Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1894-02-22
WIMAN'S FALL.
Charged with Embezzlemen1
of $4,000.
Alleged to Have Stolen It from R
G. Dun & Co., New New.
Committed to Tombs-Stey Of Downfall ei
Hitherto Respected Man.

formerly manager for r. G. Dun Co.,
mercantile agency, builder of the Staten
Island Rapid Transit Railroad and prom
inent advocate of the annexlsion of Canada
to the United States. was arrested, today,
charged with embezzlements and forgeries
amounting to 1929 900. He was alraigned
before Judge MARITIME, in chambers, in gen.
eral sessions, and committed to the Tombs.
in default of S25 900 bail.
The arrest was made in the afternoon at
the office of Mr.. Wjman's son-in-law. Nor
man 5. Weller, Washington building, No.
Broadway, on a bench warrant issued by
Judge MARITIME, soon after the grand jurv
handed down two indictments charging
Wyman with forgery in the second degree.
Mr.. Wiman expressed some surprise at the
arrest and asked if there would be oppor-
tunity to get bail. He said he ought to
have lawyer and would like to be repre-
sented by counsel. An effort was made by
friends to get bail late in the afternoon,
without success. Neither did Mr.. Wiman
have counsel when he was taken to the
general sessions by the detectives.
The complaint states: 1.-The association
known as r. G. Dun & Co., with which the
defendant, Wiman, was connected during
period covering the act complained of, was
formed Jan. |, 1889, and Wiman had for
many years prior had business relations
with Mr.. Dun. Wiman was not partner
of Mr.. Dun in the usual sense. Under the
articles of the association he had no right,
title or interest in the property and good
will of the business or profits thereof, but
it was agreed that he should receive GER
tain percentage of the profits.
1T was specially provided that he should
receive only such sum for salary for faith
full service rendered and the amount of profit
should only be the basi, of determining the
amount of salary. 1t was also provided in
the articles that he should not employ the
name of r. G. Dun & Co., except in the
regular and proper business of said mer-
chantile agency, and he should not use the
name of said association in issuing, making,
drawing or endorsing a note, bill of ex-
change, draft or other obligation, except
only endorsements of such papers for the
account of the association. He had the
right to sign the firm checks for firm pur-
poses only.
"All Mr.. Wiman's relations to Mr.. Dun,
who was the sole owner of the business,
assets, properly of every description, good
will and profits, were expressed in these
papers. Wiman was a salaiied manager
for Mr.. Dun, with such powers only as the
contract gave him, with additional power to
dray checks"
BY various acts of embezzlement,
through Misrepresentation. concealments.
breaches of his agreement, misuse of the
powers con6ded to him and gross usurps-
ton of powers with which he was not trust
ed. he succeeded during 1888. 1890, 1891
and 1892, up to February. 1898, in stealing
from Mr.. Dun 1929 ,0lS 90. That sum he
owes Mr.. Dun today.
In February, 1898, r. G. Dun & Co.
owed upwards of $40 900 to F. w. Bullin
ger, Esq of this city, for materials pur-
chased, and Wiman being in urgent straits
for money, directed the cashier Of II. G.
Dun & Co. to make out check to the order
of Mr.. Bullinger, and instead of transmit
ting it to him in part payment of the ac-
count, deliberately forged the name of
w. Bullioger on the back of the check and
deposited it to his own credit in his own
bank. The account of Bullinger on the
books of the firm was debited with the check
in the usual course of time. The firm paid
Mr.. Bullinger the sum that Mr.. Wiman had
appropriated.
"R. G.. Dun & Co. owed the Campbell
Printing Press and Manufacturing Co.
$3.50 tor printing presses, Jan. 20, 1898.
Wiman procured from the cashier of r. G.
Dun & Co. a check to the order of Ogden
Brewer, treasurer of the Campbell Co., on
pretext that he desired to pay the account.
He went to the Campbell Co., telling them
that r. G. Dun & Co. were short of funds,
and asked them whether they would
like notes for the account, instead of
cash. On Mr.. Brewer acquiescing he
made two notes covering the amount in hi,
own name and delivered them. lie then
uper. on the back of the check, appropriat-
ing it. The firm subsequently paid the
Campbell Co. the amount of the account. |
Upon discovering some of Wiman's
crimes Mr.. Dun, February 20, 1898. termi- |
mated the contract with Wiman, dismissed |
him from his employ and has never seen |
him since.
On learning that his crimes were detected |
Wiman offered to transfer to Mr.. Dun GER
tain real estate interests on Staten Island of
doubtful value, but Mr. Dun learning that |
Wiman was insolvent, refused to accept |
hem or receive any preference over other
creditors. Wiman made formal assign-
nent for the benefit of hi, creditors, but his
assets amounted to almost nothing.
..Mr. Dnn did not submit The proof of
Wiman's crimes to the authorities on fret
them for several reasons. He
as moved BY considerations of sympathy
for Wimans family, with whom he had
been on terms of friendship many years,
and the piteous appeals for mercy that
Wiman made to him in . letter.
'Mr. Dun was led to believe ky the
gross exaggeration by WimAn of the value
Of Wiman's interests in Staten Island that
It was possible to realize something sub
stauti.l for the creditors, many Of whom
would suffer more severely than Mr.. Dun
himself, althous sh not so large sum.
I'm view of the fraud practiced upon
Ihem as we'll ~ upon himself, and upon the
conviction that Z man of Wiman's bad
character ought not longer be allowed to
masquerade as m honest man in this COM
munity and - the adviser and exhorter of
youth, and out of sense of obligation to
the mercantile worll, he decided that his
duty required him to expose Wiman's con-
duct and hand him over to the authorities,