The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1929-02-05
TREASURER OF
CHURCH GROUP
IS SENTENCED
Carnes Admits Embezzling
Half Million; Ordered
to Prison.
GIVEN 5 TO 7 YEARS
Remarkable Career of
Fraud and Adventure
CIimaxed by Term.

ATLANTA, Ca, Feb. 5.-Clinton
S. Carnes, for-.er treasurer Of the
Southern Baptist Home Mission
board, Unexpectedly appeared in SUI
perior court here today and pleaded
guilty to embezzlement of more than
$529, 600 of the church's funds. He
was sentenced to from five to seven
years in prison.
John Boykin, solicitor general. said
the former treasurer had made a
blanket conveyance of all his prop
erty to the Home Mission board and
that the sentence was agreed to by
him on recommendation of officers
of the church board.
The sentence was on but one of
twenty indictments brought against
the ex-treasurer, who disappeared
last August, later to be found in
Winnipeg, Canda, after great short
ages in his accounts had been dis
covered.
Judge Virlyn B. Moore remarked
that the five-year sentence was short
but because of the agreement and
the fact restitution had been made,
he would not interfere.
Agrees to Short Sentence
Boykin, who had been expected to
prosecute ,Carnes rigidly, said the
high cost of bringing witnesses was
one reason for his decision to agree
to the short sentence rather than
press the rest of the indictments.
CarneS, the tall, clerical looking
embezzler, appeared in court with
his youngest son. Samuel.
Theproceedings. were over in
thirty minutes and the prisoner will
now be assigned to either the state
prise non some convict camp,
Morethan 100000 is the shortage
of Mission Board funds blamed on
Carnes. His rnanipulations ex-
tended over nine years, involved in
tricate transactions with scores of
banks and complicated bookkeep-
ing.
He disappeared suddenly Aug. Is,
after telling his friends and family
he was going to Raleigh, N. c., on
church business. Days stretched into
weeks with no sign fthe tall, oe-
specialized treasurer.
Examine Boards Books
Somebody thought to examine the
books of the board. The shortage
was found and investigation then
was begun into the private life of
the prominent layman. He was
found to have been an exconvict, to
have sponsored financially the hopes
of two Georgia girls for movie
careers and to have used some of
the missing none yin scheme for
a beyy of European beauties to tour
the United States.
The career of CarneS, as revealed
by the investigation was enough to
stun every Baptist official who had
known hinl-and did.
When a youth he had been in
difficulties, because of manipulation
of funds in a railroad office. Later,
he was arrested in Missouri in con-
nection with organization of a COM
pany and went to prison again for
using the mails to defraud.
Treasure Became Rich
During the war he brought his
family to Atlanta to live. AS a pub
lie accountant, he became acquaint-
ed With Baptist board officials but
his activities then were directed to
promotion schemes in Alabama.
Once they got him into trouble
and at the CarneS home here he
was said to be in Washington "serv-
ing the flag" After he disappeared
last August, it was brought out that
in 1917, he was in the federal peni-
tentiary.
In 1919, the Baptist board needed
a treasurer and Carnes was recon-
mended and named. He became
rich-bought a home in an exclu-
sive section, belonged to the best
club and saw to it that his sons
moved in the best circles.