The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1872-05-07
AIethodist Geueral Con ferepce.

NEW YORK, May 6.-The Methods
General Conference reassembled thi
morning, Bishop Ames presiding.
The report Of the majority OF the Bool
Concern Investigation Committee wa
read. Itseverely censures the course o
Dr. Lanahan and completely exculpatei
the Book Concern, and recommends It II
hig hest terms as worthy Of the confldenc,
and patronage OF the church and people
The minority presented q report tina
they believe that there was laxity, mis-
management, fayoritism, unnecessary
losses and unwarranted expenditures O
the money Of the Concern, and think thai
DR.. LOnahan suffered a serious wrong In
the manner he was treated by the agent
It believes that the expense othis prosecu,
tlon should be paid out of the bonds o
the Book Concern and to call for q strict
searching and faithful investigation.
The majority report from the Book
Committee was presented to-day in the
Methodist General Conference. It states
that In the past four years the interests ol
the Book Concern have made substantial
progress. The losses by the Chicago fire
amounted 10 100000 beyond all available
insurance, but the energy and wise action
OF the agents prevented any serious inter.
ruptlon of business; but q greater calamity
beiel the New York Book Concern, the
losses in which could not be estimated by
dollars and cents, ApplAuse.l The re.
port then gives q resume OF the proceed.
lngs taken by the committee to investigate
the charges against the Book Concern.
The result of these investigations, how.
ever, has been growing con.
vlction that instead Of The chaos
which was charged, the business
management is orderly and systematic;
that theery and practice is as nearly per
tect as could well be expected in a bust.
ness so peculiar as this OF the Methodist.
OF course its business was not always as
complete as now, and their history of
simple and rude beginning, up through
the various stages Of progress to their
present completeness, would be an exceed.
ingly interesting study. 1t would doubt.
less be found that improvement had not,
perhaps, kept pace with the growth OF the
business. 1t might be found, perhaps,
that the employees had sometimes proved
dishonest or incompetent; that petty spec
ulations and losses may have occurred, but
that no large business establishment in
the land, growing up from small begin.
nings, can show SO fair o record in all
these respects as our great publishing
houses, east and west, and with an assur.
ance such as they never felt before the
committee can now commend them TO the
confidence and patronage OF our people
and the public generally. .ays..mq
Mr.. Kilbalh's report was then read. A
list OF his findings iscontainedin the FOL-
lowing summary Of results, but the meth.
cd OF account and state of office business
for q great many years were not
creditable, the things muclrot the time
standing in confused and careless shape,
l have, nevertheless, not discovered any,
thing in the department of accounts. In
the office proper, where dishonesty is
covered up, the nature Of the case did
not admit Of extensive Sci utiny or details,
but were confined chiefly to transactions
and entries, on which were based the ac.
cusatlons and complaints. The structures
of experts employed by the Assistant
Agent, Dr. Ianahan, to examine and re.
port on the books and accounts were, in
many cases, correct and just, but not as
relates to the last five years. Their dis
coveries were such as did not require the
skill of an accountant to make them,
while in many cases requiring the quail.
flcations OF an expert. They betrayed
decided professional incompetency. The
books and accounts for the last FIVE or six
years have undergone decided change
for the better, and there is no reason now
to complain Of them, though some OF the
particular modes of accounts couldbe i'm.
proved. The books in the departments
of the printing Office and biudery
arc in an orderly state. Taking
the whole Concern together, I
doubt not the books represent the true
condition OF the business, The financial
department is and has been for many
years regulated by On admirable system,
and has reached in It's magnificent degree
Of exactness which can scarcely be i'm.
proved. In regard 10 the printing de.
partment ! cannot speak approvingly OF
the position held formerly by James F.
Porter, through whom most Of the paper
was purchased from 'G4 to 80, because of
the damages, suspicious and dangerous
opportunities tothe position gave rise. l
do not find as charged the commissions
paid by the manufacturers OF paper to
Porter came out Of the Book Concern. II
In accepting the few odd lots, involving
no large sum, procured from Porter as a
debtor for which an excessive price was
charged. That paper used by the house
as procured through him cost the Con.
Germ only the fair market rates. If the
Concern bore the commissions WHY
did the manufacturers 80 earnestly dc.
sire, James F. Porter's displacement /
do not find any evidence whatever Of
frauds against Goodenough, formerly the
superintendent Of the printing department.
The printing office In It's internal govern.
ment was, think, never better managed
than under his superintendency. My only
objection has already been stated. In the
bindery bad administration of affairs has
prevailed under Hoffman, especially in the
last several years Of his superintendency,
and though 1t has been. in This case, as Il
Is almost always IN such cases, difficult to
establish the frauds by direct or legal
proofs, yet they, in myjudgment, existed,
and the Concern suffered thereby. The
actual losses suffered by the Concern in
the only department where tho frauds are
seen (the bindery) do not, according to nv
Judgment, much exceed the expenses aI.
ready incurred ID Investigating them.
They do not justify the extFavagant
statements OF q large part OF the
press, whose managers no doubt
believed what they published 70. be
true, and their motives should not be
harshly judged. 1t Is to me matter Of
wonder that in So large a business as the
Book Concern has been during 80 many
years, that tho frauds and Irregularities
discovered, after searching examinations,