The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1877-03-08
The Story Of a Ruined Bank Cashier
49, Told by Himself.

Charles Taylor, who speculated away
the entire assets of the First National
Bank of Franklin, Ind, in the following
letter to his brother tells the story of |
his folly: .... "A
FRANKLIN, Ind, February 4, 1877
E. w. TAYLOR: | send this to you
from Indianapolis, together with several
other letters. Please deliver them as
When you get this see some
of the officers of the bank, better Mr.. |
and determine what to do. |
can not come back. 1 am ruined, and |
you know how and by whom. | have
tried to keep up, but we can not stand
every thing. | have furnished 6" mar
gins - on speculation until I can not
longer do it and keep the doors of the
bank open. | date my downfall from
the Indianapolis speculations in which
Rev. Crawford got me and Frank Wool
len. l had to foot the bills. I found,
then, that | was so deeply involved that
had to do something to get out.
first started in with Jesse Needham, and
had loss of about $4,000 to settle
there. tried it, then, on my own ac-
count, and lost thousands; then went in
with Jeffries & Fesler, and lost thou
sands; then with w. C. Crowell, and
lost largely-a.l to save the bank. 1t
has all gone against me. [ have to
suffer the penalty of the whole trans
action. have done many things since
/ commenced that were not honorable
or honest to keep the bank up. I
have been discounting paper for the
past three years that I have forged, and
have kept the bank in seeming good
condition. And it was not the last time
that Mr.. Lynch examined the bank that
there was $4,000 OF the paper that I
made to make the bills come out, and
in his footings made them correspond
with my books. have prepared a let
ter for my wife-God bless her! Will
you deliver it, and break the news as
gently as you can? am lost, ruined.
l want you, if they execute my proper
ty, to buy it all in; do not let one item
leave. Buy Morgan (his saddle horse)
and the buggy, and buy all the house
hold goods if mother -in-law can not
claim it. want her mother to hold
the business property. 1t was decided
to her. | owed her money, and do vet.
She holds my note. / think you had
better move in with them and take care
of them. Oh, my God, how can stand
this? | leave Indianapolis Monday for
parts unknown. | dread the result of
the news to my dear family. They are
not to blame. Oh, how dear my fami-
ly has been to me in the last week. |
can not help laying the blame to other
parties who have brought me to this.
But, OF course, / have to standit it. Will
you please take care of my family !?
They will need your assistance. God
bless them and you. If alone were to
suffer, could stand it. I will watch
the papers closely for the result. If
any thing fatal occurs advertise for me
in the papers. must see Josie if she
should get down dangerous from Thu
shock. She is a good Christian woman
and does not deserve this. Would to
God that | could go back seven years
l can not but blame others for dra gging
me into this. How pity our poor de-
positors. They have been KIND to us;
they have had confidence in US, and we
have been considered good. But, alas
it is not so. The First National Bank
has been broken for the past two years,
and the credit it has had has been the
only thing that has kept it up. Please
LOOK after my family. They will be
heart-broken when they get the news.
See that Josie has the proper medical
attention. She is jewel, and almost
feel like committing the rash act of
suicide, but will not. want YOU to
see that the home property is not
moved. I have paid all the CITY taxes
and Morgan's feed bill in advance. I
want you to buy him and the
cow for them. I think you had
better draw what the bank owes you,
(S2,5OO), as you will need it. | am
lost in all my accounts. Do not allow
the papers and people to blame me al
together; do deserve part, but not
ALL l have written to the President of
the bank. Oh! that had the record
that you have. Your books will bear
examination, and you will come out all
right. hope to make back my defal-
cations in the course Of years, when |
will leave the country for good. God
bless you and stand byyou in this trial
My kind regards to Joe Smith (teller).
l regret also on his account. He has
been kind and faithful. Mr.. Sprague,
also. will explain one thing: have
been making seven per cent. dividends
twice a year. That was done to hold
my position. The bank has not made
the half of it. There have been added
by fictitious interest at least $50, 900
since have been here that the stock
holders have got which were never
made by the earnings. It was done
with the hope that something would
turn up that | might pay it back and
save my credit, also. 1 am SO near
crazed that / can not write further.