The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1877-10-26
STATEMENT
OF j. c. Fracker, Late President of the
OF the First National Bank.
Before the United states District Court.
AZ the Present Term.

Before the United states District Court. |
NJ the Present Term.
Nay it please the Court:
have no words to ex press the great
humiliation and self abasement, l feel,
in being brought TO tie bar OF this
court, to answer the charges agaiRss
Sc, of violating the laws OF my coun-
Try. i would endure ia silence the
judgment OF the court, were it not
that my motives, and purposes, in do
Tag whatever was done, 10 tide over
the falling fortunes, and il possible,
prevent the failure of the bark with
which / was connected, would be
grossly assailed by my enemies, and
would be misunderstood by the court,
my friends, and the world. l have
never in my lite been q juEyman, or a
witness in q criminal court; and GER
tainly was never before charged with
the violation of any law. in any court
of justice. For nearly twenty years
have been q citizen of Kansas, dur
ing NEST of which time / have been
actively engaged in mercantile, and
other business pursuits. A part o.
that time / have held important, res
faithfully these have been discharged,
and, as to whether up to the time am
charged with this cffense, my conduct
has not been that OF quiet, orderly,
and law abiding citizen, and my i'm
flueRce given in favor of law and
order, and public morality, would be
more fitting other lips than mine -
speak. Besides, / apprehend, that
| these things will not have much in
fuence in the mind of the court, and
certainly could not plead as a bar, or
AN excuse, to the charges am called
to answer, and upon which, the court
will pronounce its judgment. l have
been SO completely Impoverished by
the conveyance of all my property IL
secure my Indebtedness and liability to
the bank, thereby securing the deposit
tors, so far as l could, that have not
the means to make any defense, as it
would require the testimony of wit
Illnesses from different states, to make
that defense that the importance Of my
case demands. I therefore have con-
sented to the consolidation OF all the
indictments in one, SO far as they refer
to my case, and have answered to
them. 1 beg the patient attention,
and indulgence of the court, while l
make as brief statement as l can to
cover all the charges against me.
The book-keeper of the bank did,
with my knowledge, consent and di-
rection, deduct $5,l25.6O from l.. n.
Woodcock's account on the ''depOsi-
tots balance book" at the time alledg-
ed. for the purpose of enabling the
cashier to make an entry, correspond
ing in amount, which he had previous
ly, and by mistake, as believe, charg-
ed to t'cash checks" for the purpose OF
disposing of this item, so that it might
not be inquired into by the bank ex-
4 aminer, who was known to be in the
city az the time. But this was not
done with any intention what ,Ver,
T either to de1raud Mr.. WoodcOck or
any one else cut of the value of one
cent. / was. absent from the bank.
and in Chicago. on the day this item
was changed by the cashier to "cash
checks" had no knowledge of 1t till
some three weeks atterward, when
returned to the bank. l have neVei
examined this account, and have nc
personal knowledge of how this mis-
take occurred and to what account At
: should be properly charged. asked
: the cashier to look it up and report tc
me. This matter was overlooked anC
neglected. Meantime the examiner
came, and this entry was made in the
hurry and fury of the hour, and in
, the haste and excitement OF getting
ready for an examination, which
might result, not only in the destruc-
ton of the bank, but in the financial
ruin, and dishonor of the men prOmi
) 3 entity connected with it, and tota
t loss to its stockholders.
! The following is the conversation
With reference to it, as / now remen''
Der it: asked the cashier "what are &
we going to do with this item charged
"cash checks ?" He answered, 81 d.
: not know" 1 then replied, ''are yOI
prepared to make q satisfactory ex
PLANTATION of it?" 1t is on the gener-
checks" and IL It remains charged Il
that account, it will have to be ex
planned" The bosk-keeper then sug
, gested that it might be deducted iron
!. Mr.. Woodcock's account, (Which wa
large One,l Tor that day, till ate
the examination, then it could be Il Ok
ed up and charged to the proper &C
counts. This would enable the cashie
TO credit it on his be oks, and to take j
from the general balances of the day
} which was done without fur ther con
, versatfon. / will here say, that ! d.
= not intend to make any 81 tement
{ that will unfairly reflect upon thos'
who were associated with me in tht
transactions of the business OF thu
bank, either to screen myself 4Iom tn
penalty Of the law or to place me in 1
1airer light in public esteem. / an
perfectly willing to assume my fll
share of this RESP onsibility. howeve
dreadful and appalling may be TIT
consequences to me. To cast AM
blame on another, which should be
! born by myself, I feel would be un
, manly, mean and cowardly. I was en-
trusted WITH the general manag
ment of the bank, and in making
( loans and King securities, had al
/ most unlimited control. Frequently
/ other officers and directors were con
r suited, if they were in the bank at thu
> time of making the loan. am not 4
book keeper, and have never kept the
, books and accounts of the bank.
|. On the 18th day of July, 1875, TIT
; day the bank examiner examined thc
bank, the other parti- who were witt
/. me, seemed quite as anxious as mysel
to have him make as favorable repor
as might be of its condition.
= The entries OF which complaint has
been made, on that day, and subse-
: quently, were not made to cover up
or conceal any Indebtedness or liza
J bility of mine, for any .unds had
) taken from the bank, and were appar
: emily made as freely as any entire.
made in the usual course of business
: and without any persuasion, or eau
ton, or promise OF reward on my part
! and without any hesitation on theirs
That these entries might be in viola
tiSn of the law, was not mentioned By
them, and was not thought of by MI
: at that time. Some of these entire.
: we're clerical errors, as believes mact
! by the cashier, in making up the &C
counts of that day. He SO reported
them TO me, sometime afterward, wher
3 they were discovered, as for iust1ne'
: the Hbills receivable were drawn of
on the balance book of that day 81, 1000
! less than the correct amount, and TIT
balance of the Union National Banl
: of Chicago were drawn of 81 ,457.4.
less than the correct amount, tn,
Il former being q credit banlance, an(
the latter q debit balance. Therefore
: our bills were $1,000 short on tina
day, but we had 81 ,457 40 more money
: with our Chicago Bank, than shown b.
the balance book.
On invoafioa kion we fn1nd that On.