The Portland daily press., 1881-10-26
EMBEzzLEMENT.
Several Portland Firms victimized.


Saturday evenings Lewiston Journal re-
ferred to Portland creditors looking up, in that
city, the affairs of a Lewiston trader who was
missing. 1t appears that a little after o'clock
Saturday afternoon a team, containing Sheriff
Littlefeld and Hon. George @. Wing, drove up
to the store of Chaltrain & Nadeau, in Augers s
block, on Lincoln street. Lewiston. The sheriff
attached the stock and also took possession OF
wagon which had packed up to the store, and
in which several chests of tea, barrel OF
cranberries and other valuables had been load
ed by man claiming to be creditor to the
firm. The sheriff and counsel had heated
discussion with the driver, but the result was
that the goods were returned to the store and
put under attachment with the rest OF the
stock. The sheriff was acting in behalf OF e.
M. Steadman & Co., of this city, creditors OF
the firm. Mr.. Steadman went to Lewiston on
Saturday and learned that Chaltrain, the
senior member of the firm, had disappeared
with large share Of the firms funds. A
keeper was put in the store Saturday night.
The same night the other Portland creditors
also came down on them.
The firm of Chaltrain & Nadeau had been
in business in Lewiston just three months Mon
day. Their bookkeeper, Mr.. Belapger, who
was best acquainted with the firms accounts
makes the following statement in behalf of
Mr. Nadeau, who is unable to speak English
'The two partners put about $3.50 each into
the firm, making their capital $l5OO. but
Chaltrain's share consisted, in part, OF stock
from a small store which he had kept alone on
this street previously. We bought largely on
credit, and our trade was very large from the
start, SO that we were able to make prompt
payments during the first two months. Ihere
fell due at the end of this month about $1,000,
and we were getting ready to meet IT, Aiter
meeting all our bills last month about $160 re-
NAMED on our deposit. Money was coming in
well, and we only needed to raise two or three
hundred dollars in the remaining DAYS OF this
month to meet our bills all right. we deposit
ed in the Manufacturers National Bank. We
had no safe. | told them they ought to have
one, but Chaltrain was opposed to it.
Chaltrain used to take the money from the
drawer and deposit it in the bank, and handle
the funds, pay bills, etc. Last Friday missed
our cash book and asked Chatrain about it.
He said, 1t must be about here somewhere
Saturday morning Chaltrain failed to put In an
appearance He had said something about GO
ing to Portland to buy flour. lnq -nred Dy
telephone of our creditors in Portland II he
had been there and they replied No.. We
bank showed that instead OF having SloO0 or
$1,000 on deposit, as supposed, we had nothing.
misleading of depoSiting the caSh from tne
drawer the past month he had pocketed IT,
paying out small sums for local bills We be-
lieVe he left town Friday night. He was seen
here about 10 O'Clock Friday evening. we
think he has fled to the West with $500 to
$4,000 of the firms money i'll his pocket. he
has talked about going West considerably late
ly."
The Indebtedness of the firm, so far as can
be ascertained, is between $4,000 and $55OO
The heaviest creditor is J. S. Crockett OF this
city, whom they owe about $2400. They also
owe the Anger Bros, who own the building.
about 5000; E. M. Steadman & Co., Portland,
several hundred dollars; Blake, Jones & Gage,
Portland, $500; E. W. Gross, 2. Blouin, An
drews & Conant, Ferd Penley, and several
other Lewiston parties small amounts. Their
stock is not worth much over $500, probably,
and Mr.. Belanger says that the bills due the
firm from their customers amount to about
$1,000, and part of these are collectable. Ma
deau is rnined. He viii probably go into in
solvency. No clue to the whereabouts of the
absconding Chaltrain has been found. Chal-
train was formerly in the drug business on
Lincoln street. Lewiston. He is we'll known.
He is about 27 years of age, Of medium height
dark complexioned, speaks both French and
English, and was an active, smartappearing
fellow. 1t is stated here that Chaltrain has
one brother living in France and another in
Africa He leaves wife and two children in
destitute circumstances. Parties here think
instead of going West he went through here
Saturday morning and took the steamer for
Europe from Boston.