The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-10-13
SO much prosperity to the nation, may four
ish for long years to come. M. B. II.
METHODIST PUBLISHING HOUSE,
Had Specimen of clerical bookkeeping.
IGthinn rrih

Had Specimen of clerical bookkeeping
(Chcago Tribune.l
When the good brethren Of the Methodist
Episcopal Church South discovered last june
that the debt Of their publishing, house al
Nashville had reached the astonishing sum Of
S3o0ooo spirit of curiosity and inquiry was
developed among them. Thelosses thus rep
resented We're too heavy to be accounted fol-
by any ordinary shrinkage incident to the
hard times, and committee Of investigation
was appointed to ascertain what had become
OF the money. Some remarkable disclosures
have been the result. The entire management
OF the house, up to the time when the investi-
CATION began, was In the hands Of A. Ii. Red
controlled all the publishing business.
His management was lavish, and his
| ideas of bookkeeping were eccentric.
At one time he added $4,000 to his
own salary-already $4,000. This, he states,
he, was authorized to do by q vote of q
subcommittee, but the records of the general
| committee contain no mention Of it, and there
| is a vague suspicion that the subcommittee
was CONN ttee Of one. Again, on his own
responsibility, he lent 5000 from the funds
rupt. The committee could not discover the
| papers upon which this transaction was
based, and the only clew they could obtain
was in the record of bankruptcy, proceedings
TOR merchandise furnished the bankrupt by
the publishing house was in the name of A. II.
Redford as agent, while the other side Of the
account was in his name as an Individual
Moreover, employees of the house testify that
in April last, after the stock Of merchandise
etc, had been invoiced,, preparatory to MAX
ing report to the Conference the assets re-
naming disagreeabIy small, Dr. Bedford
added 10 per cent oil round This indicated a
bright and cheerful as possible, but it will
scarcely be claimed that it represented sound
business prosperity.
But DR.. Redford's skill as book-maker
was not less remarkable than his eccentricity
as q book-keeper. He wrote a volume on
"Methodism in Kentucky" In his capacity
as literary censor Of the publishing house he
read and approved the manuscript. In his
capacity as general director he had it printed
and bound from the funds Of the house at q
cost Of forty-six cents per copy. Then in his
capacity as author he sold the work to him
self as general director at price Of 81 20 per
copy. Such transaction as this indicates O.
broad view OF the value OF good books, which
position. Literature is assiredly in it's palm
lest day when an author can order his book
printed out of other peoples funds, and then
sell it to himself at his own price The
hazards of authorship are by this process re-
business SO delightful that he followed up his
"Methodism in Kentucky" with several other
books Of equal Importance, which he ap-
proved, published, appraised, and sold with
the same liberality. In this way some
thing like $4,000 passed insensbly and grad
ually from the treasury Of the publishing
house to his own private account.
In view OF these facts, the statement of the |
Investigating committee that DR.. Redford |
''erred" In these things does not seem too
severe. 1t shows no disposition to exaggerate
his offense or to make things professionally
disagreeable for him. There are some ungod-
ly folks who will think 1t rather weak de-
5cr1ptiOn OF the transactions. Dr. Redford, it
should be added, has been displaced The
iebt of the concern Is now bearing from to
10 per cent interest. An earnest effort Is to be
made to refund it in per cent bonds, which
t is hoped will be bought by we'll disposed
lethodists. Creditors are asked to delay
PRESSING their claims, and under good man
cement it is expected that the house can pav
unning expenses and slowly extinguish the
lebt. Three hundred thousand dollars is a
retty high price to pay for bit of experience
Ike this, but 1t may be worth that, if religious
ocieties in general will heed it's very obvious
eSSOu.