New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-08-20

4
We copy this from the Louisville Courier
journal Of Friday:
The developments Of yesterday have in
creased the known amount Of Robert At
| woods peculatiOns to about the sum that
| was the highest estimate in the first re-
ports, but then secuted as a wild eXaggera-
ton. 1t was thought next to impossible
that he could have become involved to
the extent of half a million dollars, but
almost every hour yesterday brought to
light new evidences of fraud, each inVOlv-
ing considerable sum. The wild and
| reckless course of the misguided man was
such as to cause all to wonder, first, that it
| was not exposed before; second, that he
| could bear up so well under his enormous
| load of hidden guilt; third, that he could
| manage to get in 20 deeply, and fourth
| what he could have done with the money
| To this may be added the question how
| man reared as he was, highly connected as
| lie was, surrounded by warm friends, kind
! relatives and a most interesting family,
| could exhibit the moral turpitude apparent
| in his transactions, violating the confidence
| of friends and the sacred trust of family
| connections, 1t must have been desperate
| strait, indeed, that drove him to his evil
| course and led him swiftly down to ruin,
| Involving others who had cOnfded in his in
| tegrity in the loss and suffering that fol-
| lowed.
The loss of money is not the darkest fea-
tuTe OF this astonishing case. 1t is now
said that not only did Mr.. Atwood forge in
dOrsements on hfs paper, dispose of stocks
left in trust and appropriate the money, use
| recklessly and criminally the names of the
firms in which he was partner, betray his
official trust, and obtain money from the
banks upon other false prete nses, but that
he also raised" paper which he wished to
negotiate, from a small amount to a sum
tn 4 l.
is truly dark, sad catalogue for which he |
will, one way or another, have to answer.
But through it ali the sympathy of the com |
munitY with his stricken family is constant |
and sincere.
The amount Of Atwood's peculation, as |
far as can be gathered will prove but a |
tritie, II any, less than halt million. Many |
of the losers are, for some reason, 10th to |
state the amount of their losses, but the |
following approximate the truth:
Citizens Bank $4,000; Northern Bank
$4,000; Western Financial Corporation
$4,000; Louisville Insurance and Banking
Company S7 900; First National $4,000;
Planters National SIS, 900; Peoples $4,000;
Bank OF Louisville $4,000; German Secu
ity SIS, 900; Falls City Tobacco Bank SI5,-
900; City National $1,000; German Bank and |
Insurance Company $4,000 (probably con-
siderably exaggcrated); Bank Of Kentucky
10000: Bank Of America $4,000; Kentucky |
4
Farmers and Drovers Bank $4,000; Manu-
facturers Bank $50 600 (probably much ex-
aggerated); Sheibyville Bank $4,000; total,
$500, 800. 1t will be seen by this list that
the Kentucky National Bank suffers more
lightly than the rest.
To these may be added a number of indi-
yjduals who lose about as follows: A. o |
Brannin $1,000; John Long $Il, 1000; B. NJ.
Messick $ll ,0CO; DR.. Lewis Rogers S20,000
and the Union Insurance Company $4,000;
total $68,O0O making grand total of
$428, 500.
Besides these %here are many others
whose losses are not known, among them
&. w Norton & Co., A. D. Hunt 6C Co.,
Charles NJ Thruston, Miss Thrust0n, etc.
None of the insurance companies, how
ever, Of which Atwood & Nicholas were
agents IN this city will suffer by Mr.. At
woods financial embarrassments. On the
frst.Of August full statement was made
with the companies, and accounts all
The firm Of ScboeffeI & Co. is seriously in
Yolved.
All persons involved in the affair will be
as kindly and leniently treated as possible,
and every opportunity given to work out Of
the difficulties into which they have been
SO suddenly and innocently thrust by their
misplaced confidence.
It is said that among AtwOod's transac-
tions it has come to light that a number of
gas company bonds left with him by his
father-in-law DR.. Lewis Rogers some time
ago, when the latter went abroad, were
sold by Atwood and the money appgo-
priated to his own use; and that in order
to keep Dr. Rogers from discovering his
breach Of trust, he has been regularly pay
ing the dividends on the bonds ever since.
1t is also said that a large number Cf
b nis Of the Union Insurance Company, Of
which lie was secretary, were sent IN to be
exchanged for new ones. The new bonds
were issued and the old ones were laid
aside to await AtwOOd's arrival, he being
the one authorized to cancel them. But in
stead Of doing so he hypotheeated them for
loan Of $4,000, which was swallowed up
in his operations.
The draft received from New York an
nouncing the deposit of $4,000 to his credit
in bank in that city, and against which he
DIRE " drafts to twice or thrice that amount,
turns out to have been genuine. His drafts,
however, reached the New York bank be-
fore the money was actually rendered that
institution to meet them and being so much
in excess of the amount the bank refused
the deposit What became Of the funds we
are unable to say.
During the four or five days pre-
ceding the exposure Atwood procured
from the banks in the city, on sight drafts
about $I20, 900. He paid no maturities; he
made no important investments as far as is
known; vet no money Of any consequence
was found on his person when arrested.
The question is pertinently asked: What
did he do with the funds Where are they
at this time
This affair has been one Of the most start
ling, and is probably one of the most ex-
tensive series of frauds ever committed
in this community. 1t has scattered loss
and ruin around the evil path of the guilty
man, brought distress to the families
of some of his victims as well as an
Quish to his own. 1t has given our none
tary circles shock from which they will
be some time in recovering, and it will be
long before entire confidence is restored.
The case is, indeed sad one to cOntem
plate One who was extremely hOnOred
and trusted, with every moral and religious
tie to bind him to theright, after series of
enormous but well-managed frauds, finds
exposure burst upon him like clap of doom,
and is suddenly hurled from his high posi-
ton, disgraced and dishOnOred, and, if last
nights report be true, now again fugitive
from the scene of his misGeeds
His fraudulent transactions are said to be
mainly comprised within the last four
months In that time he has lost or made
awav with about $50G,000 What became of
it Did he lose it all in speculation These
are questions that are asked on all sides,
and as yet there is no satisfactory answer
The 'Amcs Cadets."
A large meeting of citizens of the first |