The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-04-07
METHODIST BOOK CONCERN.
Charges of Fraud in the New York
Omce Reiterated.

Baltimore. Nd, April 6.-Rev. DR.. John
Lanahan sprung a sensation in the MethO-
dist preachers meeting this morning when
he announced that in a few days he will
publish, in permanent form. the Era Of
Frauds" in the Methodist book concern
at New York, of which he was at one
time an agent. He states that the publi-
cation was made necessary by the re-
peated denials of frauds by persons in
official positions.
At the last general conference of the
Methodist Episcopal church, Dr. c. c. Nc
cane, in speech on the fioor of that body.
declared that the church never lost a
dollar by one Of its agents"
DR.. Lanahan, who has for many years
been presiding elder of the Baltimore con-
ference took the statement as a denial
or charges he had made against the New
ork Methodist book concern, and he de-
termlned to secure a thorough investiga-
ton of the matter for. as he puts it, mo
FUNDS are so sacred as those contributed
IN the name of Chris tian charity. contri-
who can i'll afford 70 give of their sub
stance"
After the astonishment created by DR..
Lanahans reiterated charges against the
New York concern had somewhat sub
sided, there was an almost unanimous
sentiment expressed among the members
OF the preachers meeting that the general
conference, TO meet in Cleveland o., next
month, VIII be compelled to give serious
attention to the case. Or. Lanahan will
pe a member of that body. and his stand
ing IN thd church is such that his state
ments can no longer be ignored
Dr. Lanahan will he says, furnish indu-
DlldDle PROOF that for more than twelve
Years every financial report made TO the
CHURCH by the New York management was
raise from $4,000 to 800, 900; that said re-
ports were false as to the amount of cash
IN tne Shoe and Leather Bank where the
oIlclal account was kept because the SEN
Tor agent Kept large amounts of the com
Germ moneys in his personal account and
useu II TO speculate in stocks in Wall
street, that large sums OF money sent TO
the concern for church beneVolences were
USED IN the same way The speaker fur
ttner stated mat frauds We're perpetrated
IN the manufacturing department. In the
printing branch, the purchase of 500 600
worth OF paper was fraudulently aYailed
OF, ne said, by the superintendent who
used man having no connection With the
concern as a go-between so that no matter
from whom the paper was purchased, that
man was allowed TO levy tax and real
ne handsome benefit; that more than S20,-
900 worth of leather was paid for In less
than two years Of which no account was
made or could be. given; that the book
committee, whose business it was to eX-
anime, assumed that the exposure of the
frauds would in1ure the church and en-
deavored to conceal all and whitewash the
detrauders; that the committee induced
one of the defrauders Is. j. Godenonugh
to sue him (Dr. Lanaham for SANDER but
that the PLAINTIFF evaded a trial Of the
In addition to these serious charges, DR.
Lanahan stated that three large oil COM
panies We're secretly organized and car
ried on by the senior agent at New York,
with the cooperation of other employees of
the concern, without the knowledge Of the
Methodist church. The capital stock of
the three companies aggregated more than
81. 100000
Dr. Lanahan, in conclusion, stated that
he had recently been able to secure copies
of large part of the records of the book
committee, and is therefore in a position
to prove his case before any ecclesiastical
or civil tribunal. He appeals to the church
Tor an honest examination of his charges
and adds: If the approaching confer
ence shall order an examination | care
not by whom, nor by how many, I shall
claim but one thing-namely, to be repre-
sented in person and by one accountant
OF my own choosing If this is granted.
and do not demonstrate the truth Of nv
charges, the church will be justified in
doing what the majority of the book com
mittee and a part of the official press
planned and labor to do: Make nv name
the synonym of infamy and hang nv
character on the gibbet of Methodist his
tory -4''