New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-01-06
WHY hORB KILLED HIMSELF J.
HE HAD ROBBED HIS EMPLOYERS. VICTOR
& ACHELIS. or NEARLY $4,000
WITH THE PROCEEDS HE HAD BOUGHT RoNps
AND SECURITIES WHICH ACTING CAPTAIN
o'BRIEN SUCCEEDED IN FINDING
AFTER HARD WORK

- ''icA' vi tH' bel"ctlNc Bureau. yesterday tha
Arno horo' head bookkeeper for the drygoods
h'n OF victor d Achels. who committed suicide
at his home, in East Eighty-sixth-st on Christ
mas Eve. had been guilty of the robbery Of about
$4,000 from the firm, by wnom he was iupliciil,.
trusted.
Mrs. Korb was found almost asphyxiated hv
the escaping gas which killed her husband She
was arrested for attempted suicide but was dis
charged. At the time there was no apnarent
motive for the suicide but it now appears that
korb preferred death to facing the shame which
must have followed the inevitable exposure Of
his misdeeds
The korbs occupied the entire house at No.
5S' East Eighty sXth-st., and were supposed TO
be weli-to-do. He made good salary and they
lived we'll
TRUSTED EMPLOYE
At the time Of the suicide Mr. Victor. the
senior partner in Korb's firm. was asked whether
it could be that anything was wrong with Korb's
books. He laughed at the suggestion. and told
what faithful and trusted servant Korb had
been He had entered the service of the firm at
small salary as assistant to their bookkee per
Mr. victor said and on the death Of this man
TWO years ago. korb had boea chosen to succeed
him. korb had proved capable and so trust
worthy that although he still a young man.
the entire management Of the firms knitting
mills. al Nutlcy. y. j.. had been given into his
hands and his salary raised to $4,000 year.
The complete confidence Of the firm in Korb
was shown by the fact that after his death no
special examination of his books was made II
was when the accounts We're examined I'm the or
dinary course Of business at the end OF the year
that the startling truth came out. |, soon ne
came apparent to the firm OF accountants who
examined the books that there were 'rrcgulari-
ties in them. At first these were supposed to ho
trfing but gradually they We're found to be Of
large proportions. In all there was a dehclt in
the accounts Of between $4,000 and ssO0oo
Victor & Achehs placed the matter IN the
hands of their lawyers. BlumensteiI & Hirsch
Of No 800 Broadway. An investigation made
by them showed that ever since his appoint
ment Korb had been making purchases of rail
road bonds amounting IN All To- more than
$4,000. No trace Of the sale Of any Of these
securities appeared in his accounts neither
We're there any such securities among the firms
property. The lawyers sought Mrs Korh and
asked her whore the securities We're She a
first professed entire ignorance Of them. Korh
she said. had not made any such purchases
far she knew. She had not found them
after his death. and. although he had a safe at
his home when il opened after his death
nothing Of value was found in it. Whatever
books and papers II contained she surrendered
TO the firm.
40 CLEW IN THE SAFE.
The books discovered in the sa fe again
examined. bur no cew was found In them
the location Of the bonds. In the mean time
Victor & Achcs gradually secured complete
list OF the securities purchased by Koro They
included the West Shore. Baltmore and Ohio.
Seventh Avenue Long Island Railroad. New
York. Ontario and Western Central Railroad Of
New-Jersey. Canada Southern. Columbus Hook
ing Valley and Toledo. Lake Shore and other
bonds none Of them Of a speculative charac-
ter.
Mrs Korb was again questioned. She now
told another story. Before Korb committed sui
eide. she said. and while she was writing the
farewell letter. korb occupied himself in de
stroyng number OF papers and documents
While he doing so he said:
Marie I've committed thefts to a very large
amount. SO large. indeed. that l cannot tell
you the amount cannot make restitution to
the firm. and fear that they will discover
what have done. at the close of the year when
they examine my books ! can't stand the
shame Marie and that's why | want TO die"
Korb had package OF papers in his hand.
cause Of my shame 1t has been my curse.
and before die ! going to destroy it
According to Mrs. Korbs story. she begged
her husband not 10 destroy the papers. telling
him that If they were Of value he ought 70 leave
them behind. 50 that the firm could obtain them
and he could make At least some restitution.
She finally persuaded him not to destroy the
package. and she thought 1t was placed in the
safe IT was certainly not destroyed before
Korbs death. Afterward. Mrs Korb professed
TO be unable TO trace it.
When she was found after her attempt at
suicide she was taken to the hospital and after
her discharge she went TO board at NO. 126 East
Eighty-hfth-st. After making her second state
ment Mrs. Korb professed great anxiety 10 aid
the firm in recovering their property. she gave
the names Of various friends who had visited The
house after her removal from 1t. and said that
the safe in which she believed the bonds were
placed was opened in her absence by the under.
taker Christian IIerlich. in the presence or
friends whom she named on the Sunday after
Korb died. but nothing Of value was found in It,
TRACING THE BONDS.
Victor e. Acheliss lawyers then made in
quiries In Wall Street for the missing coupons.
They discovered that a number had been placed
on sale. and ther the police were called in
The whole matter was given into the hands
OF Acting Captain O'Brien on Friday last by
Mr. Bluinenste. and he asked to find the
bonds
All day the captain worked on the case. lie
sent Detective Berkeley for Mrs. korb. Whlle
other officers took to Police Headquarters the
undertaker Christian Herch. Of No. 436 East
T.. Henry MOritZ. of No. 445
Eas, One-hundred- and eightcenth-st. GustdVc
Sfegman of No 453 East Eighty-third-st Henry
Ktef of No 32e East Eighty-ninth-st, and
nan named Doblin, who were believed TO have
nIaced some OF the missing bonds on sale. one
nv one they were examined by the actlns cap
tain who labored until after midnight on FRI
doy with the result that by noon on Saturdd!
ali of the bonds had been located, and were re-
turned to the firm ...... 900 a,d
Thc undertakers story was queer one, anu
:, ,rae I'm direct contradiction to mat o1 Mis !