The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-06-18
THE PARTNERS DISAGREE.
McGlauflIn Makes Serious Charges
Against His Business
Associate


1t would seem from the most recent de-
velopments in the case that Charles Smith,
the missing bookkeeper of the firm of L.
w. McGlaufin & Co., who disappeared
some weeks ago, is not the only one who is
suspected of meddling with the accounts
OF the firm. and from the statements of
McGlautiin and the sensational suit he has
Just filed that Eugene A. Bresse, his part
ner, is under his suspicion al least.
The trouble dates back for some time
and although McGlautiin will not say so
definitely, it is plain that he believes his
partner has been trying to obtain the up
per hand of him. The firm has dissolved,
but the tangled state of its affairs will not
allow of a settlement out of the courts;
nor will the courts be through with it for
q long time. The charges which Nc
Glaut1ln brings against his partner include
everything from falsifying the books to ap-
propriating the firms money.
McGlautiln claims that he has repeatedly
called upon Bresse for statement. but he
says Bresse put him off with first one and
then another excuse, undtil finally, when
he demanded the information, Bresse, he
says, fatty refused to give it. Bresse had
the books of the firm under his charge
from the first. He attended to the ac-
counts, while McGlauf1in did the buying
and selling on the Call Board and on
the Produce Exchange, and McGlauflin
financial status of the company, as he
trusted that end of the business entirely to
his partner. The sudden disappearance of
Smith, however, caused him to inquire
more closely into the details of the office,
and his investigations soon led him to ask
for more information than Bresse was
willing to give. This led to the final
rupture.
Among the big transactions which the
firm has been engaged in was the handling
of the 1000 tons of wheat belonging to
the Fair estate, and McGlaufin says Bresse
has deposited the entire amount of the
commission received for the deal, over
$4,000, to his own credit.
AS to the mutilation of the books. which
was laid to the Vaccinations of Smith, the
missing bookkeeper, McGlaufiin believes
that Smith was not the only one implicated.
The books most mutilated, and prominent
among the records distracted, were the
important writings telling of the deals
made by the firm with the Fair wheat.
Smith was not alone in that, McGlauhin
says, but he makes no direct accusations
except to say that Bresse has treated him
with the basest iingratitude and has most
6agrantly abused the trust which was so
Internationally confded to him.
The troubles of the firm have been talked
of upon the streets and among the brokers
for some time, but, while it was known the
dissension between the partners was bitter,
the dissolution of the partnership for some
time at least was not looked for. 1t came
, therefore rather suddenly to the grain
men. The disappearance of Smith first
caused attention to be drawn toward
McGlaufin & Co., but the report that the
bookkeeper had levanted, perhaps with
some of the cash, certainly with many of
the books, was taken as final. Smiths wife
has since disappeared from her home, and
is supposed to be with her husband now.
McGlauf1in was one of the witnesses of
the original Fair will, and Eugene A.
Bresse is brother to Louis C. Bresse, one
of the executors named in the same instru-