The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1914-07-07
W0ODNENL LOOKING
FOR CHAIR MAN
AND FUNDS
Jacob Sperber Who Managed
Picnic Has Disappeared
EXPENSES WERE. NOT PAID
No Warrant Has Been Issued and
Members of Organization Hope
Matters viii Be Adjusted

Jocob Sperber. who was chairm9n
Of The committee that carried oat the
arrangements for the picnic aud field
day held at Hunts upper grove by the
local Woodmen on Saturday, has dis
appeared and as there has been no &C
counting for the funds placed in his
hands the other members of the or
der are experiencing considerable
anxiety. Tho Woodmen say that
Sperber had between 5000 and 500
in his possession.
It has been fairly we'll established
tina, Sperber took the south bound
train Monday morning for Troy. Be
tween 7 and O'Clock Harold Hurley,
who had charge of the orchestra
which furnished music for the dane
ing AT the picnic, met the chairman
on Main street. Hurley is employed
rs a billing clerk ut the freight Office
and he walked to the station with
Sperber. ON the way to the train u c
matter OF paying the orchestra WAS
brought up and Sperber gave lin ley
the money, between $50 and $50. Ac-
cording to Hurleys statement Sper-
Der stated at that time that he was
going to Troy
Sperber is a tailor by trade and has
been employed since April, 1913, at
the shop OF j. c. Jensen on Main
street. Being engaged with Che ar.
raneemen.s fer the picnic he worked
only two days last week. Shortly aft
or O'Clock Monday morn
ing Mr.. Jensen was standing
at the front door Of his place of bust
ness when Sperher passed on the
street The tailor then told his en-
ployer that he was on his way to the
Woodmen's rooms in the opera house
block but that he would come to work
in a few minutes.
Late last evening. when the Wood
men had become anxious over Spel-
ber's failure to put in an appearance.
a rumur was circulated ON the streets
that the missing chairman had been
seen at Chicken-coop inn. n road
house Just across the New York state
line IN the town of Hoosick. Deputy
Sheriff l.. Il. Gardner. officer Richard
Hurley and Frank Wahlquist at once
hurried to the resort In the deputy's
automobile, but found no trace of the
missing man
Practically all of the receipts OF the
picnic were turned over to Sperber.
One Of the men al the gate. John
paulson. had aboui SS5 which he did
not transfer to Sperber and Frank
WahlQuist collected and retained
about $50 from the sale of tickets to
the steam clam dinner. The other
funds from the gate the sale OF ice
cream and soft drinks and the amuse-
ment features were all turned over to
Sperber There was brisk business
soft drinks and the Woodmen esti-
mated that about $50 must have been
derived from these sources. The
purse for the baseball was paid by
Sperber ut the close OF tho game.
This. with the services of the orches-
ira. constituted about all OF the ac-
counts that have been settled.
Sperber since coming TO Bonning
ton has lived with his wife in tene-
ment on East Main street owned by
DIR. II. J. Potter. ir. HIS employer
stated this morning that Sperbcr was
4 steady workman who did not drink.
Mrs. Sporber told Oacer Hurley this
morning that she had not heard from
her husband since he left home Mon
day morning and that she did not
know where he was.
The Woodmen have not asked the
states attorney to issue a warrant Tor
Spe,beT's arrest. They are in hopes
that their brother will return in the
near future and that the difficulties
with which they are al present con
fronted win be satisfactorily adjust
ed.
The receipts OF the picnic exceed
ed expectations. Enough money was
taken in to pay all expenses and leave
q balance Of between $50 and So in
the treasury OF the order. Tn case
they are deprived Of the fund il viii
be q difficult matter to adjus. Tho
members are an workmen dependent
upon their WAGES for The Support Of
themselves and their families and
they are in no position To undertake
the burden of settling the bills of the
picnic without the funds taken in dur
ing the day.
Some Of AR. Sperber's friends fear