Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1891-10-15
LOST HIS JOB.
HOey Deposed from the Adams Ex-
press Company Presidency,
Charges of Malfeasance in Office Re-
suit in His Summary Retirement
by the Directors.
A wELLkxowN MANS DISGRACE.

New YORK, Oct. 14.-John Hoey,
president of the Adams Express Com
pany, was on Monday deprived of
his position as president and
trustee by the unanimous vote
of the full board of managers. Mr..
Hoey was charged with malfeas-
ance in office Clapp Spooner, the vice
president Of the company, rendered his
resignation Immediately after the vote
for the expulsion of the president and
the resignation was accepted.
1t was during Mr.. Hoey's absence in
Europe that an investigation was made
which resulted in the action taken
MONDAY The president of the company
retur ned from his trip abroad Wednes-
day last and was notified the day fol-
lowing that special meeting of the
boar of directors would be held, and
his presence was particularly re
quested. 1t is presumed that he
knew what was coming, for he con-
suited one of his close, personal friends
in the board, and, it is said, sought to
gain promise of support. But there
was not single dissenting voice when
TIE question came to vote.
Immediately after the meeting
had been called to order
d member of the board
who had formulated the charges hand
ed typewriter copy TO the secretary,
who arose from his chair and began to
read. He had not proceeded for more
than a minuNe when President Hoey
got up and left the room He was
very much agitated. After the reading
had been finished the member who
acted as accuser spoke bitterly of the
president and the course he had pur-
sued. Then the vote was put and Mr..
Hoey was retired from the corporation
where he had labored, man and boy,
for half century. The resignation of
Vice President Spooner was offered and
accepted and the meeting adjourned.
When the news reached uptown it
created a profound sensation among
those who were partly familiar with
the affairs of the big express company.
John Hoey began as a messenger and
parcel carrier, and was up to this time
not only the leading man in the
express business of the coun-
try but a general favorite in
chEU and society circles lie is
the occupant and owner of Holly
wood. the palatial summer home near
Long Branch. lie succeeded William
b. Dinsmore as president of the com
pany The trouble which overlook
him Monday was foreshad0wed last
spring in suit brought by Henry c.
Sherburne against him. Clapp Spooner
and Edward A. Taft were codefendants.
The action was brought to recover
a sum of money approXimating $780,
900. Mr., Hoey then admitted under
oath that he had been a party to a
transaction by which syndicate of
three men sold property which had
cost them about $50, 600 to William b.
Dinsmore, then the president of
the Adams Express Company.
For this $4,000 which they
received from Dinsmore Dinsmore
afterward received from the Adams
Express Company the sum of $3.50, 900
For this property Mr.. Hoey had not
paid cent, but he accepted one quar-
ter of the profit, which amounted to
S720, 600 His quarter was between
Sl79,OOO and $3.50. 900. The suit was APP
pealed. The plaintiff and defendants
were interested in the New York &
Boston Dispatch Company. ltwas this
suit which partly led to the investiga-
ton of Mr.. Hoey's official acts.