The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-05-21
METHODIST GENERAL CONFERENCE.


Editors, Secretaries end Delegates to
| the Conference are oil Prophets of Baal
and Dr. Lanahan Only Is the LORDS
Wild and Reckless Statements OF ON
ssTnjured' Man.
The seventeenth days session Of the General Con-
| ference was opened yesterday with devotions led
| by Rev. DR.. Witherspoon. 1t was envened, Also by
another appearance OF the ghost of the Book Con-
Germ 'frauds and mismanagement," which created
o sharp discussion. 1t came up In the form OF an
apparently innocent letter from Mr.. s. ]. Good
enough to the General Conference, in which the
writer reviews DR.. Lanahan's report, and morally
convlcts the Doctor Of fasiying the records therein
quoted Mr.. Goodenough denies emphatically the
Doctors statement that he (Goodenough) retained
vouchers for paper anything else purchased. but
always passed them to the cashier, after which
they were filed by the bookkeeper. The invoices,
which were memoranda OF goods forwarded were
properly filed and preserved In the vault OF the
printing office. These were necessary to the de-
partment in order to check the receipt Of goods
and the items Of monthly statements, while the
vouchers, or
RECEIPTS FOR MONEY PAID,
were always with the bookkeeper. He also refutes
other portions Of the report by the sworn testimony
Of Mr. Smith, OF Campbell Hall h Co., s. D. Warren,
Of Boston, and OF Mr. Barton, before the Book Com
there was any motive or desire his part to con-
ceal any matter connected with the business be-
cause he believed 1t to be straightforward and egi-
innate, and knew that the Concern was being well
served by the course pursued, all the eXamina-
tons and evidence taken In the case fully demon
strate; and as to the conversations said to have
passed between them DR.. Lanahan's word must
be received against his The whole thing has been
put in shape by Or. Lanahan to suit his purpose
n
repeating words and conversations, would be to
Charge the same to tho account of defective
monopoly OF the purchase OF paper for the Book
Concern--by private arrangement with himself
and that he was anxious to conceal it. On the
trary, not pound of paper was ever bought for
the Concern except on written order by him,
and the price was determined in advance, and was
made to conform to the lowest market rates. except
IN few cases of small lots Of odd size quality.
Mr.. Porter was on par with every other dealer,
except that he had proposed, and was allowed, to
devote special attention to procuring goods the
best terms for the Concern GoodenOngh says he
constantly encouraged competition, and received
and noted ire proposals Of other parties, and did
not give orders to Mr. Porter unless his terms
as low as the lowest.
was simply the ability to undersel others. Mr.
Porter was never employed by the Book Concern
ana never received one cent from the house for any
service rendered. All the benefit he ever had was
in profits or commissions rs dealer, which were
and consent. And lie claims he was justified in
doing this notwithstanding the relation of Porter's
Mr.. Goodenough does not deny that he was in
terested IN oil companies Anatrayelled in their in
ton, which lie had been always allowed, and he
never permitted these things to interfere with his
declares were Interested in similar specuatons
and he asks is it to be inferred that they neglected
says, to compare his record with DR.. Lanahan's
that it may be seen which has done most to promote
the interests rsassd ., Of the he Book Goncsrn
saving TO the Concern when he broke up Porter's
paper monopoly and purchased himself, Mr.
Goodenough Analyses the items and shows that Dr.
Lanahan paid under contract to broker, seven
teen cents q pound for paper which could have
made his contract foT 100 600 pounds Of said paper
when the market was fuctuatng and falling.
WHAT GOoDENoUGH SAVED TIE CONCERN.
cipating rise in prices, he ordered in August, 1865
800 reams Of newspaper, at u cents per pound and
In September 500 reams, at 20 cents. The price
soon went up to % cents. About the same time he
engaged over 1000 reams Of book papers, at from II
to 10 cents per pound and the price to 20 and
y cents within q short time In August of the
same year he engaged 400 rcams OF superfne super
September, at 32is cents, and while taking In these
papers the price advanced to 80 cents. The saving
to the Concern on these purchases were estimated
at the time TO be between ST, 900 and $4,000.
Mr. Goodenough then renews to the General Con-
ference proposition which he made to DR.. Lana
han on January a. 1870, in effect agreeing to submit
his paper purchases for the Book Concern during
the last ten years OF his Official connection with it
TO careful comparison to be made by disinter-
ested persons, with the like quantities purchased
by Appeton's, Harpers or any other large publish
Ing house here elsewhere and to pay over to the
Concern such amounts as 1t shall be found he had
PAID during that period over and above the average
price per pound which the other parties paid pro-
vided, on the other hand the Conference Tor DR..
Lanahan, as at first challenged shall pay to him
the amount saved to the Concern by purchases at
prices below those paid by these parties. Mr..
Goodenougi1- gives Illustrations OF the desperate
straits to which DR.. Lanahan had been compelled
the inspiring cause OF all the Doctors hostility to
himself ana Mr.. Porter was desire to get his own
son into the paper business and to give him the pa
tronage of the Concern.
DIR. LANAnAN ON MS MUSCLE
,o DR. L Ian started up when the paper had
was repetition, he SAID OF what he had endured
IN the Book Concern and OF the scenes which mad
been enacted in the meetings OF the Book Com
mittee He knew the pape~ was coming. ana he
charged tnat IL mad been prepared by Drs. Carl
former cmphatcay denied any knowledge Of the
paper until It had been laid before the Conference)
INC suit Of Goodenough vs.. Lanahan for SANDER he
and in the same interest But Goodenough dare
not not prosecute y for he ganshanl would open
sionary Society that had been robbed.
;, The Doctor being called to order grew mild in
order, but this oil Spectator and stock jobber was
IN order when he came before the Conference with
aanderous paper. But before this matteris settled
san III, there Will be revolution In commercial
circles that VIII bring the Concern down. The
next paper that will be read here will be from that
leather thief II. Il. HOFFMAN, and the next again
from that Penitentlary bird J. i. Porter He was
again called to order and the Bishop tAmes) ruled
that he must contne himself to personal defence
OF himself and not wander so wide from the subject
matter rms decision was sustained by the Con- !
ference. The Doctor continued that such q thing
was never heard Of this country In ecclesias-
tcal history. And this man did great wrong in |
handing over the paper business OF the concern to
Porter, VINO had just escaped from the walls OF q
Penilentiafy. 1.-THE Conference would take his al.
vice 1t may say save the Church and the Concern
TROUBLE IL THE FUTURE.
discussion arose on an extension OF time for the
Doctor, which was opposed by DIR. Hitchcock whom !
Dr. Lanallan thereupon accused OF saying that he |
would help put to the wall any man who should I
write III his Qanahan's) favor. This assertion !.
Dr.. Hitchcock emphatcally denied, as did Dr. Reid
also, who was indirectly referred to In connection
with IT, DR.. Lanahan then accused the editors and
assistant secretaries with knowing all about the oil
speculations &c. In the Concern but withholding |
the Information from the Church and the General /
Conference. This brought general and emphatic |
denial from DIS. Curry and Harris, and also non /
officially from Dr.. Du Puy, who 10 not Q delegate.