, 1872-11-15
$4,000.
HOW a Denver Banker Suddenly Lett
Town With That SEn.

EaOw q Denver Banker Suddenly Lef4
Town With Thnt SEH2.
De"rer, COL {sor. 8, Goresponde'ses Of the Missouri
Great commotion and excitement were occa-
stoned in this city, and also in the mining town
Of Black Hawk, yesterday afternoon, by tile an
jew, and proprietor Of the Denver Savings In
stitution, had absconded with about $4,000 Of
his depositoss cash. The announcement. though
received by the patrons Of the institution with
surprise, and BY q very few with incredulity.
WAS not SO much Of q thunderbolt, after all, upon
the community at 1nrge and have yet to hear
of single one, not directly interested either es
personal friend or depositor, or both who
Er1anger vas rascal was pretty generally sus-
pected. There seems to have been, however,
oat Of our $4,000 people. some 500 or 600 who
had confidence in the old fellow, and committed
their spare earnings to his cap1icious will.
Erlanger, who il Of rotund figure and rather
good-look1ng, settled in Denver about a year
and half ago. He is probably 50 years Of age,
but, Notwithstanding, he seemed to have as keen
zest as over for tie pleasures Of life, for some
Of its follies, and. as the sequa1 has Ghown, tor
opened loan and pawn Office in Blake street.
The profits of the business were very coneidera-
bic. His plan WAS, as with most brokers Of that
Liz, to loan money. on diamonds, watches,
Of less value, charging at the rate Of
or whatever he could get Sixty dnys
was the time generally specified for the redemp-
tion of the goods. OF course scores of articles
were forfeited. I don't think Er1anger took par
ticular pains to find where the articles came
from. Probably not one piece out of dozen
was ever redeemed.
Erlauger next established himself in q say
ings bank in Larimer. Larimer is one Of our
principal thoroughfares, and the savings institu-
ton WAS elSlb1y situated, being in the road Of
most pedestrians. For him matters went
on very slowly. People didn't appear to
declared fber On baef him iPst bo Many openly
iatlng villain Who sacrificed everything to self
interest. He boasted much Of the SIS. 900 he
had himself Invested in the savings business.
But nobody believed him. Erlanger soon be-
came known, at least among business men, as
IN fact, q second Melton Moss, such as you've
noted IN the s. Ticket-of-Leave Man." and our
prominent citizens despised him, Tho money
not coming in rapidly enough to suit him, Err
1anger erected a branch savings institution at
BLACK Hawk, . mining town Of 1000 or 1,5o0
people in the mountains, west Of here.
by that dodge lie managed to
sare some Of the odd ducats of ..'ye" honest |
miners. He used to make occasional trips to
bullion, which be sent forth to the Eastern
world, the standard Of value, tho emblem OF |
purity, blessing and o curse to everybody;
thing that men shall slave and women ain Tor.
htld LillHSeT Q1d tins.
In addition to owning two savings banks, |
slippery reputation, ETC., Benjamin Erlanger
possessed q daughter, q girl who vas Just
sliding out Of her teens. Miss Erlanger lH
III attractive blonde, OF medium Size,
and graceful with peachy checks, and
eyes, and inclined to be
arch, coquettish: roaping, and winsome. This
is naughty. naughty town for scandal. this
here used to soy thet Miss Ida WAS not the
daughter of Erlaneer. but I Loa't know ebout |