Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1878-11-11

gentleman ut Bellaire 10 REGISTER re-
porter, last Saturday. First came the
assignment OF the Bellaire Agricultural
Works, which was speedily followed by
the failure of Cowan, Sheets & Co., bank
ers No sooner had the bank gossip be-
gan to lag than Meeks turns up, under
very suspicious circumstances, in con-
nection with the Bellaire Gas Company.
| don't know what is To become OF us;
probably it is the dark hour before dawn,
at least / hope so, said the gentleman.
The reporter informed the gentleman
that rumOrS OF
MEEK'S MATTERS
Had reached Wheeling, and that he
had been dispatched to learn the true
inwardneSs of the affair, if any truth
there was in it. The reporter was dl-
rected to the office oi the Mayor, with
the information that r.. G.. Morgan,
President OF the Gas Company, would
most likely be found there, as o'clock
p. NJ, had been set for the hour OF ex-
amining III. ID. Meek, the suspected
Secretary and superintendent OF the
Gas Company. Upon approaching the
Mavor'a office, the reporter no.
ticed groups OF citizens standing on
every corner or street crossing talking
over the matter, some in very excited
tones. Wien Il Q Mayors office had
been reached, there was found large
number oi persons in as well as outside
of the office They too were talking oi
the affair, and anxiOusly awaiting the
arrival Of Meek, who, on Friday night,
had given bonds for his appearance be-
fore Mayor Cassellat o'clock Saturday
afternoon. But he came not, and the
spectators lounged about hoping
that they might yet have chance
to see. aS some expressed IL,
the man who was charged with
firing the Gas Company'S books
President Morgan was seated IN the
Mavor's chair. conveHing with several
of the directors OF the works when our
reporter entered. Upon learning who
desired TO see him, Mr.. Morgan AT once
stepped forward, and the reporter at
once set about quizzing the gentleman,
who willingly answered all questions,
the following of which is, in substance,
the suspicioned downfall of Il once
PROMISING YOUNG MAN.
Henry D. Meek, is about thirty years
OF age, and has always borne good
name among the citizens OF Bel
lairc, even so much so rs to
be successful in adventures that other
men were afraid to undertake. He was
the originator of the Gas Company, and
in 1873, secured, in stocks, S40,0O0 with
which to begin operations, shortly after
which he obtained charter, under the
laws OF Ohio, incorporating the Bellalre
Gas Company, the capital stock OF
which was, in Il few weeks, increased by
subscriptions To $4,000 Work was at
once begun, and in comparatively
short time, Bellaire bOaSted OF fine gas
factory. The stockholders met and
elected a Board Of Directors, who, i'll
turn, awarded MIR. Meek, for his enter,
prise by appointing him Secretary and
Superintendent Of the works, which Oh
fees he has held ever since until last
Thursday, when he was suspended,
temporarily For six months past, the
Board OF Directors have been somewhat
solcitOus in regard to the finances OF the
company, as they had not been able to
declare dividend for two years.
MIR. Meek had begun to
DABBLE IN POLITICS,
which naturally aroused the suspicion
Of both directors and stockholders alike,
AS he appeared to be spending more
money in order TO secure the nOmlna-
ton and election to the sheritlalty of
Belmont county than limited salary
would admit He failed to secure the
office he desired, but was, on the even
ing preceding the election on the second
Tuesday of last October, nominated
As a candidate for a Justice OF the Peace
in Pulmey township, and was elected
! over all competitors by Il majority OF one
! hundred and fifty votes, which showed
| the unbounded popularity which he
had among his fellow citizens. Upon
his election to this office, the Board OF
Directors OF the Gas Company refused
To allow him to retain his position III the
! Gas Company unless he should resign
| the office of Justice of the Peace.
Aboutthis time the Board became more
anxious, and Mr.. Meek was informed
that it was rumored very generally that
he had been making to free Use
| Of the Company's money in the last
political campaign, and that a general
/ r.port OF the condition OF his books
would be
ACCEPTABLE To THE BOARD.
Mr.. Meek then asked that Commit
tee of Experts be appointed to make an
examination OF the books, the whole
. having been brought about by the
board through the solicitation of Presi-
dent Moran. The Committee OF EX-
perts appointed by the board two weeks
ago. were McSsrs Matthias Sheets and
CYRUS Strahl. Alter the appointment
had been made, Mr.. Meek requested a
few days in which to get his books ready
for inspection; in the meantime one OF
the old benches of retOrts AT the gas
works ''let down, and he was delayed
in getting the books ready. Just as
the bench of retOrts was heated up fire
occurred at the office between eleven
and twelve O'Clock in the northeast cor
ner in a cupboard adjoining the CON-
pany's safe. The books, which Mr..
Meek claimed had been left OH the shelf,
were found bv the trustee, ii. VI. Ingler,
after the fire had been eXtinguished,
leaning against the cupboard, partially
DESTROYED. On last Thursday morningthe
board met and locked the booksup, and di-
rected that Mr.. Meek betemporarily sus.
pended from his duties as secretary and
; Superintendent OF the Company's works.
The boards feeling toward Mr.. Meek
was, that up to the time he was sus'
pended. he WAS innocent Of the charges,
opI thar thnir action WAS 10 prohibit
him from his labors, until such time a.
, the books might have been examined
Suspicion pointed directly tc
him, because the books We're partially
/ burned in the fire, "Wednesday night
and that he said to the board that thu
; books were left on the desk by hin
through iorgetfulness, instead OF beint
; locked up, as was the custom, in thu
r company's safe, no other person beini
4 allowed to handle them. To explain