The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1900-11-26
When Latter Was Exposed, Wa
then's Books Were Examined
SHORTAGE WAS DISCOVERED.
W,ihen Had Been Trusted EmpIoys Of q
Brewing Company for Twenty Years.
He Llvsd VERY Mudssty.

New York. Nov. 26.-Following the ar
rest on a charge of larceny of 500 OF
Ernest J. wathen. superintendent and
assistant treasure of the David Steven
SON Brewing company. expert account
ants are engaged i'm untsngling the books
Until they make their report no estimate
OF the shortage will be given out.
Wathen. who was warden OF the Epis-
copal Church of the Ascension at Mount
Vernon. was one OF the best and closest
friends OF Cornelius l.. Alvord, Jr.' the
hank teller who made away with more
than 100000.
The relationship of the two men was
such that when one was found to he
thief an investigation followed which led
TO wathen's books being examined.
Wathen WAS arraigned In West Side
police court Saturday. President Nc
t,ianahan of The brewing company was
the complainant lie was represented
by ex-Judse William Mck-s. Waiheu's
counsel ~as eN-i'istrict Attorney Frank
Nj Burke Of Mount Vernon
The fact that Mathen had the hand
ling OF hundreds OF thousands OF dollars,
that he had been trusted einploye OF
the company for more than ~ years ana
that he should he charged with stealing
$40 led to ne neir, dns. tIons the snSfse x,
more serious charges. Lawyer Burke
asked the court that Wsthen be dis
charged. To this ox-Judge McRea OBJ
us there anything behind this charge
OF larceny OF sloOy' Magistrate Deuel.
asked -
good deal behind the charge:
What is it?'' queried Burke.
McRea refused to answer.
Magistrate Deuel. fixed bail at $500.
This was objected 10 by McRea, put the
magistrate said that the case and the
seriousness OF the charge did not war
left the court at once. lie and his coun-
sci refused to make a statement Mr..
McClanahsn said when seen by re-
porter
II cannot discuss this question at all"
Mr.. McClanahan refused 10 give an es,
tfmHte of tfrr amount tit--ttllesea
figures i'm the books had been falsfed.
BY person closely associated with the
company IL was said that the alleged
shortage would grow as the investiga-
tion by the experts continued IL was
declared that the books had been Jug
gled In the same systematic way Alvord
there was a shortage was only dscov-
cred by careful examination of every
Wathem, like Alvord, was one of his
faithful and competent He always was
the FIRST man at the office I'm the morn
suB auo tne iAst one 10 leaNe AT night.
11e seemed TO have no interest outside
Of his work. No one knew that Wathen
was popular and We'll known i'm the Ten
derioin. HE WAS thought 20 be "a most
deyout church worker Only when Al
words theft was discovered was IL
thought wise to examine Wathen's books
Aivord and Wathen were neighbors I'm
Mt, Vernon. They always caught an
early train for New York. ana they al
ways travelled together. Alvord was the
richer OF the two. as his salary was
about twice that OF the brewers clerk
III was said that Wsthen drew y5uD a
year. and he made little pretense ia Mt
vernon, where IL was believed that he
lived within his means
Alvord. man known as Major in the
Ienderloin. who is said to have been Mr.
W4then. spent his money freely in cafes
and gambling houses.