New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1884-09-24

EXPERT ACCOUNTANTS.
Who Enter Into Conspiracies to RuiA
Men.
The increase in the number Of defAl.
cations and irregularities among clerks,
book-keepers and bank Cashiers which
from time to time startle the mercan-
tile community, has given rise to .
class of individuals known as expert
accountants, whose sole occupation is
to examine books and detect fraud.
Some years ago this work was per-
formed by book-keepers who had won
reputation in their calling, and who
were lent by their employers to differ
ent firms whose accounts had become
complicated. But in these times Of ex-
pensive living, when young man en-
deavors to support $4,000 establish
ment on 81, 1000 salary, the tendency
to violate the eighth commandment is
increasing to an alarming extent. So
the fraternity Of mathematical detect
ives came in vogue. and the fifty CT
more accountants in this city are gem
orally overrun with business.
There is no doubt but that these
experts are invaluable to merchants in
trouble, and their quick eyes and accu-
rate reckoning have often averted se-
rious financial loss. Still, on the other
hand, the accountant, in his zeal to
keep up his reputation, often 0versteps
the limit Of his authority. Like the de-
tective employed in the recent Maybee
murder case on Long Island, who
frightened an innocent man into con-
Tossing the crime in order that he
might demonstrate his skill as ferret,
so the accountant, feels that he must
detect some irregularity in the book he
is called upon to examine, or he Is an
unskilled expert.
An interesting case that is now
pending in this city is but one Of many
instances where an accountant. forces
an appearance of fraud to preserve his
reputation. The Treasurer Of certain
corporation doing business in this city
employed an old friend as salesman,
placing in him implicit trust and conf
dence. The salesman was in ratherre-
duced circumstances when he entered
the Treasurer's employ, having been
unsuccessful in his business career
from boy. He was taken in spirit
OF charity, but he repaid his friends
Kindness by gradually turning the diff
erent Directors against the Treasurer.
Affairs went on, and the salesman
forced himself on to committee to
handle the finances, for, as he was not
q success in selling goods, the Direct
Ors gave him trial at financiering.
Then, filled with ambition, he aspired
to the Treasurer's chair, and by SER
les of underhand maneuvers succeeded
in obtaining this position. But the end
was not yet. The book-keeper of the
corporation had been derelict in his du-
ties, and the books were in somewhat
tangled position. The new Treasurer
seized upon this as weapon to attack
the retiring official, and insinuated that
some fraud had been committed. So
experts were employed, and four tried
their skill, but no irregularity, when at
last one was secured who would do his
masters bidding. He was in the en-
ploy of the new Treasurer, who, SEEM
ingly being bent on revenge, intimated
that it would be as well to find some
crookedness. For days he scanned the
accounts, but could find nothing wrong,
when tho Treasurer told the expert that
he (the Treasurer) had loaned the COR
poration q large sum of money, which,
although not down on the books, he in
formed the accountant that the item
must be inserted in his report as money
unaccounted for. So, with no other
authority but the word of this tricky
Treasurer, without the slightest indi-
cation on the books he was supposed
to be examining of any such transact
ion, he inserted the figures given him
by the Treasurer, virtually making out
tho former official defaulter.
It may be thought this is an isolated
case, and that the accountant was an
unprincipled person, who had his
price. But, on the contrary, he is one
of the most prominent experts in Bos-
ton; he has been called into come of
the most noted cases of defalcation that
have occurred in this vicinity, and has
been employed by great many Of the
leading merchants; yet, when he
learned that the suspected man had
but little influence, while the parties
who employed him were willing to pay
for finding q discrepancy, he did not
hesitate to manufacture one and brand
an innocent man with the title of thief
There are enough instances OF devia-
ton from the path of honesty to be
found in the community to-day, where
crime actually exists, and the man who,
for hire, will willfully blast the reputa-
ton Of another, casting cloud over
him when he is free from guilt, should
not only be ostracised from tho pro-
fession, but should be made to feel the
extreme penalty of the law for his un.
nrincinled conduct - R0sk01a Goalrie.