The Portland daily press., 1886-09-25
THE GOULD CASE.
Fraudulent Entries In the Books Re-
ported to Have Been Discovered.
The Inspectors Statement to be
Made Next Week.

The Gould case still continues the chief
topic OF conversation Of the day, beside
which everything else dwindles into insig-
nificance. A reporter for the PRESS, talking
with the directors yesterday, asked them if
it was true that the reported forgeries were
in the form Of fraudulent entries of deposit.
10 this question the answer was similar to
all answers given by the directors that they
felt they had no right to answer, Affirmative
ly or negatively, any questions while the
examination was in progress; but, from the
manner in which they explained the method
by which money was obtained by means of
certificates of deposit, it seemed evident that
money had been thus secured by Mr.. Gould. 1t
appears for the benefit of the uninitiated-
that it is not infrequently the case that
man enters the bank and tells the cashier
he bas a sum of money, say 100000, he will
deposit in the bank subject to his call, with
the agreement that he is to receive four per
cent. on his money while it is on deposit.
He receives a certificate to the effect that he
has deposited the 100000, that he win re-
ceive per cent, and goes off. The 100000
are credited to the man on the bank books.
Now, suppose the cashier should appropriate
$4,000. He gives what is called a charge
ticket for that amount to the man in charge
of the cash, and receives the $4,000, which
he puts in his pocket The charge ticket is
entered to the depositor's debit on the books.
As the sum taken out is not the full amount
of the deposit, no check passes, and there is
10 deposit book If the depositor comes in
and asks the cashier for his money, surren-
III -. fl,o nochsn mot In
some way get the $4,000 to make the loss
good From the bank he can only ask for
the $4,000 left to the depostor's credit.
'Why. SIR" said director, with much heat,
''are we to be called fools because we do not
discover such a fraud in our examination of
the books in a case where the deposit of
$1,000 is properly entered on the books,
and the debit of $4,000 against it, the GER
cifcate depositor not having called for his
money. Supposing the whole 100000 is in
the banks possession? We will defy any
accountant, any expert, to detect such a
| fraud"
A Washington despatch says that Comp
| troller Trenholm received a despatch yester-
| day morning from the bank examiner sent
| to investigate the alleged Irregularities in
| the affairs Of the First National Bank Of
Portland, stating that he had entered upon
his investigation, which would take some
time to complete.
In regard to the nature of the irregulari-
ties and their extent the Comptroller says:
make it rule not to disclose the con-
tents of examiners reports. This is neceS-
sary for two reasons. 1t would hamper them
in the discharge of their duties if their COM
munications to this office were made public.
| And then again bank officials would not be
| so willing to assist them by giving informa-
| ton unless they knew that such information
would be held confidential.
Mr. Wiswell said last night that he should
| not complete his examination until the
middle of next week. He has had to go
| back in his examination of the books long
series of years, and is at work on the GER
tifcate of deposits account now. Mr.. Wis
well will go home this noon and return
Monday.
There is no truth in the statement that
Mr.. Gould was arrested by the United States
authorities last night.
Mr.. Wiswell has determined to make a
report to the directors first, which will be a
detailed account, and which, as we stated
| yesterday, he will recommend them to give
| to the public.