Asheville daily citizen. [volume] (Asheville, N.C.) 1890-1900, 1893-08-02

leased r.
Three years ago o. 3. Wheeler, ir., and
family came to Asheyillc from Monticello,
N. Y. They moved to the Tcnnent house !
near Biltmorc and soon Wheeler took
charge, as superintendent, of the Biltmore
Brick and Tile works, which is one of
the institutions operated as a part of the
estate of Geo. w. Vanderbilt
Last Friday night Wheeler was ar
rested by Deputy Sheriff.. M. Morgan,
and is still under the surveillance of that
officer.
The causes which led to Wheeler s ar
rest are but repetition of the oft re-
peatcd story of the Inherent inclination
of some mcn to transgress tho laws of
God and of the State. despite the warn
ing, "Bc sure your sins will find you
out"
In his position Of superintendent of the
brick works Wheeler had the unbounded
| confidence and trust OF Mr.. Vandcrbilt's
| agent here. Chas. McNamec. The idea
that Wheeler could "go wrong" aPpar-
emily did not enter MIR. McNamee's mind.
The sequel shows how Wheeler repaid
| the trust.
In the brick and tile works a large
i
ularly, the number varying anywhere
| from 100 to 200 men, as the orders for
material required. In Wheeler's position
nc had charge of the payrolls. These
were made out OIL the regular forms
containing the name of the Iaborer, the
number of days put in by him every
week, the amount earned by him in
such time, and, after payment was
made, the signature of the laborer,
as receipt for the amount paid
| him. These pay rolls were sent to Mr..
| McNamee's Office, where, every two
| weeks, they we're audited and the sum
called for by them paid to Wheeler in a
lump. Wheeler then paid his men himself.
| Two weeks ago yesterday. Mr.. McNa-
NICE, in looking over one of the payrOllS,
was little surprised to see that the
amount called for by 1t was some $500
less than the last payroll preceding. The
| surprise was because of the fact that
| Mr.. McNamee had lately ordered that
the works be run to their fullest capacity.
| Mr. McNamec at once ordered an in
| vestigation, with the result that in n
| very short time Wheeler was brought up
| with short turn and confronted with
the news that defalcation had been de-
tcctcd. Wheeler, seeing that all was up,
confessed that he had been acting
lcrookedly and went home, returning
soon after with ST 800 in cash. This,
he claimed, would cover thc deficit which
had been caused by him since January 1
of this year.
Wheeler then went over to Rutherford
Icounty on some business. Meanwhile
the investigation into his books went on
| with the result that matters were found
worse than at first supposed Wheeler
returned Friday and was arrested by
him with the larceny of $1,000 from
George w. Vanderbilt. The warrant
was sworn out by Capt. NJ. l.. Garter,
attorney for Mr.. McNamee-
Wheeler then restored Sd, 900 more to
Mr.. McNamee. He was brought to
Ashe Vile and taken to the Swannanoa
hotel, where he remained until Monday
in Deputy Morgan's care. He retained
lex Judge ChaS. A. Moore as his attor-
ncy. While negotiations were going on
between accuscr and accused, and after
Wheeler had been confronted with all
proofs. Mrs. Wheeler drew checks on
Union of Monticells, N. ", for $4,000,
and So, 500 was made good here by the
seizure of several valuable horses and
other property. making a total o.
$17 300 which he had restored. Ii
is probable that the case against Wheeler
will not be pushed. However. a war
rant for Whceler's arrest has been sworr
out before Justice Chas. w. Malone by
w. III. Deaver, and he may be arrested
on that if released on the first warrant
Wheeler is now at his home at Bilt
more, where he is guarded by Deputy
Morgan.
The mode of operation adopted by
Wheeler in his thievinR was unique al
we'll as dangerous. In fact, nothing bu
the implicit confidence reposed in hin
saved him from detection long since. L
is thought that he began the fraud a
far back as two years ago. His system
| was to enter on his Payrolls dead
names; that is, names of men who neve
| saw the brick works, and, proba bly,, VIII,
never lived. Wherever one of these ficti
= tious names occurred on his bookSWheelc
| made peculiar mark understood only b.
himself. When the rolls were sent in am
the cash was sent to him for payment t.
his employees Wheeler paid the amount
due the men actually at work. The re
mainder went into his own pocket. Th
receipts of the fictitious employees were
of course, forged by Wheeler.
1t was frequently remarked tina
Wheeler never took vacation. althOug
he sometimes said he was ovcrwOrkeC
He was prevailed on, however, abou
! Christmas to take vacation, but Will
he did SO he had the brick works shu
down.
Should any of the men connected wit
| MIR. McNamec's Office enter the brio
works and notice the number of men Z
work Wheeler would say that SO man
men were at work at another part of II
grounds, and so many somewhere els
SO that no suspicion was aroused.
1t Is believed that Whecler's defalcatio
will amount to anywhere from ST., 90
to $50 1000. The stealing was kept u
even after he had before him the example
the young Englishman, Aston, who Sc
eral months ago was detected in embe
element from the Vanderbilt estate and &
forwards committed suicide in Louisian
Wheclers family consists of a wife ar
one daughter, the latter perhaps 15 yea
old. He lived well, though it was III
thought, except by some, cxtravagantl
His Biltmore house is substantially fU
j, nished, while four servants were kc
there.
Wheeler is a man of about 40 years.
preposscssing demeanor and, while N
f., spending much of his time in the cit
l 1 had N ur1naher 0f friends here who GO