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CROOKED!s*Hiram W. Davis’ Long Career of Deception.Us Biilt Name WasWilhelm Teies.Ira Ha Robbad His Pirtnir ofMaif Thousands.Stealing the Profits of the H. W,Davis Carriage Companyfor Years.vfStarting on Nothing, in Ten Year*Davie Made a Fortune.Astonishing Revelation# By theFiling of Suit* Against the Dari*Estate By Martin Weber.Tbtr* wa* filed in the Court of Co ming hi* interest, but tbs name still remained The Hiram W. Dsvl* Co.nson Pisa* lest Saturday, a suit entitled Martin Weber vs. Mrs. H. W, Da via, ex-scutrlz, to reoover 110,0fX) to f 12,000 from tbs estate of tbs lets Hiram W. Davis, tbs carriage manufacturer. Another suit was also filed against tbs estate by Martin Weber, to recover several thousand dollars a bich be and Dari* jointlypaid into * bmldlng association at lbs rats of $20 s week, and which on Darla* Heath was discovered to be all credited to 8. W. Davis, by tbs building association. '?That was ten years ago.For tbe first six years of that time Mr. Weber remained in active partnership, superintending the genera) management, while Mr, Davis had charge of tbe books. Each received nia pro rats share of the profits of tbs concern, but Mr. Weber always re-invested bis sharein tbs company, extending tbs business, enlarging and improving tbe factories, Ac. Mr. Davis was supposed to be using bis .money in the same way, but as ; subsequent developments showed, be was living very high, bat tbers was no trouble found with bis system of bookkeeping.Four years ago Mr. Weber left tbs active management of tbe factory entirely to hi* partner, devoting himself to other business and to the management of bis store on Main street.this plotter* at wore.Immediately upon bis withdrawal Mr. Davis took his two sons, Rolls A. and Willis, into tbs business, and tbs books were In a large measure entrusted to tbsm. lt;’»The business of the firm did not seem so large at tbe end of the first year, nor were there any dividends for Mr. Weber. Ho glanced at tbe books, hut everything seemed straight, t and the Company's failing Off in business wasascribed to natural causes. Tbe financial oondilion of tbs Company's affairs did not seem to improve tbe next year, nor the next, and then cam# Mr. Davis' u-ath, in January, 1888.In due course of time a settlement was made wltb the widow, and she was allowed about flOO.QOo by Mr. Weberas her hoebaud's share in the Company, and Mr. Weber became sole proprietor, still nnder the name of tbe iiiram W.. Davis Co.SMKf.LlKG A RAT.During tbe work of settlement there came to tbe surface two bonds of tbe Metropolitan Bang, face value $10,000 each, hot for wbicb $26,000 had been paid. Mr. Weber anew nothing of these bonds. Once Mr. Davis bad suggested tbst the company invest its surplus in bauk stock, but Mr. Weber opposed It, advising that tbs surplus re-ce mNsrL*rw photograph D. W Davit. Dreem* l)r WhttiaK^r. pryfeseloual ear? lees, MnweUaoeou*$0 CO05ISTotalCredit by yearly ailowancw..., ......1,040Total overdrawn and ehargtd byIgs'W. Da via to “Company Cap!tat AgsaooDt, —»*«*»•»••■ *«**••»•*»■» 12.087Tbit is only the record for a ylt;sar; Itgive* s fair exam pie of the items charged to Mr. Weber by his rascally partner.WIIAT THK REST YEAH COST.The amount of money he obtained in 1880 wa* $3,.«6 47. During the year H. W. Davis was placed on the pay-roliaud drew $60 a week salary. Among the items were rent, $600; donations to the Centra! Christian Church, $60. January 7; several suit# of oiothes, je .retry, dry ooda, groceries. Ac., amounting to hun-red* of dollars; Mitchel Furniture Co. for set furniture, $112 SO, August 18} Central Christian Cburoli again, $60, June 4; Clemens Heilebusb, jewelry, $420 20, August 23; Life Insurance dues, ft. H. Hoot, Hoptemb*r 10, «*; Lincoln Club dues, December 81, $86; Christmaspresent for hD son Wftiis, $75.ormso B1CKIEH AU. THE TIMS.■ in 1887, 1 used $4,250tv's money, chargingdtthe “merchandise acOount’ of the nrm. This year he was on tbe pay-roll and received fioO a week salary. All of this $4,250 SO was used by him, a* was the money of the preceding two years, for his private ex{tenses, bis household so-counts*, Ac. ' /, .•* - \ \ ■ i vAmong tbe Items were rent, $600; suit of ciotnes, $105; Central Christian Cbarch. $100; several items for jeweiry,aggregating over $1,000; dancing lessonsfrom Prof, (Jraeser. March 8, $16; Dr.»•suiting from tbe company's business beTbe suits wars * thread that by careful unravelling tod to a tangled life skein wbicb puts to blush many s nor-AiUi’a nlftl ft IntflivM ft mpmp nf An-used in improving the factories, buyingnew machinery, Ac., and here be supposed the matter ended.Tbe finding of the two bonds showed, however, that Mr. Davis bad used bis own authority in tbe matter, and bought tbe bonds.Mr. Davis' private books showed that though tbe company's money bad been used in buying these bonds, yet one of them only baa been issued in to* company's name. The other was Issued us Mr. Davie individually. At tbe time tbe bond* were purchased Mr. Davis had repeated!? expressed bis desire to be In the Metr tpoiitan's Directory, and probably tbs securing of the bond* was but the first atop toward the eon summation of bis ambition.Death, however, cut him abort.A ftar that msf 1 lantanf ha/i Imsn (*»«lt;!«Whittaker, $150, May 2; Judge Burnet, $5e. May 24; brandy, $8; sewing machine, $55; Youth's Companion for Willie, $1 75; case of Bourbon, $13 50, and three Items marked “sent to springs, aggregating $480, together with 830 for railroad tickets, referring, probably, to Mr, and Mrs, 11. W. Davis sojourn at some health resort, a* they were presumably in ill-bealth, for tbeir doctor bills for t.te summer were nearly $1,000. •{WHAT IT MIOHT HAVE SEES.Had not death cut 'H. W. Davis abort in bis rascally career, it is impossible to say over how much longer s period of time hts peculations would have extended, or to wnat * vast amount it must ultimately have reached. No* only did be uab* this great amount of , money which be atole from bis partner, ! but ho and his sons ware receiving 1 prince! v salaries.[ Mr, Wet*er estimate* his loss in tbe three years st nearly $50,HIS BIOHI RARE W AS ROT DAVtfi.Perhaps tbs at ran‘rest part of Davis' crooked dealing, was the accidental discovery, on the ttdng of the suit, that t ere was in rsdhty no such person as Hiram ,W. Davia. Hi* real name was Heihricb Wilbeim Tewe*. and as bis name Indicate*, be was a Herman. i~ tt.to iftraun iist»n«EgH »A» ai**ys i«* jdlgnaailf denied oy Mr. Davis. He , •daiuied to be an American born. Of bis past life he could never be induced to •peak, and in tbe last few years of bislife be ► ntirely ignored all the friends and acquaintance* of bit youth, some of whom were fami.imr with bis early nis-lory. ' \I'crhan* the man who beet knew Hi-
Newspaper Details
The Evening Telegram
Cincinnati, Ohio, US
Thu, Jan 10, 1889
Page 1
Full Page
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Cincinnati A.
OH, USA 15 Feb 2023
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