Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-12-31


Charles d. Swick, 100 West Church
street, an old and implicitly trusted
employe and manager Of the yards and
South Third avenue branch office OF
the Gregory Coal, Coke and Lime conf
pany, has disappeared, after, accord
ing to his employer. George Gregory.
he had been accused and confessed to
appropriating money belonging to thu
firm. Perhaps h.. has comm tied sui
eide, but his employer does not think
this likely. No trace Of him, living or
dead. has been found up to date.
The exact amount Of his populations
have not yet been determined, but from
the investigation of his books, as far
as this has progressed, Mr.. Gregory
says that the misappropriations total
about 5000. Mr.. Gregory thinks that
this represents about the aggregate
sum.
Disappeared Tuesday Night.
SWick disappeared some time Tues
day night, presumably early in the
evening, and about week after his
employer says he discovered his first
irregularity and accused Swick of it.
swick confessed, Mr.. Gregory says, but
vowed that the one item represented
all that he had ever taken.
He left his home early that evening,
after changing his clothes, and telling
Mrs. Swick that he was going to a
meeting of Banner lodge, No. 1913. I. O.
O. f., in which he was prominent. He
later visited the office where he was
employed, and was seen near the union
station between 7 and s o'clock. There
all trace Of him has been lost.
Charged With Stealing Cash.
Mr.. Gregory says that when the
branch office was closed thers was
about SIS in cash there which had been
taken in after the deposit for the day
had been made. This is missing, to-
gethar with the office keys. Mr.. Greg
DRY says these are the money and keys
referred to in the postscript of the
note, but they were not left in the
postoffice box. The note was written
and left in the office, where it was
found Wednesday morning by the
ONOhA0c1Sk, a. NI. Ia JS<l. 11iO AiotO w ~
enclosed in an envelope and addressed
to Mr.. Gregory, who was notified and
who at once took charge Of the Of
fee.
Evidently Feared Discovery.
Mr. Gregory believes that Swick
feared that further disclosures Of his
populations would be made, and that
is what prompted him to act at
once. During the forenoon of Tuesday
Mr.. Gregory, who had become susptci-
Gus after making the first discovery,
took from the branch Office the day
book, which preceded the one in which
the allegaf false entry MIR. Gregory
discovered bad been made. Mr.. Greg ory
says Swick saw him get the book and
start to the uptown office with 1t.
That night he disappeared.
Shortage Discovered Week Ago.
Mr.. Gregory says that the first pc
culiartty re discovered was about a
week aga, when he found an entry
made In the day book showing $37.1S
to have been paid out for frei sf-. This
entry was SO unusual, Mr.. Gregory
says, for the reason that the firm, in.
variably rays It's freight by '.h',,'s, that
he asked Swdck why cash was used in
the transat ton. He says Swick ex-
planned that the amount had been cut
out of check, including II and sew
era1 others items, because Of II dispute
with the railroad company, AMI that
later it had been paid in cash.
Mr.. Geeory then began to investi
gate, and found THAT the $37.19 had
been paid by check previously. When
accused Mr.. Gregory says Swick con-
fessed, and said that it was all that
he had ever taken and that he would
pay It back. Mr.. Gregory says he has
found other and similar false entries
dating back several months.
Gave Him Time to Quit.
MT. Gregory says that after this dis
covery he told Swick that he would not
Mrs. SWick, but that Swick had better
seek another job, and when he secured
one he must leave.
Mr.. Gregory says that Swick had
been in his employ since 1905, and that
he was thoroughly trusted-in fact he
was practically in charge of the yards
and office connected with them. He
had authority to, and did issue the
firms checks for big sums Of money,
and that previous to the first disclos-
ure he had trusted Swick fully and
implicitly. According to Mr.. Gregory
the accounts of the firms customers
have not been tempered with in any
way, and that the money taken in on
accounts has been properly credited.
Wife is Heart Broken.
Mrs. Swick was seen by a Times
Republican reporter at her home this
morning. She is heart broken and