The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-04-22
HE ROBBED TIFFANY & co.
JAMES A. PALMER HAS BEEN STEAL
ING FOR FIVE FEARS.
Manager Hyde Says that tho Firm HIS
Lost $50. 900 by Pnimer's Forsed En-.
dor-ements TO Riils OF Merchandise that
Was Paid for md Never Delivered.

Manager Hyde Says that tho Firm Has
Lost 100000 by PHimcr's Forged En-.
dor-cments 10 Riis of Merchandise that
Was Paid for and Never Delivered
James A. Palmer is prisoner at rolico
Headquarters accused OF robhinG Tiffany S
Co. OF $40 by forging the firms endorsement
to a bill for merchandise he had never de.
lvered He broke down when arrested. and
sscd that no had been stealing for more
than five years. Manager Hyde of Tiffany &
Co. told Inspector Steers that the firm losses
by Palmer would exceed $4,000
Palmer Is n manufacturer OF artistic gas
fixtures at 326 West Twenty sixth street. with
n showroom Tat IL East Seventeenth street.
He inherited the business from his father.
James T. Palmer. who had conducted It for
forty years in University place. when he came
OF age in 1878. and carried it on under the
name OF james i. palmers Son. Old Mr.. Tiff
fany and J. f. Palmer were boys together. and
when Mr. Tiffany. then in business at $50
broadway. included decorative wares in his
stock. Palmer supplied him with brass and
bronze pcdcstals and gas and lamp fixtures.
For Che last few years of his fathers irc young
Palmer managed the business kent the books.
and collected the accounts. He won't to Tiff
vel! known To- the members of the tir,n to the
GSm aI ana to tn, heads Of dcpartmcnts and
dealers who traded with them wv ''"'A
J., The system of paying for surplies ut Titrany's
s s Hs lead tn hs"Sr his no.
celves tho goods. checks on tho items and
Sa Ssen t2 M e. SGof odt hr IT, r After
sent to the cashier and check is made out to
the order OF the dealer.
m ne was short Of funds to pay his wnrkmen
fSs Tn II to- f Ms Biz ss,S
the bronze fixture department and sked MIN
@on%y mr. Wars dim " wn' his he wnpssa IN
5" aid Mr. nc Cook and The cashier gave hin tho
ing himself with cash. and after that he made
a practice Of presenting his accounts in per-
for S24O. u was apparently properly checked
James +. Palmer's Son:
S3g
Goods on consignment. .............,.,..,....Son
$40
Nobody discovered tho error in addition hut
the entry clerk could not mako out :ha indis.
tinet writing and took the, bill 10 Mr.. Cook.
initials. Looking over his accounts the cash
Ths as to fh a b We're @ IN
6e prss5ss rasr H@d not b ard
signed Deteetive serrcan.s "1Tf i,us a asi
Murp!iy 70, tne, WORK. TITUS went to
30 East Fifteth street. where Palmer
lived with his wife and three children,
Mrs: Palmer said she had not seen her
husband in two days. and that. as he had
been drinking freely. she was uneasy about
him Murphy went to the fac, Dry. He was
told that Palmer was out Of town and that ne
would not return for several days so he ask ed I
to SEQ the manager. He told the manager that ,
he had foreclosed mortgage on three uniin. ,
H wanted Mr. Palmer to give him an estimate on
200 chandeliers. The manager promised to ,
have Mr.. Palmer at the factory by2 o clock on
Wednesday. and Palmer was there So was
Murphy. On the way to Headquarters Palmer
said that IL he had suspected that he was to
be arrested he would have shot himself. He
was considerably under the influence Of
liquor. and appeared i'll and weak.
Manager Hyde said that Palmer had worked
very cunningy: He did great deal OF work
for Tiffany. and all his genuine accounts were
allowed to go through the proper channels.
In that way he excited no suspicion. The
firm with goods, but Of course did not know to
audited the genuine bills. did not know that
he presented any ir person. No one of the
firm can understand how the stealings cs-
caped detection at the annual stock takngs
II Palmer had been sober when he made out
that bill for S240 and had written Mrs. Oothat's
name distinctly, he perhaps might have gone
on for years collecting payment for goods no
had not delivered.