Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-04-07
HE CHARGES FRAUD.
Rev. DR.. Lanahan Springs Sem
sation In M. E. Conference.
Says He Will Expose u Years Of Fraud
in Methodist Book Concern.
Alleges That Every Report Has Been False
and Will Prove H.

| Baltimore. Apr.l G.-Kev. John Ian
ahan sprdng sensation in the Meth
odist preachers meeting. today. whei
he announced that in a few days ~
would publish in permanent form, tn,
| Era Of Frauds in the Methodist BOOB
Concern at New York. where he was a
one time an agent. He stated that the
| publication was made necessary ~
the repeated denials of frauds by per-
sons in official positions.
| At the last general conference of the
Methodist Episcopal church, DR.. C. =
McCaDc. in a speech, declared tina,
the church never lost a dollar by one
Of its agents" Dr.. Lanahan. who IS
for many years been the PRESIDING
elder Of the Baltimore conference. took
the statement IS denial of the
charges that he had heretofore made
against the New York Methodist Book
Concern, and he determined to secure a
thorough invests CATION Of the matte
for as he put it, no funds are SO sa-
cred as those contributed in the name
of Christian charity, contributed in
some instances by poor people who can
III afford To give of their substance"
Or. Lanahan would. he said furnish
proof that for more than l. years every
iinantIal report made TO the church by
the New York management was false
from so 900 and $l00. 900: that said re-
ports were false as to the amounts of
cash in the Shoe and Leather Bank
where the official account was kept
because the senior agent kept large
amounts of the concerns moneys in
his personal account. and used it to
speculate in stocks in Wall street. and
that large sums Of moneys sent to the
concern for church benevolences were
used in the same way.
The speaker further stated that
frauds We're perpetrated in the manu-
featuring department: that in the
printing branch the purchase of $700,-
600 was fraudulently awaited of by the
superintendent who used man hav-
ing no connection with the concern as
a go-between. and no matter from
whom the paper was purchased. that
man was allowed to levy tax and
realize a handsome benefit: that more
than $50 600 worth of leather was paid
for III less than two years. of which no
account was. or could he given: that
the book committee, who business il
vas to examine. assumed that the ex-
posture of the frauds would hurt the
church. and endeaVored to conceal all
and Whitewash the defrauders: that the
committee induced one Of the de-
frauders. :. j. GoodenoW to sue
him. Dr.. Lanahan. for SANDER. but
that the plaintiff evaded the trial of
the case and it was finally dropped
DIR. Lanahan also stated that three
large oil companies were secretly or
ganized and carried on by the senior
agent at New York. with the co-opera-
tion of other employees of the concern.
without the knowledge of the Methodist
church. The capital stock of the three
companies aggregated more than ST.
600 900.
Or. Lanahan. in conclusion. stated
that he had recently been able to Sc
cure copies of a large part of the
records of the book committee and was
therefore in position to prove his case
before any ecclesiastical or civil tribu-
nal. He appealed to the church for an
honest examination of the charge.