New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-04-07
CHARGES OF FRAUD REVIVED
DR. LANAHAN ATTACKS THE METHODIST
BOOK CONCERN AGAIN.
HE ISSUES BOOK REITERATING ACCUSATIONS OF
DISHONESTY IN THE MANAGEMENT-OF-
FICIAI.s AND MINISTER'S HERE RIDI-
GUILE HIS STATEMENTS.
fBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBI-NF1

GUILE HIS STATEMENTS.
| tBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBrNE1
Baltimore. April 6.-The Rev. Dr. John Lanahan
has issued his book revving his charges of alleged
! frauds In the Methodist Book Concern OF New
/ York in 1875 He has been elected a delegate TO
| the General Conference. which meets in Cleveland
in May. when he will bring up The matter and move
the appointment of a committee to investigate and
report upon the charges His book came out to-
day and copies will be sent TO every delegate TO the
/ General Conference. DR.. Lanahan is the oldest
minister in point OF service in the Baltimore Con-
/ ference. For many years he has been the agent Of
! the Book Concern in Baltimore
/ DR.. Lanahan sprung sensation In the Methodist
preachers meeting this morning. when he an
nounced the publication Of his book. The Era Of
Frauds In the Methodist Book Concern at New
York" He said that the publication was made
necessary by the repeated denials Of the frauds by
/ persons in official positions
! At the last General Conference OF the Methodist
Episcopal Church Or. c. c. McCabc, in a speech
on the floor Of that body. declared that 1.-The
/ Church never lost dollar by one OF It's agents.
Dr. Lanahan, who has for many years been Inc
presiding elder OF the Baltimore Conference took
/ the statement as denial OF the charges he had
previously made against the New-York Methodist
Book Concern and he determined TO secure
| thorough investigation Of the matter. for, as he
puts IT, mo funds are so sacred as those contrib
uted in some instances by poor people VINO can Ill
afford TO give Of their substance.
After the establishment created by Dr. l'ahaha"
! reiterated charges against the BOOK concern hau
somewhat subsided, there was an almost u"aii-
nous sentiment expressed among the members OF
| The preachers meeting that the General CONFER
! ence 10 meet in Cleveland. Ohio. next moh'h Will NC
compelled 10 give serious attention to me case
DR. Innahan WILL he says furnish inddoi'ao's
proof that for more than twelve years every ma"
/ cial report made TO the Church by the Nc"-io'"
MANAGEMENT was false by from 10000 TO 'le'"1
that said reports false 10 the amount oil CASH
in the Shoe and Leather Bank. where Inc o'n''"
/ account was kept, because the senior agent h'P'
large amounts Of the concerns moneys 10 his per
soral account and used ii 10 speculate IN STOCKS IN
Wall Street: that large sums OF money sent 10 the
Book Concern for Church benevolence were USED IN
the same way.
The speaker further said that frauds were peIpe-
trated in the manufacturing department In inc
printing branch the purchase OF *Ioc" worth o.
paper was frauduently avai!ed Of. ne sald Dy ,lr
superintendent who used man having no come .,
ton with IL as a so-pe'weel anu ma no ia" &C.,
| from whom the paper was purchased. that man wa
allowed TO levy Tax and realize a handsome Dene
MT that than $1,000 worth of leather Was paid
for In less than two years. OF which no account was
business 10 examine, assumed that the exposure
of the frauds would inture the church and ende.y-
that the committee induced one Of the deiraunsts
SANDER but that the plaintiff evade1 trial OF the
case and it finally dropped.
said hat three large oil companies secretly
| organized and carried on by the senior agent at
Of the Concern without the knowledge OF the Metho
dist Church The capita SOCK OF me 'nree o''"p"
Dr. Lanahan, In conclusion said that he mao re, e.,
Gently been able to secure copies OF large par Oh
fore in position to prove ms case neiofe any ,h
Church for an honest examination OF ms enalges,
and adds: IF the approaching General Conference
shall order examination. ! care not ny whom nor
by how many shall claim but one thihsm ne'y !,
to represented in person and by one ACCOUNTANT OF
demonstrate the truth Of my charges. the Church
will be justified in doing what the majority OF the
b9qk S0m ann Isoortd d to make my name
synonyme Of nfamy ana nans my character 0" '"e
gibbet of Methodist history
The Rev. G. c. McCabe was seen last night at
the Union Methodist Episcopal Church. where he
was attending the Conference session In regard
IN tho charges made by the Rev. DR.. John Lanahan.
he said: That Is old matter which was as
posed OF by the General Conference OF the 'hurch
held in Brooklyn in 1872. and never have believed
that there was a single thing to prove the position
DR. Lanahan has assumed lie is very good, but,
think a very much mistaken man in TINS matter.
Why the remark he attributes 10 me was made
four years ago at the General Conference heiu j"
Omaha. If he thought 1t worthy OF answer why
did he not make some reply at that time! Dr.
Ianaban was apponted an agent OF the Book Con-
Germ in 1865 DR.. Thomas Carlton beng the senior
agent at that time. Four years later they were
suDersedcd and Reuben Wilson and j. NJ Philips
were elected Wilson died. and the late Dr. Hunt,
who died In March last was elected, whe III tine
Phillips was succeeded by the Rev Dr. Homer
Eaton so that the firm became Hunt Eaton All
of the men who acting as heads OF depart
nents have died since the investigation made by
tho sneoal committee appointed by the Brooklyn
Conference Yes. DR.. Lanahan has been In the en-
ploy of the Book Concern ever since. acting as us
agent In Baltimore. You can say That the creo, Oh
the concern is rst-class In ten years II has paid
tod oil
the Methodist Church. Its net profits last year were
500 600 and in four years II has done business Oh
ss5pOOO 1t has the support Of 1900 pastors IN the
United States who buy their books from H. -. =
ministers gathered at the conference me report OIL
DR. Lanahans proceeding was mel WIN nn Sh ihai
samous Brookyn conference. which has been caicd
the BISHOPS ected said: pr McCabe did make
that remark which has been attrlbu'en 10 nd y,
n~ ianahan remember IT. very weeii anu a w ~
nu,d he suf,cient 10 keep Dr. Lanahan a"a "a Ne
for four years for he has never mao ou Of The
od dhe Gnncern we're not right But was thor
oughly Investigated at the ' mewe ave" both were
was proved ,w 10 the cSnference which could 40
nothing else II remember rsh nj withdraw. but
,hn report Of the committee exoneraied nm nnoent
ps.ey ssc Ing courts court T Ts sad
or Pd all is that Dr. Lanahan stu BELIEVES Ton nSa' and
is right. and ttat eysryno oqem nT preiiy ,ar
ne is arr r Homer Eaton senior asen, Tor as
Meth0a nser1sy afternoon at the Methodist b ncc
ing ne saia ,na Under Dr. Carlton in May sos:
1859 DIssrTssn sw wsHch
that of himself and DR. Carlton: cG ,he con-
consisting OF seveniytwo mempe over 81 the world
wth the Kew Bonner Of st. L9us S as enesee
man. and the Rev. A. d. M MID r.om U heard
very complete evidence, and submittends 1 Us bart
10 the conference held In Brookyn ~, rs follows
NJ the Language used in the report Was - non the
Repeated frauds have been prne'ss eund in the
manufacturing department and are ioG ifman was
II not wholly. in the bindery n; n a. the time OF