The New York herald., 1876-03-24
THE MARINE 5AsK DEFALcATIoN

PIoUs pooxKKKPER DIsAFPxARs wTrh
TwENr1-E1oHr THOUSAND DoLIAEs--A PASS
IoNABLE REsTAURATEUR IMPLICATED Win
HIM.
bank defalcation was yesterday brought 10 light 70
which class leader In Congregational church ne
chief figure appears that for the last afteen years
Mr.. Jctham \. Hedden has been bOokkeeper ~ tho
Marine National Bank, No. rs waI street. and that duT
ing that time he has BY his exemplary conduci an5
dgent habits secured the confidence Of the directors
OF the institution HIS good conduct secured hm
against suspicion, and he acted on the faith Of his
employers to the extent OF $4,000, the amount
covered BY the defalcation. The sums which ~ 20
make up this handsome aggregate were taken from
time to time during the past year The story how The
money was taken and the with which noddcn
eluded detection suspicion points strongly tho
faith his employers had in him. and had he al
his desk it is probable that would have been able 20
carry on his operations for indefinite period II la
stated that the money drawn by Henry Bode. .
restaurant keeper No. 100 Water street, and after
ward divided with Hedden Mr. Bode had an account
at the bank in which Hedden was teller and all bis
deposits we're "rasedn when Mr.. Hedden posted bis
ledger For instance, when Mr.. Bode made de-
post OF $3.50 Mr. Holden In posting prehxod
the figure 81" thus making the amount 81 100 On
the first book Of entry which was compared with tho
chief bookkeepers book the amount OF course always
corresponded and thus detection was cluded He did
not tampcr with the other edgers In the bank, bus
altered the amount In making up the palanca-shcet
which submitted to the directors. An examina-
tion of the books Of the bank which has been Ia
progress for days recalls the fac that alter these
raised" amounts had been entered on the books,
checks TO the exact amount OF the raising were drawn
by Bode and paid by the paying teller who, having
nothing but the figures provided by He'd
den to guide him; paid the money
developed enough to warrant tho president Of the
bank Mr. James Fish, In applying for bench war
there reasonable suspicion that he would leave the
city before civil proceedings could be instituted against
taken The warrant was executed by a deputy sheriff.
and Bode was locked up until he could find bonds for
his appearance at court
Jotham E. Hedden, who by his charitable fellow
clerks was called JIM has not yet been taken by the
police and II feared he is now lar beyond the reach
ofjustce During the latter part Of February Hedden
went to Mr Fish, the president OF the bank and asked
for permission TO take his vacation which usually
in the summer time, explaining that he had
friends in the West whom he anxious to visit
Business being dull, he was allowed TO go for the
allotted weeks with best wishes OF the directors
and their hopes that he might enjoy himself he won't
and has not since returned, is he likely to- The
story that he was going West proved to be false;
but nothing of positive nature has been discovered
that would point 10 his present whereabouts. The
bank officials have a general idea the basis of which
they refuse to give that he has gone South. Detec-
tivcs are looking for him in that direction. Hedcen,
IL would appear, was most accomplished hypocrite,
for while he doctoring the books of the bank he
cxpounding the Scriptures to class OF youthful
CONGREGATIONAL church of which he o.
prominent member he regarded paragon of
manly virtue and had the unlimited confidence of his
fellow worshppcrs who trusted him with the conduct
of several local church charities He was married
and moved in good society, but whether his wife
''went West'' with him is not known.
PRESIDENT FISH SAYS.
In q conversation had with Mr.. James Fish, the
president of the bank yesterday afternoon that gen.
tlcman stated that, although the defalcaton was
large one, it fortunately happened that the bank would
not suffer- Bode being wealthy and Hedden's bond
being sufficient to cover the amount stolen The re-
porter questioned Mr. Fish very closely regarding He'd
den but he protested his ignorance OF any cew which
might result in the capture OF the fugitive He said
however that the bank had private detectives at work
in the case, and they held out hope of the ultimate
apprehension of Hedden.