Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1888-11-20
YOUNG STOUGHTON'S FALL
The Result of a Crime of Long
Years Practice.

His Method OF Deliberately Derraud.
Ing the Wagon Company and How
He Was at Last Detected-Unfortu.
nate Circumstances.
The downfall of young W. L. Slough
ton, psymaster in the office of the Moline
Wagon Company, mention of whose EN-.
bezzlement and flight, was made in last
nights ARGUS. is one that has caused a
great shock and much grief in Moline,
where Stoughtou has spent all his life and
where he was held in great esteem. He
entered the Wagon Companys office
twelve years ago at salary of So per
week. He was industrious and intelli-
gent and having every opportunity TO
improve himself and advance, he rose
rapidly to the position of trust and re-
sponsibility that he has proved so faith
less to and unworthy of. He abused the
kindness and interest shown him by Pres
ident Rosenfield who first engaged him,
then promoted him to highly desirable
and remunerative position.
His method of stealing was one ingen>
iously planned, skillfully carried out and
cleverly concealed. 1t has been going on
for period of fully five years, and it is
very likely that he could have continued
it still further, but for his own careless
ness which led to his detection. He had
entire charge of the pay books and the
discussing of about $4,000 a.week among
workmen IN the factory. His scheme was
this: In preparing the pay roll to submit
| to the foremen of the various departments
for the insertion of the time served by
the men, he would copy from the salary
| books the name Of men who had previ-
ously been in the employ of the company
but had since severed their connection.
| The foremen would return the rolls, with
out, of course, marking the time of the
men who were no longer working for the
company. and then Stoughton would
himself ill out the time, submit the list to
the cashier and get the cash. For all the
time that he had himself inserted in tine
rolls, he had clear gain for bis own
pocket and satisfactorily accounted for to
the cashier and the company. In this
way he kept up the accounts OF
three different sets of men, twelve
in all, and weekly the cashier turned
over the cash for the payment o.
these men whose time had been srtfnly
filed in by the paymaster instead of th'
foreman under whose respective depart
ment they were recorded Before tn
lists were submitted to the foreman, 70
the filling in Of the time, he erased what
| ever he had written in himself until tn
list should be returned to him. Thi
doctoring business went on very NIGEL
until one week recently when Sloughto
neglected to erase the time he had write
ID himself, and the foreman to whom
had been submitted, called his attentio
to it and reminded him that the me
credited with time had not worked for til
company for years. Stoughton becam
embarrassed at the detection and urge
the foreman to say nothing about the di:
and the way to a revelation of the pa'
masters rascality was opened. He mac
complete confession of his crime befo
leaving. A thorough investigation {
his accounts is being made and it
thought now that his shortage will be
the neighborhood of $20,000
Stoughton has not saved penny
all the money that has passed throus
his hands, being very extrsvagant and
great speud>thrift. He lived high VIII
he escaped detection and his fall is ter
Die.
The investigation of Stoughtol
books closed late this afternoon, and I
wagon company figure that he pocket
800 every semi monthly pay day for t
last five years, which amounts to $24. Z
he ia ahead OF the drm.
The Moline Dispatch, commenting
young Stoughton's downfall, says:
Nobody thinks that he has gone aw
taking with him any considerable amou
of money. His fast and expensive mo
OF life has caused him all his trouble.
is general favorite in society because
his good nature and sffability; but II
did not prevent him from falling into b
company. He has the reputation of Ii
ing fast women as well as fast hors
He is said to have dropped consideral
money in Davenport, though he wasyr
q particularly hard drinker. And thou
many Of his friends here aver that he "
not in the habit of gambling, others pc
lively affirm to the contrary.
viii Stoughton has been kind TO
mother and all the members OF his FAM
adhering to them through all the trials
sickness and death which have come VI
them, and has for number of years b.
the real head of the family the provid
Upon these loved ones, his fall from or
now comes with crushing effect, and
their sakes as well as his own, 1t is to
hoped he may be able to get upon
feet again, and 20 henceforwsrd live
exemplary life.