Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1868-02-25
President OF shs csysse Hank.


Mr.. Lanier, the late President OF th'
0syoso Savings Bank, called on us THU
morning, and made such statements Ia
relation 10 the management OF thai
institution as 20 far 70 exoneraie him
from the charge OF personal eulpability'
though nothing In answer TO the inquiry
Of main Interest which we made yesler
day, TO wit; the actual condition aud
probable assets Of the bank. While he
ayows himself always prepared TO make
all proper yindicaiion Of character, as
far as he himself is individually con-
osrned, he Is not in possession OF the
books of the bank, and is therefore
unable to make any showing from them.
But why 10 not Mr.. Avery present to
do Il, who had the custody Of the funds,
and who Is able to make such showing
as the public have right to demand 2
Why is he not on the ground TO answer
the indictment, which, In the mind Of
the creditors Of the bank, stands against
himp The contrast in this respect be-
tween these gentlemen is rather remark
able. II the funds Of the bank are
missing TO any extent, II is evident
either that they can be fairly accounted
for or that they have been dishonesty
used by somebody. Let the response.
bility be narrowed down to three, or two.
or one, IL one only is guilty Of NAL prac-
tice. II none, itshould be shown. That
is all we can say about it.
Mr.. Lanier has left with us for publi-
cation the following memorandum state.
ment, hastily made;
At present, / can only regard the fail
ure of the bank MS the result OF misfor-
tune, and unavoidable under oil the cir
and not the result OF Grim
insl acts or negligences that l am aware
Of.
Il is not true, that Mr.. Aston, or any
other depositor, drew from the bank bis
deposits, on account Of the officers Of the
bank being liable as securities upon
official bonds. None of the officers Of
The bank were upon any of the official
bonds of Mr.. Aston, or any one
Use. Mr.. Aston had Withdrawn his
,ficial deposits, or the most of them,
rom the bank, months before the lnsti-
ution closed.
There was no favoritism, craft, STRAIT
,gy, malpractice or swindling practiced
o paying the checks of the depositors.
There is no truth in the runnor that the
received $l3, 900 from one man,
md admitted that he knew the bank was
,roke two or three days before he re-
,eived tho money. II Musso is the man
.lluded to, his deposits have been re-
naming 10 bank for the last four or FIVE
ponths.
There is no truth in the report that
nv one individual or firm made any such
eposit of six thousand dollars on the |
law the bank closed, as is alluded to in |
esterday's LEDGER.
We trust Mr.. Mosby will not delay |
making a full statement at the very |
arliest practicable day. While we will
o nothing to screen the guilty, if any
here are, we desire to do ample justice
0 all, and we are we'll apprised that
othing else is desired by the community
{ large. And we see no way to this,
ut in that full and ample showing of
acts, which will bring the whole man
cement in broad light to the public
crutiny. That alone will throw
he responsibility where it properly be-
,ngs. Taking Mr.. Lanier's statement
Or true (which we are not Opposed to dis
redit), the only question remaining as
} him is whether his supervision was as
trict over the affairs of the bank as that
f the president should have been, and
neither, in case culpability in others
hould be shown, he has been, like the
ommunity at large, victim of mis-
laced confidence. We learn from
Ir. Lanier that so perfect was his
onfdence in the integrity, as well
s capacity of Mr.. Avery, that he felt it
, be a matter Of delicacy to look with
sverity into the affairs of the institution.
md much may therefore have been done
} the detriment of creditors, which thus
scaped his cognisance. He states that,
Though he was nominally the president
the bank, Mr.. Avery had always and
,r years been the exclusive custodian of
8 funds and managed them. His own
me was mainly devoted to relieve
ne institution of Indebtedness by
utside management aud otherwise.
md, Notwithstanding he regards
be unfortunate denouement as the re-
nit of unavoidable misfortune in the
nain, and, as otherwise, net inculpating |
imself, he is on the ground, now and
greater, ready to do full justice to all
y the surrender of his private property
, his creditors and to those Of the bank.
we are not further to hear from Mr..
very, we hope very soop that Mr..
Iosby will make full expose.
Law Making Extraordinary.
The following bill was offered in the |
Ionsa of Renreaantativea vestArdaY: