paper much moro cheapy
than any similar Institution. Some OF the dealers
from whom the paper has been most largely bought also
testified they had sold cheaper to the Book Concern
than TO any other customers. Mr. Goodenough
appeared twice before the Committee beside presenting
| his pamphlet. and made expose OF the whole
| working Of the affair. The charges against MI
Hoffman, the head Of the printing department were OF
more direct nature Some outright frauds, such as en-
bezzlement fraudulent pay-rolls, etc. we're alleged
The number of books he has had bound ascertaned
from the records. and estimates made OF the amount
which the work should have cost Upon comparing this
with the expenditure 1t found that the result cor
roboraed the opinion Of Dr. Lanahan as the deficit was
| about $4,000 against Mr.. Hoffman. THIS, how
ever was o small sum compared Win the
| great losses which were at first expected
OF the amount OF deficit aud It's ex
stence proved by the estimates alone and they are
prOvebaly less than the real expenditure When there
fore Mr. Hoffman stOuty affirmed that he could explain
everything and clear himself entirely the officers OF the
Concern and committee were not dnclned 10 eSpsc. ~.
Hoffman was notified TO appear ana give nus tes.nony
before the Committee, he came but brought with him
his lawyer The Committee refused 10 allow the lawyer
to be present, as IL was against the custom OF thc
| cases Mr.. Hoffman would not appear unless the
| lawyer was admitted, ms the evidence was 10
| lance 10 his character The Committee stood
firm in their denial and the result was That Mr Hon
balance against him brought forward by the Committee
dctsd' It's sald on good authority that Mr. Hoffman
fnrtbwith m which case he will doubtless appear with ms
iowVsr and the case may be still further cleared mp
| Meantime no material alteration has bosn made m ihe
lowing the cautious report adopted by the committee
We The Book COMMITTEE splened .. tss nsaei
s'ts" Of The = osnieh ave h'S o1 ,'19a eaa TO I
careful Investigation .ad .sroa 1q ao the ss,as', o. s 1.a
Investigations Of sGbCommliee prsoa, lgTeni sa,s rels
he Ccufcfetes wo embody in ths following resolutions
R,solred That deliberate judgment that the last Exhibit
Of the Agents and reliable statement Of the tusnea
liity .nd ,ovency Of the Boob Concern a, Heui0rh.
That though Ageets bought psPer and other materials for
the Printing Department mainly through dealers miidsmsn
vet does not appear By before the Committee that Goa
oern has mode Of making purchaser
nvesgaon Of TIE saA Ad business Of the bndey has
satisfied the that there has been great mismanagemsni 10 this
department and that serious have therein.
That III. sep, business 81 the Book Cone,r4
In all matter, involving It's credit integrity uch to meet ls
prevail Of command the confidence tie pub
| Signed by the members present
Pr R,To ch.rH'S IND Con, JANE. E'S Cent M r co9
Lsroy Vernon See st. b. Conf 4tS,s W. hagI hlr So1L
| G & yanele's Sessrk Conf J. A. Baas' Detroit Conf
J. s. bingham BIssE River Conf C. Brooke Minnesota Conf
The Christian Adroedte Of to-day On an editorial article
Of which we have been permitted TO use proofs thus
| comments upon the report
The finding Of the Committee will probably be con
sdered by some as meager and perhaps not altogether
satisfactory but surely they could not be expected to
Department" they report "serious" loss just how
much meaning there may be IN the qualifying word se
rous" cannot say but after listening To the whole or
the proceedings IN the case, satisfied that there
is no good ground believe that the Concern has either
been defrauded suffered loss at all IN the purchase OF
paper As TO the biDdery the fact that the witnesses
produced to prove frauds or irregularities men with
whom Mr. Hoffman had dealt-"ere certainly pretty
hard set and that OF them TESTIFIED ~ transactions
with m such as no correct business man Should pe con
cerned WITH the witnesses themselves being parties we
felt strong suspicion that some things were not as they
should be- and the defense, II attempted would require
| pretty thorough work How large me serious loss
named by the Committee was supposed TO be we have no
means OF Judging certainly We should not reckon IL
either by hundreds or by tens OF thousands
Three things were however made very plain 10 us In
the course OF the investigation: ~ lDht the methods OF
doing business In the Concern been sufficiently
exact that If there has been no frauds aud defaca
completeness OF the system Of checks, II the credit due
that itself Will sufficiently Justify the course OF eG
these inquiries on the part OF the Committee have been
called out. e. 10 is equally evident that somehow
| an undesirable degree of publicity was given To
| these Investigations while they were yet Ia prog
free expression OF opinion the character Of tho
discoveries made The blame OF this we do not locate,
say that anybody II To blame for IT, IL was,
however very unfortunate incomplete. and
sariy f pare lnquiTy should have been thus precip
|