The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-11-08
Says He Used the Funds i'm His Pri-
vate Business to Save Himself
from Bankruptcy.
ORDER is PROTECTED BY BONDS
STATEMENT FROM ID. p. MARKEY,
THE SUPREME COMMANDER.
General Secretary-Treasure Mcclure
of the brotherhood of Carpenters,
Said to he Short $1O,O74.

PORT HURON, Mich, Nov. by his
own written confession, Charles d. Thomp
son, supreme finance keeper of the Supreme
Tent, Knights of Maccabees, and a promi-
nent vessel and tug man of this city, is
defaulter in the sum of $4,000. Mr.. Thomp-
son, however, was heavily bonded in the
National Surety Company, of New York.
and the Fidelity and Deposit Company, of
Baltimore, and the order therefore is pro-
tected from loss. Thompson made no effort
to escape after his defalcation was discov-
cred. He is now at his home awaiting the
action of the bonding companies. His en-
bezzlement is confessed in the following
letter to Supreme Commander d. p.
Markey:
Dear Sir-It is with a feeling Of dis
tress and shame that L tender herewith
my resignation as supreme finance keeper
OF the order of which you are the head.
And this step is taken with bitter reali-
zation that L am no longer worthy the
cOmpanionship and association of my fell
low-officers- l have held the position since
the order was founded, have during most
of that time been officially associated with
the present supreme officers and never
until now did in any way betray my trust.
l was engaged in a legitimate business
venture in which L had made large in
Vestment and found myself in position
when further money was necessary to save
myself from bankruptcy and ruin. There
was apparently no chance for loss, L then
betrayed my trust, and used the funds of
the order. at the time believing there was
no question of my ability to replace them
within short time. The amount L used
was $4,000. l have no hope of being able
to repay this amount. l know the order is
protected from loss by the surety bond of
nearly twice the amount in a perfectly re-
SponSible company, but this does not les
sen my mental suffering nor relieve me
from the disgrace of having betrayed the
confidence reposed in me. Nothing that
may occur can increase the tortures which
l have suffered and am still suffering 1
can only await such action as may be
taken and abide the consequences No pun
ishment can be greater and no suffering so
intense as that resulting from the loss of
the respect and esteem of the membership
of the order and the suffering necessarily
caused to my family
DISCOVERY OF THE SHORTAGE.
The first intimation of the shortage came
last Tuesday afternoon when Supreme
Commander Markey and Supreme Record
keeper George ]. Sigle were checking over
the finance keepers books. An error was
discovered and they called Thompson's at
tention to it. He said that he would take
the books and papers home with him that
night and look it up. Wednesday morning
he came to Supreme Commander Markey's
office and confessed that his accounts were
short $4,000. He then and there signed a
written confession of the embezzlement. An
examination of the books followed and the
shortage was declared. Supreme Com
mander Markey this afternoon gave out the
following statement in regard to it:
Charles b. Thompson has been supreme
finance keeper of the Supreme Tent since
it was organized in September, 1885, and
has handled and disbursed more than s15-
100000 during that time, and until this de-
falcation no thought has ever been enter
,f,,nl nfVacf h fVNNa
trayal on his part will be keenly felt by
the membership. The Supreme Tent keeps
on deposit large amounts of money in lead
ing banks in several commercial centers
on which warrants are drawn for the nav
ment of death claims, but all collections are
made through the Commercial Bank of
Port Huron. and 1t is part of the duties
of the supreme finance keeper to transfer
from time to time from the Commercial
Bank to these other repositories money
for the purpose OF keeping the accounts
good at such banks, and the money that
was used in this case by Mr.. Thompson was
a draft transferring from the CONNER
cial Bank to the First National Bank of
New York. Mr.. Thompson's shortage is
So, 600. but no loss will be incurred by the
Supreme Tent, as every financial official
of the association. including Mr. Thomp-
son, is bonded in surety companies and the
bond held by the order as security for Mr.
Thompson's integrity is very much greater
than the shortage. But the fact that no
pecuniary loss is suffered does not relieve
from regret the membership of the asso-
citation, who have been up TO the present
time able to say that no officer of the as
sociation has ever miSappropriated a single
dollar intrusted to his care. The bond com
panies have been notified of Mr. Thomn-
sons defalcation and the Supreme Tent
will look to them to make good the amount
Pending an adjustment with the bond com
panies there will be no delay in the nav
ment of death claims, as the order had on
deposit in cash on the 1st day of this month
i'm it's various repositories little more than
half q million dollars besides having bonds
amounting TO more than $1120,OO0' -
The companies on Mr.. Thompson's bond
were notified of the shortage TODAY ard
representative of each are now on their
way TO Port Huron. 1t is expected thev
will arrive either late tonight or to
morrow morning. Thompson is not under
arrest but says he expects to be arrested
and prosecuted and is prepared to paw the
penalty of his breach OF rust.
The heavy loss sustained by the Thop,p
son Towing and Wrecking Company of this
city, of which Thompson is a member ON
the steamer Harlem which they raised
from the bottom of Lake Superior. is re-
sponsble for the defalcation. Thomson
said this afternoon that ne used the funds
of the order in this enterprise. which
proved very improbable, the expense
of raising and reftting the craft was so
great that she had to be sold at a loss il is
said OF $4,000 instead OF a profit II is
expected an effort will be made by Thonn-
sons friends to effect a settlement with
the bonding companies.