Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1875-03-31
TH0MPSON's TICKET.
Particulars Of the Gymnastic DeIaIea-
zion In Cincinnati-A Chance for the
Accused TO Prove His Innocence.


tiOn I'm Cincinnati-A Chance for the
Accused TO Prove His Innocence.
OF Ferdinand a. Thomson. formerly
Superintendent Of the Young Mems Gym
naStic Association of Cincinnati, who was
arrested here last Friday, the CincinRati
Gazette Of yesterday SAYS:
Thompson was appointed Superintend-
ent Of tie Cincinnati Gymnasium on the
1st Of February, 1872. He had then been
a resident Of Cincinnati for eleven years,
and in the employ Of the association for
over a year, in charge Of the health lift,
where he had always borne himself in such
proper manner, and been so attentive to
his duties, that the Board Of Directors held
the utmost confidence in him. When a
vacancy occurred, at the above time, be
was unanimously elected Superintendent
by the Board.
The duties of that officer, among other
things, are 10 have sole control Of the col
lection Of dues $50 each per Year, from
members, and, the list being very large,
several are due every day. 1t was his duty
TO report all collections and expenditures,
with proper vouchers therefor, TO the Treas
urer, who made monthly reports to the
Board. He was also the bOOk-keeeper Of
the association, with sole charge Of its va
rious books.
Thompson attended satisfactorily to his
duties, and nothing unusual occurred until
the panic Of 1873, when he made a state
ment to the Board that many of the old
members whose times expired were unable
to pay at once for their renewals, and asked
for instructions from the Board as to Wheth
er or not he should drop them or give them
a credit for q time in cases where il seemed
practicable. After a full discussion Of the
matter the Board concluded that the best
policy for the good Of the association would
! be to carry along such members for time,
and instructed the Superintendent accord
ingly.
He continued to report this difficulty from
| time 10 time down TO the summer Of 1874,
/ and the Board found by personal inquiry
/ among some Of such members that there
was truth in ThOmpsOn's statements, and
believed he was simply reporting the facts.
/ In this way quite large number Of men,
/ bership tickets were issued, for which the
/ funds were not realized, but which were
| confidently considered by the Board as
/ good credits to the treasury, and cOllectable
| within a reasonable time.
About the middle Of September, 1874,
/ the Board decided TO supeTsede Thompson,
not from any doubt Of his integrity and
| honesty, but for other reasons they deemed
| sufiicIent-the most important being his
| youth, which was found to render him I'M
fit for the management Of so large an insti-
| tuition. Shortly after Capt. ROebuck, the
new Superintendent, took control, eircum-
stances were developed that aroused the
suspicious Of the officers that ThompsOn's
cash account was not all right, and it soon
was discovered that there was no such
number of tickets out and unpaid for as he
had represented. ThereupOn an account
ant was employed, and a rigid investiga-
tion was commenced, together with a regis
! tration Of all tickets out. This took con-
siderable time, many members being slow
TO report, and was not concluded till about
March I. The result showed a large num-
Der Of tickets in the hands Of parties claim
| ing 10 have paid for them, and for which
Thompson had made no returns.
At a meeting cf the Board the matter
was put into the hands Of the President
! with power to take such action as he
deemed best in the premises, who pro-
ceeded TO inquire into his whereabouts. Il
was finally asceTtained that he was located
| in Nashville, where he was written to and
advised Of the unsatisfactory condition of
| his accounts, and urged to return at once
and Gear the matter up If possible. He
! replied, discla. ming all Criminality, AID
! protesting his ability to fully explain
| everything as soon as he should come here,
| which he claimed his business would not
| permit him to do at present. He was again
| written 70 and urged to come at once, and
| that no business could be so important 10
him as his presence here to make the
! promised explanation No reply was re-
| Ceived, and afteT waiting reasonable time
it was determined thar the duty Of the
Board required that he be brought here at
once. The proper application for requi-
sitiOn from Gov. Allen was made Ivy the
officers, requis:tiOn was granted and sent
to Nashville, and Thompson was brought
here under the same early on Saturday
morning last.
Thompson stOutly claims that he can
show that 4 good many Of the tickets IN
question were never paid iOF to him, and
| are still due, and that any amounts actually
snort in his accounts were not Intentional
| embezZlement, but arose from his own care
| lessness and lack Of experience in book
keeping. The board are willing 10 allow
him every opportunity 20 Gear HIMSELF and
| sincerely trusting he may be successful,
/ have put him in charge Of a special officer,
/ with whom he will call on such members
as hold tickets for which be made no re-
| turn.
To avoid any such trouble in the future,
| the board some months since adopted the
rule that all tickets must be paid on ds
| livery.
The books were kept in sch an apparent
y regular way thai n connection with his
previous goo. character, not an officer bad
a3v sround for suspicion against ThOmp-
/ son, Till a very careful OveThaUliug Of all
his accounts, books and reports, subsequent
to his departure, showed the gradual ac-
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