Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1880-06-23
Astounding DefaIcatiOn.

course of criminal administration Of an ofic,
oftrust and high responsibility has been unearthet
In Brattleboro during the past week, unprece
dented In the annals Of crime not merely In Yer
mont, but which would have produced vioIen
shock In the financial and commercial centers o.
the country. From the various published report,
we condense the following history Of the forgerie,
and defacations Of Silas NJ. Waite, for many
years cashier and lattery president and cashier o.
the First National Bank Of Brattleboro.
On the 10th OF May Ex-Governor Hendee ma
tlonal bank examiner for Vermont, In the dis
charge OF his regular official duties made an ex.
animation OF the three banks in the village Of
Brattleboro In the presence OF Mr.. Waite and
two directors he went through all the papers
assets and securities OF the First National Bank
Mr.. Hendee examined each item personally, in.
speeding each note and eDdeavoring to satisfy
himself as to the exact status OF the institution,
He Is reported to have found everything to satisfy
the requirements Of the standard Of solvency in
the relative amount Of assets to liabilities, and in
the character OF the assets There was an apparen,
| surplus Of 500 900 Excepting some matters OF
minor Importance, Mr. Hendee found only one
item in the list of assets which created any dis.
trust In his mind. This was an alleged deposit
account OF $4,000 with vermilye & Co., private
bankers in New York. 1t was very unusual, II
not wholly without precedent, for country banl,
to keep any deposit in the hands Of private bank
ing companies. The regular national banks of
established character are invariably selected az
repositories for the purpose OF exchange, or Of
any accommodation which a country bank may
require of city agent. Without communicating
his suspicion to any one, Mr.. Hendee sought to
verify its correctness. lie became satisfied that
his suspicion was not unfounded, and on Tuesday
afternoon of June Sth he returned to Brattleboro
and frankly told Mr.. Waite that he had reason to
believe that the bank had no credit with Vermilye
q Co. Mr.. Waite with characteristic self-pos-
session, plausibly explained that there was mis-
take, that the credit stood in his private name in
stead OF the bank. lie showed letter to this
effect from Vermilye & Co, and by this ruse 20
far disarmed the suspicious of the examiner that
the latter allowed him week to clear the matter
up. Making the most Of the reprieve obtained by
outwittng the official, Mr. Waite left town on the
40 express train Tuesday morning, June 10th,
ostensibly to go to New York on business con-
nected with the bank. Before fleeing he babe
his wife a tender adieu and kissed his sleeping
children goodbye. Nothing was heard OF him
till Saturday afternoon when T. p. Nash Esq, a
director Of the bank, received dispatch from the
chief clerk Of the Brevoort House in New York,
asking him to meet :" Mr. Waite" in Springfield
Sunday night. Surprising the Mr. Waite !" was
S. NJ. Waite, Mr. Nash went to Springfield Sun
day morning as requested and there met Mr..
Charles B. Waite, nephew Of S. NJ. Waite. The
two men met with the mutual exclamation, For