Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1895-11-07
A SHREWD EMBEZZLER.
ROAD MASTER OF BENNINGTON AND
RUTLAND RAILROAD THE THIEF.
confession That He Has Taken over
S2O,OOO-Has Made Restitution to
tho Company-An Expose of
His Methods,

Bellows Falls, VT, Nov. j.--Roadmastcr
A. G.. Conner of the Bennington and Rut-
land railroad has confessed TO misap-
preparation of the funds of the company
TO an amount exceeding $4,000. The dis
closure of Corners fraudulent transac-
lions creates a great sensation in West
ern Vermont and especially in Rutland
and Bennington counties, through when
the Bennington and Rutland road runs.
Conner has been in the employ of the
company over % years and is % years
old He has been a trusted official, and
his fan is a surprise to president McCul-
Tough and Superintendent Bennett Of the
bennington and Rutland road.
The populations have extended over
period of years, and were only discovered
last week. when a duplicate bill FOR ma
terial for the road was sent through the
regular channels for payment, and the
suspicion of the auditor was aroused by
the similarity of the accounts to ono al
ready settled. Investigation showed that
the bill for material in question had been
paid to Conner, whereupon Superintendent
Bennett was notified and began an inves-
tgation of matters in the road depart
ment.
were fully revealed last week, when the
old roadmaster was confronted by Super
intendent Bennett and charged with fraud
ulent transactions in the purchase of sup
plies and sale of old material i'm his de-
partment The accused official was taken
to the office OF Lawyer j. X. Batchelder
of Arlington, attorney for the company.
where he confessed to appropriating to
his own use funds and property belonging
to the company aggregating $4,000 in
value
Conner offered to make immediate and
full restitution TO the railroad company
to the amount of his embezzlement, and
within IS hours turned over property val
ued at over $1,000 to the officials of the
railroad company. The property trans
ferred by Conner consists in part of real
estate, including six tenement houses at
Manchester Depot also stocks and other
securities.
It Is estimated that Conner il worth over
100000. His former residence was Peters
burg Junction n. Y, on the Lebanon
Springs railroad, where he owns a general
store and a large farm. When not on
duty for the company In Vermont he has
been in the habit Of spending his time a
Petersburg junction.
The store in New York State has been
used TO facilitate and cover up Corners
fraud and served its purpose well. 1t
seems that it was his custom to have bills
for lumber and other materials consigned
to him directly, for which he settled and
rendered vouchers and received payment
thereon. The original consgnments could
be Increased by his system of bookkeep-
ing at will and the addition to be made in
corporated in the bill presented to the COM
pany. The material would also be shipped
to one station or section unloaded and
then reloaded and sent to another place,
two bills being made out against the com
panY for the same matter. and both paid
TO Conner.
Conner sold the old rails and pocketed
the proceeds. 1t is expected that other
crooked deals will be brought to light.
Conner had not been arrested up to this
noon. but is under surveillance by the au-
thorities. The affair has been kept re-
markedly quiet.