The age-herald., 1902-01-23
Theodore BraGner, of Cincin- Oati Denies Any Dedication
PUTS UP $72,OOO SECURITN
Was for 27 Years Bookkeeper and Sec retary and Treasurer for the schroth Packing co.-Expert
 Accountants at Work.

| Cincinnati, January 22.-Sensational re- ports were published here today of an al-
 legged shortage in the books of Theodore
 Braemer who resigned last Sunday as secretary and treasurer of The J. & E. Schroth Packing Company of this city.
 The story as first published estimated a shortage of from s16o,0o0 to s400.OOo ex- tending over a period of twenty years. and claimed that Mir. Braemer had turn ed over all his property and chattles in trust pending examination of the books by experts. Braemer denied that there was any defalcation, but admitted 1 that he had turned s720o0 in personals { property over to Harlan Cleveland, his attorney. and Joseph w. O'Hara, attor- ney for the J. & F. Schroth Company, While Braemer talked freely about the case the Schroths refused to say anything and the attorneys were also reticent.
 Braemer is 45 years of age and has been with the Schroths twenty-seven years most of the time receiving s25 per week as bookkeeper. and in recent years twice that much as secretary and treasurer. The firm did business of about million dollars per year, which was collected by Braemer.
 Instituted Investigation.
 When John Schroth died over a year ago. Lieutenant Governor Nippert be- came the attorney of his heirs who in- stituted an investigation of the com pany, which culrninated in meeting of all interested parties last Saturday at which Braemer resigned and from which
  ted.
 The accountants insist that they can l not complete their work for two or three
 weeks and counsel say that no reliable
 statement can be made until that time-
 No reports of similar character ever cre-
 ated such sensation in this city as MT.
 Braemer always has been regarded as a
 man of the highest business and social
 standing. He owns one of the finest resi-
 dences in the city and 1t Is furnished with all that art could supply In all of the | sensational reports that have been pub lished no reference is made to him as l fast man or as having any bad habits. 1 The attorneys and other interested par | ties state that every possible difference 1 has already been adjusted satisfactorily | by the property that Braemer has turned l over in trust. 6raemer Interviewed.
 The Times-star today publishes the fol- | lowing interview with Theodore Braemer:
 "So they say I am short $4O0.ooo, do | they?'
 1 Yes"
 I Well, 1t is not true" "They say my house cost s1250Oo. It cost | about $25. 0O0"
 Has anything that you own been l transferred to anyone recently?" .Tll tell you the truth of the whole matter. The old man and I have been | fighting for the past six months and 1 concluded to quit. was about to say l there had been some errors in the books l and sometime ago it was mutually 1 agreed to have an expert go over them- l Some more errors were found, and as precautionary measure and to indemnify | the company Harland Cleveland and Joe l o .Hara the attorneys were appointed l trustees of my estate. I have turned oyer ] to these gentlemen purely as business matter 100 shares of Standard oil cone- | pany stock. which are worth about s60.- 1 900 and my holdings in Cincinnati Gas | and Electric stock. amounting to about | sl2OOO. That is all I have turned over [ to them"
 1 When will the work of examining l the books be completed?" l Tn about two weeks. I should judge.''
 Says He Is Solely Responsible. 
 "If a shortage is found in the books
 will you be to blame?"
 Solely, because I had charge of the
 books. l have no desire to shift the re-
 sponsibility."
 How long have you been with the
 Schroths company"
 About 27 years"
 What has been your salary recently?h
 Fifty dollars a week.
 How long have you been receiving | this salary?
 | About ten years" l How much stock in the company do | you own?'
 l Fifteen thousand dollars 1 Then you wish to deny again that l you are short in your accounts?' | "I wish to say emphatically that if I there is any shortage I know nothing of ] it."
 1 Was there conference Sunday at l which the Schroths heirs. yourself and l Attoriey Carl Nippert were present?'' Yes"
 What transpired there?'' i We talked over affairs and rendered my resignation. Was anything said about granting l you immunity from prosecution, if you would make good any shortage that | might appear on the books?" NO. volunteered to turn over enough | securities to cover anything the company | might lose through clerical errors in I keeping the books.'