Harry Voorhies was a pillar of the community and long-time respected citizen Involved with local businesses and member of community fraternal and religious organizations, Harry, since being associated with the Livingston Manor National Bank for thirty-three years, served as treasurer for some of these organizations. 

Harry has long been associated with numbers, going to Eastman’s Business School at Poughkeepsie and returned to his native Livingston Manor as a twenty-three-year-old bookkeeper for the Sprague-Krum Company store. When the position of assistant cashier opened up in 1928, Harry joined the local bank force and worked his way up the bank’s corporate ladder. He was promoted to cashier at the bank in 1943, a year after Wilfred Smith left the bank force as cashier, after eighteen years of service, to enter the insurance and feed businesses. In 1944, Mr. Smith was accused, while employed with the bank, of granting an unauthorized loan to Liberty attorney, Sidney Orseck. Harry, assistant cashier at the time of the misunderstanding, was questioned by authorities and claimed to have no knowledge of the incident. Though indicted, the charges were later dismissed against both Mr. Smith and Mr. Orseck for lack of evidence for any wrongful behavior, coupled with the fact that Mr. Smith received no financial benefit from the Orseck bank loan.

But anyway, back to Harry Voorhies. In 1953 the bank’s board of directors appointed Harry as the president of the financial institution. He was diligent in his new position, always could be found working behind his desk and conducting financial arrangements with customers. As bank president, Harry never missed a day; never went on vacation; never called in sick. That is until late April of 1961, when Harry had taken a fall at his DuBois Street home, breaking two ribs, and became hospitalized when he developed pneumonia.

It was simply an irregularity in a customer’s bank statement. Brought to the attention to the bank’s employees, the matter was passed on up to the directors who ordered an immediate audit. Subsequently, other accounts were also found to have been tampered with. The matter was then turned over to the Federal Bureau of Investigation. While still recuperating at Liberty Loomis Hospital, investigating authorities visited Harry on May 2, and indicted him of embezzling $2,000 of bank money.

Further investigation into the bank’s records found a shortage of $50,000 over a twenty year period, mostly before 1958. It was proven that money was withheld on cash deposits and then the shortages were covered by raiding other accounts. During that period, Harry never missed a day’s work, being noted by employees of being the first to come to work in the morning and the last to leave at night. His prize for perfect attendance was serving one year in prison.

Though not charged with embezzling the larger sum from the bank, local organizations in which Harry served as treasurer have long since wondered whether their finances were tampered with.