The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1878-08-05
BY TELEGRAPH.
ASSOCIATED PRESS REPORT.
TO THE DAILY INZELLIGENcER
BOSTON.
Another Of Boston's Best Citizens
Falls, D
And the Eliot Bank the Sufferer to
the Extent Of $4,000.
Speculation In California Mining Stocks
and Assiduous Attention to
Ballet Dancer Tho Cause.

opbuutuuuH Ut baliIuFHiu hih'Hb SsosHe
and Assiduous Alteration to
Ballet Dancer Tho Cause.
BosroN, August 3.-The developments
OF the day in the shape Of deiaulters, em-
bezzlers and the like, are not yet over II
seems, and the last few days have brought
still another to light, the individual 10
the case being R. b. Conant, Cashier Of
the Eliot National Bank Of this city. OH.
cials OF the bank discovered recently that
matters we're ia very irregular shape,
and now minute investigation shows that
Conant has been following the example oi
Hathaway, Chase, ,Tappau, a id genus omne,
and is defanlter to quite large amount.
Conant has hitherto sustained the best
reputation for business integrity, but 1t
is now discovered that he has n strong
propensity 10 indulge 10 outside sPecula'
icons, and it ia through these that he has
become defaulter. The Directors have
voted that Conant be requested TO resign
hi. office as Cashier, and the office is now
vacant, Conant having a day or two
since handed in his resignation, rs re.
auested by the Directors.
1t is thought that the bank may not
be seriously affected, as Conant had given
bonds to the amount Of S25, 600, and his
bondsmen are able to- make the bonds
good. Further investigation into the
affairs OF the bank, with special reier.
ence to the manner in which II is affect
ed BY the financial Irregularities Of Co
nanl; developes the following particulars:
The embezzlement has been 3 systemat.
ic overdrawing on his account to meet in.
creasing demands OF outside speculations,
which have been mainly confined to CAL
iiornia stocks, in which he has been Tor
some years largely interested. The recent
rapid and material decline In these se..
curities caused him to take advantage OF
his easy access TO the funds OF the bank,
to which he helped himself TO the extent
OF about $4,000. .ii
There are doubtless other methods
than merely overdrawing by which he
has succeeded in victimizlng the bank to
such an extent, as the deialcatiOn doeR
not cover a period Of more than n few
months. Finding he had lost 80 heavily
a. 10 be unable to extricate himself from
the predicament;in which lie had placed
himself, he, in the vain hope Of II lucky
turn in tile tide, voluntarily confessed his
crime to the officers Of the bank on Wed.
nesday morning. He acknowledged that
he had lost all, and expressed tie deepest
humiliation and penitence at the result
OF his unfortunate error.
The bank officials are satisfied that his
crime was not premeditatcd, and that he
was thrown into this whirlpool OF ruin 10
the vain hope OF saving himselifrom loss
on the Western stocks. Aglance at the
books OF the hank indicate that they were
all right, and that Conants speculations
will be easily traced.
United State Bank Examiner Billings
was at once sent for, and is busy prosecut-
ing his investigation. A detailed result
will be made public early next week.
There is no doubt in the minds OF parties
most interested that the estimate given
by Conant il substantially correct, and
that the defalcation will not exceed the
figures above quoted.
Conant is a young man, forty six years
OF age, and has been in the employ Of the
bank for the past ten years as Cashier at
a salary OF $500, which haa recently
been reduced to $1,000. The compensa.
tion Is 81, 200 more than is paid 10 the
President OF the same bank, the Directors
having frequently expressed desire to
pay him NO ample salary as to pre-
clude the possibility OF his income fall
ing short Of his expenses. He had pre-.
viously been clerk in the bank, and was
highly esteemed and respected and has
always enjoyed the fnlett confidence OF
his employers. He owns his house and
lot in Neponset, valued at about 81 600,
and has in his possession q acertain amount
OF California stock, which he hss turned
over to the bank. He has wife and two
children. The latest Developments go to
give the impression that Conanrs fall was
due to fast living, which was known 10
but few OF his most intimate friends. 1t
ia claimed on good authority here that
little over year ago he became iasci'
mated with ballet dancer named Stella
La Grille, whose real name Ia Ida G. Has.
tingJ, but who il known under many
aliases. She made her debut St the Boyls.
ton Museum here, and travelled about In
quiet way with Conant, who spent
money Iavishly on her. He at one time
presented her with costly set Of dia-
monds, and at any time, it is claimed, she
could draw on him for $500.
Conant's spendlhriit ways and actions
at the time struck certain detective
"a rather queer, and the officer notified
George o. Carpenter, Director OF the
Eliot Bank, Of The facts. Conants affairs
at the bank, il Is said, were found irregu.
lar, but he promised 10 drop La Grille
and would reform. Owing to his family
and previous good character, the bank
officials, with the hope Of saving him,
overlooked his lnisdoings and he was re-
tanned.
La Grille then went 10 Philadelph
where phe appeared on the stage az a
ballet-dancer, but, subsequently, last
summer went to Old Orchard Beach, New
Hampshire, in grand style, having baby,
nurse and negress with her. Who paid
the bills Ia aquery. II ia said Conanl has
been IN the habit Of seeing La Grille late.
ly, and that she has not suffered pecunia'
rily at his hands. La Grille ia about
twenty-one, petite and attractive, plump
and very pretty, and Ia now living at
Providence, Rhode Island.
East ~ Louis UniIappiness.