The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1893-04-26


timation of his whereabouts. Even members
Of his family say they have no idea Of where
he is. The disappearance led to no little
uneasiness in this town and as many of the
reports were of conflicting character the
HERALD concluded to send a reporter to |
Mahan6Y City yesterday to make inquiries.
ORE thing is certain. Mr.. Latham has
disappeared, ..and notwithstanding his family
and many of his friends are trying to treat
the m@t.er lightly aud insist that John is
all right" sufficient can be CLEANED on the
surface to satisfy one that Mr.. Latham left
his business ai6irs in very unsatisfactory
condition. The re eporter met several promi-
nent business men who do not hesitate to say
that they believe they will have to duplicate
payments they have made the agent on fire
insurance and other matters,
Mr. Latham was secretary Of the Serial
Building and Loan Association and attended
to the collections for the Gas and Water Com
pany. The insurance business was his own.
A gentleman connected with the Building
and Loan Association stated positively yestcr-
/ day that that organization viii not lose
I cent. "There is absolutely no foundation for
/ the report that Mr.. Latham was short in his
I accounts there the gentleman said "but if
he had been we had bond to secure us"
! When asked about Mr.. Latham's other
+ branches of business several prominent men
said they feared the worse Mr.. Latham
made heavy collections the day before he
disappeared. He had large fire insurance
| business and so great was the confidence re-
posed in him many people simply paid the
premiums and allowed him to hold the
policies for safe keeping. 1t appears that
since Mr.. Latham left many of tho policy
holders have discovered That their policies
were not countarsigned by the agent,and this
practically leaves the insurance Of no effect.
/ Many people who paid Mr. Latham gas and
water rents also seem very anxious.
| The rumors of the liabilities are wild.
They give the figures at from $4,000 to
$3O,OOO a gentleman who ought to know
something about Mr.. Latham's affairs told a
HERALD reporter that the estimates were
exaggerated. Said this gentlewen: ''If the
little fool had had courage enough to face the
music he could have smoothed everything
over and in year or two he would have been
all right again. He sot nervous and flew off
the handle" This gentleman was asked if
there was any foundation for the report that
there is a shortage in the accounts Of the
Derrick House with the saving fund The
report fixed the amount at 81, 900. The
reply was that the figure was too high but
there was some reason to believe that a
shortage of from $500 to 81, 900 existed Mr..
!. Latham made collections of payments by the
Derrick House owners to the saving fund.
The HERALD reporter made one discovery
which is quite in contrast with the protesta-
tions of some of Mr.. Latham's friends. Mr..
Enocb Wilde, a retired business man of
Mahanoy City, was ON Latham's savings
fund bond for s., 900. Just before the dis
appearance Latham's mother and mother-in-
law negotiated loan with Wilde and in
consideration of the loan gave Wilde security
for the amount in addition to an assurance of
exemption from liability on the bond. This
information was CLEANED from a party who
claimed to have full knowledge Of the trans.
action, and when the party was asked how
lOlE bCl1LC inc ulnttpplaAdLlll Ai'-A lAlt lltllh
action taken place he answered, Not 4s
hours" The amount loaned was not given,
and the informant was not prepared to say
what was done with the money, but he init
mated that perhaps it went to the saving
fund people and that it forms the basis of
their confidence tn It Lathams account with
the fund are balanced.
There seems to be little doubt that the
saving fund matters are all right. The
source of anxiety is the insurance business
and gas and water company affairs. 1t is
understood that the work of revising the
accounts of the latter company will begin in
a day OF two, and that win lead to settle
mont Of the question as to whether any of
the customers have not received credit for
payments.
1t is said that Latham was seen last at
Allentown. A report that he was seen at
Wilkes Barre is discredited. No steps have
been taken toward prosecuting the missing
man. There are many people who believe
that he is not very far away. Late yesterday