The New York herald., 1872-11-30
ANOTHER MISSING" MAN.
Why He Let Himself Be Missed and Where He
Turned Up-Ths 0.d Story of Hard Drink
and Peculation-What q Bookkeeper
Can Do on a Small Scale with
Small opportunities-A Les
SON to Trustful Employers

II all the missing men whose names are now re.
corded on the books OF the detectives Mt Police
Headquarters turn up after the fashion OF two or
three OF the sadly missed lately 1t is more than
likely that their best friends will rather regret than
otherwise their temperance on the scene OF ac-
tion. The last missing one for whose safety many
"dear friends" have been excessively alarmed, and
about whom the detectives have been almost
pestered to death by sensationmongers Is man
named Lewis, with the prefix George H. He was
employed about year ago in the agency depart
ment OF J. b. Ford d Co., ~ Park row. and got
along very well. He was polite and suave in his
dealings with the many persons who had to do
business with him, and he rapidly became
GENERAL FAvORITR.
However, he got into the habit of drinking, and
1t is supposed that this led him to other "fast"
habits. to enable him to crafty which the funds at
his own command were In the long run found in
adequate. Then there was repetition Of the old,
old story--the employers money had TO NIL up the
gap. As b0okkeeper OF the agency he mad oppor-
tunlties for supplying his wants out OF the hrms
cash box and 1t seems that he did not hesitate to
supply himself in this way as occasion required,
and the peculatiOns were discovered In this wse:-
til the 18TH inst. He had always been regular in
putting In an appearance at the ofice every morn
ing, but on this particular morning he was
CONSPICUOUS BY HIS ABSENCE.
Nothing serious was thought OF his absence by
the firm ut first, they being under the impression
friends finally became exceedingly uneasy owing
to the excitement in the public mind over the ne
M he and he G
speculatiOns indulged in by the papers as to how
the disappearances were made to occur. They at
once instituted search for him; but the search
was made in vain. 1t came out that the last seen
OF him was leaving his boarding house in Clinton
the besn an
ing OF their books discovered that MIR. Lewis had
appropriated to his own use sums OF money
three thousand dollars. Then Mr.. Parsons called
at the Office to collect $3.50 due him, and it was
SS had y in
Phoenix Bank, with the name OF Mr.. Parsons writ
ten on the back and had afterwards
DRAWN THE CASH
for the amount specified In the check. A HERALD
reporter yesterday called at Go. p Park row and
Levis:-
..Have you ascertained positively, asked the re-
porter, "that Lewis has left the cityY"
1--WE have" was the reply. "He is, or at least
was in Philadelphia, and we have instructed the
police authorities Of that city to LOOK him up.n
delphia that he was private secretary to Henry
Ward Beecher?"
$50 saw by Philadelphia paper; but he never
had anything to do with Mr.. Beecher, and doubt
very much il the latter would know him from
THE MAN IN THE MOON.
He was not in any way connected with the Chris
tidn Union. The department in which he was en-
pSyed y the agency and is not the direct editorial
'sDO you suppose he has made away with much
money of the firm ?"
'Not to an extent that viii prove serious; for
you should understand that he was in the agency
department and had nothing whatever to do with
the Union. We have not been able as yet to get
at the exact amount TAKEN"
'sin what way did he accomplish his peculations
by changing the entries In the boOks?"
'.Oh. he went about It in 9 much handler way;
way. 1t appears that when he wanted to take any
money he received he made no entry at ALL"
"Had he been long in your employer
'AbOut q year. He always seemed to be honest
and upright; but to be candid, was rather, from
the start opposed to his being employed but there
were others who had great expectations that he
would turn out all right"
people outside the Office l mean-found him
courteous 0bliginR, &C., did they nOts"
''They did. He was very well liked by them. The
fact is he was very polite to all c0mers, but think
his manner was
lit was more than enOugh) and there were times
when 1t made made me half doubt whether 1t was
not cover for something vut Of the way"
"LeviS Is a married man, belicve?o
sHeis; but learn that he has not lived with
his wife for some time. His family Is quite q
respectable one and lives at Holly, Pa. ! believe
his father Is retired paper merchant but
AN ESTRANGEMENT
grew up between him and the son long ago which
was never bridged over"
sWas he of last habits while in your employer
t'NOt that knew Of although he got to drinking
lately. know it from the smell OF his breath at
times"
Here Mr.. Wood added, 'sThis thing will teach us
to be careful hereafter, and to put In places Of
trust only trustworthy persons"