Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1901-05-08
LODGE FUNDS MISSING
woodmen Find That Their Alb.
scondins Clerk. c. W. Morse.
Embezzled s740.
This Included Entire March Dues
and the Camp Had Been
Suspended.
Steps Taken at Once to Protect
the Membership Bonds.
men Liable.

Modern Woodmen of America gave
their missing clerk. Clyde w. Morse.
the benefit of every doubt, the lodge
trustees find that the organization has
been deliberately robbed by him and
that he has made away with s74o.1O of
the camps funds. Not only this. but
Morse's crookedness jeopardized for a
time the Insurance of every one of the
more than 600 members, as it was dis
covered late Tuesday afternoon that the
entire camp had been suspended by the
head camp for non-payment of the
March assessment.
The trustees of the Beeson camp did
not comete the work of checking up
night. Prior to that time 1T was learned
that the March assessment had not
been sent in, as supposed. Until Mon
day evening the officers of the lodge
felt assured that this assessment,
known as No. 3. had been forwarded to
the head camp at Rock Island On
April 10 Mr. Morse drew an order for
the amount of the March assessment,
4.
was signed by Venerable Consul f. A.
Smith and was in turn presented to the
camp banker, who drew check for the
amount 1t Is the clerks duty to pur-
chase draft with this check and for
ward the same to the head banker at
Rock Island. Instead of doing this, it
develops, Mr.. Morse took the check to
the bank and deposited it to his per-
sonal credit. The bank book of Mr..
Morse shows this sum to have been
deposited on April 10. ard his account
with the bank indicates that he checked
the entire amount GU; in various sums
Lon the days Intervening before his dis
| appearance on April q. on the latter
date Morse drew from the bank 1920 in
one sum ard $50 in another.
The balance of the defalcation is from.
| the funds paid to him by members of
the lodge for the April and future as
sessments a few of the members have
paid their assessments as far In adj
vance as September, in sufficient num-
bers to increase the shortage to s7401Os
! The first lntimation that the March
assessment had not been forwarded was
secured thru the finding OH Monday
/ evening of the pass slip that must ac-
company the money. There is but one
.of these issued to each camp, and the
| discovery of this paper among Mr..
IsNiorses books led to an investigation. A
i message Mas sent 10 tho &c nker a.
/ Rock Island, and Tuesday afternoon an
answer was received to the effect that
the money had not been received and
that the entire camp had been sus-
i pended. II is presumed that notice ha6
~.
was suspended, and that he destroyed
4 this.
4 Steps were at once taken by the camp
4 officers to secure its reinstatement. The
money was forwarded by telegraph,
A with an explanation of the situation,
and arrangements will be made to pay
4 the April assessment. whchs soon due.
The officers propose TO protect every one
of the 600 members in their insurance
Il even IL 1t becomes necessary to borrow
4 The money until the defalcation is made
Il good by Mr.. Morse's bondsmen.
I MIR Morscs bend is signed by the
I United States Fidelity and Guarantee
Il Company. of New York. and the officers
!, IF that concern have been notified. The
company is said to be reliable. and is
/ the same one that is surety for several
of the city officers ana pollcemen
There is a strong opposition among tbs
Woodrnen officers and members against
Ipermitting Mr.. Anda Morse. father OF
the missing young man, to sacrifice his
property to make good the defalcation
They say 1t would not be justice tt
j, either the father or the mother to per-
nit this to be done, altho that is The de-
sire of the parents.
With the 5000 raised by checks against
an account which he did not have in tbs
bank. it is presumed that Morse took
with him in the neighborhood of $1,000
besides leaving several creditors among
the business men in the lurch. One o.
the creditors has attached his desk ane
other property in the city building
When the extravagant and damaging
,umors concerning Morse's absence Were
iii circulation last week the T.R. firmly
.5c.:r.ed that he would return soon Z
fully explain his actions and desired Y
give the young man the full benefit Of
every doubt, but with subsequent dis.
closures 1t would seem that Mr.. Morse
has fallen victim to the evil company
he has kept.