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


Ing conclusion: Tho business Of the
bindery was not properly organized will
suitable checks, balances and safeguards
for want OF which, the property Of thC
Concern has been put In peril and large
amount irrecoverably lost.
lst 1t Is admitted that for many bills
Of purchase that were left exclusively lor
audit and certification to the party con,
tracing them.
I'd. No records were kept In the depart
ment by means OF which 1t could be
shown that the goods bought ior the dc.
partment were received, or, Il received
that they answered In quality and quan.
tity to the goods bought.
I'd. Mr.. Hoffman, superintendent OF the
bindery, was allowed to draw money at
will, frequently drawing In excess Of any
vouchers furnished by him. This person
appears to be q great lavorite with tho
principal agent, as was seen by the most
extraordinary zeal used 10 exculpate
him from the charges preferred against
him before the committee; and secondly,
In the TACT that he was allowed, In add.
ton to his regular salary, some $4,000
per year In the shape Of gold sweepings,
It Is claimed he divided some OF this
with his subOrdinates In office, but It does
not appear that the concern requested
this Of him; and thirdly, in the fact that
he was allowed and justified by his supe.
rior In office in making presents Of costly
and elegant books belonging to the con.
cern, to VIM, N. Tweed and other per.
sonal friends; and iourthly. in being per.
mitted without rebuke TO absent him.
sell from duty more than halt the time
during business hours. Is 1t strange under,
such circumstances, with these detective
methods Of business, with the door
wide open to frauds, that they should be
found to exist. A system OF purchasing
paper prevailed lor years in the printing
department which was exceptiOnable and
unbusiness like, and brought scandal on
the reputation of the Concern and, as we
believe, occasioned serious losses. The
accounts Of the Concern have for years
been kept In the most unsatisfactory man.
ner. The superficial inspection Of MIR.
Kilbrath permitted them to indulge a
hope that Tor the last five years there has
been great Improvement The 'minori.
ty are prepared to present the most con.
elusive proofs that even in this he Is
mistaken. The inventories oil property
have been so made as to be unreliable, 50
that but little dependence can be placed
on the annual exhibits Of agents to Con.
terence,so far as relates 10 the actual re.
suits of the business during the preceding
year or the real assets OF the Concern.
The minority have been driven to the
conclusion that the Book Concern has
suffered from the want OF the personal
Of the principal agent and
some Of his subordinatcs giving so
much attention to private business, to
and various forms OF specu.
lations in part carried on in the Concern,
the interests have been divided, time
consumed, and the eneEgies paid for by
the Concern directed otherwise. From
such imputations even the seYerest crili.
cism and most earnest opponents of the
Assistant Agent entirely exempt him.
We believe DR.. Lanahan has suffered Sc.
rious wrong. The Chief paper bearing
his name has cautioned the public against
bis statements. His feelings have been
outraged; he has had the sentence of sus.
pension pronounced against him, vote
OF deposition declared, and the action ar.
rested by the constant interference OF the
he has been put TO heavy
cost in defending himself, while we have
reason to believe the costs Of prosecuting
him have been paid from the funds OF the
Book Concern. The minority believe the
they have submitted to he
true in every respect, and fully accept the
OF sustaining them. We
ask searching and faithful examina.
tion, before an'impartial and competent
tribunal.
DR.. Lanahan will endeavor tohave his
report read tomorrow. He makes
twenty distinct allegations, which he
by documentary PROOF and
other evidences The charges are:'lst,l
James F. Porter, purchasing paper for the
Concern at his own personal profit. '2nd,
that DR.. Carlton knows this. Sd, Porter
is an unfit person to hold the. position.
4th, Goodenough lied when he said he ap.
pointed Porter because he must be reliev.
ed OF the care pressing on him. 9th, after
Porter ceased to purchase paper for the
Concern there was q saving Of over 81 ,S05
a year. 9th, the bindery department has
been delrauded 10 a large amount in n
single. item Of leather. 7th and 9th, Hon.
man disposed OF leather and kept money
belonging 10 the Concern. 9th, the super.
Of the bindery was wrongiully
allowed the gold sweepings. 10Th, Hof.
man was dishonest In paying wages. 11th,
18th, 18th and 14th, the management ol
Hoffman 8 Lasse, extravagant and binde
ry inventories, and the account books con.
tain false entries. 18th, the amount Of the
profits reported In the exhibits tothe an.
nual Conferences as added to the capital
stock Of the Concern Is incorrect. 10Th,
from 1868 10 1858 inclusive, while the
Concern had heavy cash balances, more
money was paid than received as
interest, and there is q discrepancy
between the average balances as shown
by the cash books for three years, and the
books oil the shoe and leather bank. 17th,
that from 1858 to 1868, inclusive of er.
Tors in the depository accounts, accu.
mulated to amount to $7652s,9l, and
were finally charged off arbitrarily as a
loss. 18th, false entry appears on the.
books, Charging Brown Bros. & C0, of
this city, with $2O,090. 18th, that while
the sales in New York have been steadily
on the increase, with one exception, the
exhibits Of profits-to the annual confer
ences, show q steady decrease, though
the prices Of publications remain unchang.
ed. Goth, the periodical account Is kept
In such q wsy that most any interpreta'
tion can be placed upon 1t.
Inconclusion, DR., Lauahan asks that a
special committee be appointed, before
whom he may have an opportunity to
make his charges good.
SALT LAKE CITY.