The times., 1897-03-16
MARTINS CRAVE MISTAKE
Columbian Uniyersity's Financial
Agent Misapplied Its Funds.
THE SHORTAGE MADE GOOD
Has Been IA Trusted Official for
Yeafs-It Is Not Relieved That
He Intended to Defraud the Uni
Sersity VIII Be No Grim.
inal Prosecution.

Mr.. Robert H. Martin. for over five years
the financial agent and secretary treas
urer Of Columbian University, has resigned
under circumstances whichhis many friends
in this city viii regret TO learn. At the
February meeting Of the directors Of the
| university he confessed TO a shortage or
$4,S40 in his accounts, and rendered his
resignation to take effect March 81. His
books were turned over to an auditing
committee, consisting OF S. W Woodward,
J. ormand Wilson, Charles w NeedhaIn,
and William H. MeKnew, who found this
surprising shortage 70 be correct. Nj
Martins bondsmen were called together
at once, and the entire amount was paid
over to the university, thls avoiding any
legal prosecution, and the unfortunate
affair was kept as quiet as possible
MT Martin is still performing bis duties
and will continue until the first Of April,
wien he expects to become the business
manager of The Evangel," a religious
paper published in Baltimore by Mr. H. NJ
Wharton Well-knOwn BAPTIST evangelist
For several years Mr.. Martin has beer
the teacher of Bible class in the First
Baptist Church, Sixteenth and st reefs,
and he is u warm personal friend OF tho
pastor. Rev. Dir. Stakley. aud many of
the prominent members of the church. he
is man Of fine appearance and refine
ment and has for many years occupied
good social position, living in an elegant
home at No 1TI9 s street surrounded by
a wife and two beautiful little girls.
His sslary as secretary treasurer and
financial agent Of Columbian University
has been So 600 year, and lie owns his
home and other real estate. lis position
Is a responsible one and he has frequently
negotiated large leans for the university,
sometimes amounting 70 as much al S5O,-
900 each. All the trust and endowment
funds have been under his charge.
How he ever permitted MS accounts to
get behind or for what purpose he used
the moneys cOmmiuted 70 his charge is
/ yet mystery 20 many Of his friends Bis
misconduct seems To date hack not further
than last sumner, for his books were
audited last May, and every penny of the
universitys money was then accounted
for. At the February meeting Of the di-
reCtOrs, however. a suspicious complaint
was received from a former creditor, who.
complained that he had paid bill due
the university on a certain date. but since
had received another dun.
Mr. Martin was questioned about this
complaint, ana it was then he broke down
| and confessed that he had not only failed
to credit the payment On his books in this
case, bat in two others. aggregating
S4,S4O, That he had used the money for
private purposes he frankly admitted, but
told the directors that this was the only
| tangIet in his accounts. When his books were
| examined his statements were found TO be
| true.
| When his shortage was made good these
| paid bills were credited on the books, and
1t is not believed any others are out
standing
As soon as the resi- gnatiou OF MT Martin
was announced and the circumstances con
! nected with it became known. Rev. DR..
Benaiah L. whitman. president OF the
university, and several directors made
Al effort TO shield the unfortunate man
and suppress the facts from publication,
hut they We're final Y compelled to announce
the truth. he is a man in whom all the
/ men interested in the university and all
those who know him personally have had
the greatest confidence. lie is a man OF
executive ability, and has a pleasing
personality.
Mr. Martin came here from Virginia in
1872 and entered the Postoffce Depart
ment q IS d clerk. While STUDYING medicine
in the university he secured position
there as a bookkeeper, from which he
gradually rose tn be secretary trea surer,
and a little over five years ago he was
made the financial agent. He speculated
in property. it is said. aside from his busi-
ness connection with the university, through
which he was thrown with numerous local
business men, and il is also said that he
kept fine horses, dealing in them TO some
extent, but purely for pleasure
When he was seen last night at his
| home he Withdrew from his family and
party of friends he was entertaining
and when questioned as TO what led him
TO misappropriate the funds entrusted to
him, he broke down.
1T has all been settled. he said,
''ant it willrdin my prospects and hUniili-
ate my wife and babies to make the
| mistake known. I simply used the money
for business purposes, and made it good
upon the demand of the trustees OF the
university. They have been very kind to
| me and legal prosecution is not dreamed Of
Il have been offered another position
at an advance in salary. and making this
known may spoil all my chances"
Mr.. Martins voice faltered when he re-
ferred again TO pain and sorrow he has
brought upon his loving family.
He Immediately went to see Presidents
Whitman, of the university, To ascertain il
the affair could not be further suppressed,
| but that gentleman had gone out and left
a note addressed To him, which said:
II cannot suppress this any longer"
He had done all in his power to shield
him, but his shortage had become public
gossip
The Official statement of Dr. Whitman
is as follows:
.'On February 10, Mr.. Robert II Martin.
who, for five years and half, has been
financial agent and secretary and treasurer
of the university, was asked for his resig-
nation. which, on that day, was rendered
to take effect March 81 This step was
taken because il was believed that the
general interests OF the university would
be promoted thereby. No one supposed
that there was any frregUlarity in Mr.. Mar
tins accounts. Upon examination, how
ever. a shortage OF 81, $40 was discovered.
The entire amount OF this shortage has been
covered, so that the university viii lose
nothing
sSSSsM N