New-York tribune., 1912-01-04
IN TOMBS FOR ROBB|NG
HIS FIRM OF Sl5O,OOO
treasurer of Drygoods Concern
Admits PecuIations Covering
Period of Ten Years.
HIGH LIVING BLAMED FOR IT
PERCY G.. Vanderoef Surrenders
to District Attorney, Pre-
pared with Valise for
Soiourn in Prison.

From a modest home in East Orange
Y T. where he lived with his mother
aud sister whose means Of support he
was. to a cell in the Tombs as self
confessed defaulter of nearly S150,OOO
from the drygoods firm Of the Van Keu-
rem E. Thornton Company, at No. Is
Thomas street, of which he was trees
urer. was the experience of a day yester-
dow for Percy G.. Vanderoef. The firm
was solvent and would continue busi-
ness, it was said.
Appearing with his counsel, Terence
7 McManus, and Detective Barney Nc
Conyille. who had taken him into Gus
todv after he had voluntarily surren-
dered himself to the District Attorney
yanderoef was arraigned before Mag
jstrate Freschi in the Tombs court, and
held without bail for examination to-
morrow at 10 a. m.
The prisoners formal arraignment and
plea of not guilty 10 the specific charge
Of the larceny of 5000 was merely per-
functory. as. according to Mr.. McManus'
he had been ready to give himself up
since the Irregularities in his books were
discovered. on Thursday He had made
clean breast of his peculations to his
ennlovers and admitted that they COW
cred a period Of about ten years, Mr..
McManus said The sum total would
amount to between $4,000 and $780,
coo his counsel said. No bail was
asked. District Attorney Whitman said
the case would probably be presented to
the grand jury to-day.
The defendant evidently had antici-
pated at least a few days sojourn in
the Tombs, as he brought with him to
court a large valise, which was said to
contain a fresh assortment of wearing
apparel and some toilet articles. He
had the appearance of a modest man of
middle age, and the heavy eyeglasses he
wore gave him the tone Of school
teacher rather than that of a business
man. He was soberly dressed in neat
but inexpensive dark suit and gray over
coat. He showed the first sign Of ner-
vousness when the photographers clicked
4 dozen cameras at him in court and
seemed relieved when the proceedings
were over and he could get downstairs
on his way to the City Prison.
Surprise in Trade Circles.
Vanderoef was widely known in dry
goods circles, and his arrest caused no
end of surprise. He had been secre-
tary Of the Arkwright Club until re-
Gently. and was a member Of the Nor
chants. Club. Mr.. McManus his coun-
sci, said that he had lunched with bim
nearly every day at the former club for
several years and that he was one of
the most popular men in the club.
THE moral is for business men TO
have an expert accountant go over their
books at least once year, and trust no
one" said Mr.. McManus. 'Vanderoef
had been treasurer OF the Van Keuren
& Thornton Company for fifteen years,
and his integrity had never been ques-
toned. 1t was purely by accident that
William Thornton. president of the COM
pany. discovered an irregularity In the
treasurer's accounts in connection with
the annual inventory. When Van
deroefs attention was called to ii he
made clean breast of the whole busi-
ness. 1t appears that he had been draw
ing checks against the firm for ten years
or more and applying the money to his
own uses. / am convinced he never
used the money for gambling or specu-
lstion in the market. He simply lived