The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-08-19
BOOKS OF UNITY LODGE.
Those of Secretary Livingston
Being Examined by Com
mittee.
Livingston Denies That There Is
Anything Wrong in His Account
With the Lodge.

Those interested in the affairs of the
Independent Order of B'nai Birth have
been considerably agitated during the past
ten days over the report current that the
books of Jacob Livingston, financial Sec
were being exported by special commit
tee appointed by the president of the
lodge, Emil Deutsch. Rumors even went
so far as to suggest that Secretary Loving
ston was short in his accounts with the
lodge, and fixed the amount of the sup
posed shortage at $4,000.
From one of the officers of the lodge it
was learned yesterday that week ago last
Monday the committee on outstandings
of the lodge, of which President Deutsch
is chairman, submitted report to the
president in which attention was drawn to
the fact that the outstandings were not
coming in as rapidly as 1t was thought
they should. This report also contained
other information of a character which
induced the president to at once sum-
marily suspend Secretary Levingston from
his position and to order an investigation
of his books.
The investigation of the books has now
been in hand for about ten days, but no
mittee.
The action of the lodge gave rise to
various surmises and rumors among the
members. 1t was generally understood
that something was wrong with the books
and funds of the lodge, but no one could
or would tell just where the discrepancy
came in or of what it consisted.
Mr.. Levingsston, up to about six weeks
ago, was employed as bookkeeper by the
firm of Rothschild G. Wise, wholesale
dealers in ladies' furnishing goods.
He was bookkeeper for Rothschild &
Wise's Observation-Disclosures & Israel
for about two years, and when they sold
out he continued in charge of the books
for several months. Edward Sonheim sue
ceeded him, and during the six months he
had the handling of the books he appro-
priated $4,000 of Rothschild & Wises money
to his own use. Sonheim was arrested on
a charge of ENLIGHTENMENT, but escaped the
penalty of his offense by repaying por-
ton of the amount.
Levingston went back to the firm after
Sonheim's dismissal and continued with
them up to six weeks ago. Mr.. Wise says
he would bank on his integrity.
Members of the lodge of which Loving
ston was the secretary admit that dis
crepancy exists somewhere, and that it is
supposed to be somewhere in the neigh
borhood of $4,000. Further than that they
will not go. except to say that any shortage
there may be rests between the secretary
and the treasurer.
Mr.. Green of the Columbia Cafe who is
a member of Unity Lodge, said that he
had heard the report, but did not know
any of the particulars beyond the fact that
an investigation was being made. He ad-
mitted, however, that the secretary and
treasurer were severally and singly respon-
sible for any irregularity.
Mr.. Livingston was seen at his home at
1916 O'Farrell street. He appeared very
little worried over the affair. at is sim
ply the work of some rival who wants my
position as secretary of the lodge. I do
not know anything concerning shortage
and have nothing to fear from an investi-
CATION"
While Mr.. Levingston was talking his
brother-in-law, F. I'll. Merzbach, attorney
at-law, who ran for Superior Judge at the
election last November, came in and said:
''Oh, it's all rivalry trash. There is
nothing in it whatever. Some one who
wants Jake's place has started this story
and think they can injure him with the
lodge members. We would like to find
the author of the story. The inyestiga-
ton will show nothing to Mr. Levingston's
reputation"