Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1892-02-05
wILMINGTON'S EXCITEMENT
Disappearance of the Town CLERK anu
Treasurer,

Leaving II Shortage in his Accounts
The people Of Wilmington have been aus,
turbed and overweight this week ny Nh"'
orr correspondent at that place describes 10
uthe greatest excitement ana the sauu'S.
event i'm the history OF the town. LasO
Tuesday morning it became known ina, a.
NJ Johnson. the trusted treasurer c!e'h
and collector of the town, was ihlSslIis'
with no clue to his WheleapouIo'
prayest suspicious were at once aro'ls'u'
and the widest stories gained clIcuIal'ol'
A. tho story first reached Brattleboro the
statement was that Mr.. Johnson hau HoateI
LARGO amount of the Wilmington railroad
Ionde and disappeared with the proceeds,
and other stories equally wild and untrue
,yere circulated. The fact proves to be-
stated in the briefest terms, that Mr. Johh-
SON was short i'm his accounts with the town
in the sum of about 5000, and he has so
far effectuallv covered all clues as to where
he has gone.
The story of the case as learned from
Wilmington is in substance this: Mr.. John-
son was last seen on Monday evening When
he bought pair of rubbers at the store OF
Spcncrr a. Leonard and called upon ms
daughter Annie. who is at work in the VII
lapp. havinga short talk with her and KISS
I ING her goodbye when he left. She noticed
nothing unusual about him except he wore
his best clothes. His disappearance tlrst
became known on Tuesday morning about
+ @ o'clock. when Mrs. johnson came down
to his office in search Of him, saying he
had not been home since supper time the
night before. J. il. Kidder, first selectman,
was notified and he called upon {. ID
Spencer. assistant town clerk, who had a
KEY to the office. There was nothing sus-
picious in the office, except that the sa1e
could not be unlocked, showing that the
combination had been changed. Efforts TO
/ open the safe without using force were I'M
/ successful
Dispatches were sent in every direction,
/ and the excitement constantly increased,
/ but there was no definite development until
Wednesday, when the safe was broken
open. Contrary to the general expectation
the contents were found in their usual
orderly arrangement, with no appearance
of anything being wrong. Even Mr. john
/ sons private papers were found there, with
| SIT in the cash drawer An examination
/ of the books was made, from which it at
| first appeared that from $500 to $500 of
/ the town funds was missing, but we learn
this morning that the amount has now
been definitely reduced to shortage of
1907.
Mr.. johnson has been treasurer of the
town for several years, and in the lack of
/ positive knowledge the general impression
is that a shortage in his accounts has been
accommodating for two or three years, which
he has succeeded in covering up at the
time of the annual auditors examination.
This year he found it impossible to do this
and left-Tuesday being the day set for the
annual examination of his books by the
auditors. 70 his credit it must be said
that besides the cash in the safe already
mentioned. there was other paper which he
could have realized on. He had paid out
$1,000 in town money on Monday. and if he
/ had wished to rob the town he could easily
have done so, taking large amount with
him, by going a day or two earlier. His
/ bondsmen are q. O. Ware, W. b. Haskell,
( +. NJ. Haynes, and Joseph Courtemanche,
who have put an attachment upon his
property to secure themselves against loss.
The feeling in Wilmington appears to be
one of grief and pity toward Mr. johnson
rather than of Indignation, and many of
/ his friends believe that it will yet prove
/ that he has been guilty of no wrong doing
/ Suicide was suspected, and diligent search
was made to discover his body in ease he
/ had taken his own life.
In addition to his duties as clerk aud treas
urer of the town Mr.. johnson did a small
business as dentist and jeweer, the first
named occupation giving him his common
title of doctor. He was man of quiet,
/ exemplary life, of snug, economical ways
/ of living, and held in absolute confidence
by every one. His personal friends es-
/ teemed him highly. He has been nearly
/ lifelong resident of Wilmington. He sery-
/ ed in the 10th Vermont regiment as
drummer, going into business in Whining
ton after he came home. He was a mem
Der of the order of Good Templars and of
the Methodist church, where he led the
choir, and was at one time the leader of
the village band. He was prominent in
/ Wilmington Masonic circles. and had been
master of the lodge and is now its secreta-
ry.
He had been twice married, and has by
his present wife child some five years of
age. Besides the daughter already spoken
of, two sons by his first wife are in business
in the West. 1t is understood that his
domestic life has not been happy one in
recent years, and many Wilmington people
believe this fact to have something to do
with his sudden departure.