The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1881-12-03
THE DEVIL AMONG THE CASHIERS.

Crime Is In many respects like epidemic
disease. One year the prevailing scourge lie
cholera, the next yellow fever, the next diph
iberia, and so on. So one year the rage break 5
loose to commit murder; the next to crack
bank safes; the next every artistic scribe
turns forger, and SO forth. OF late the devil
seems to have gotten badly into the bank cash.
iers. A few weeks ago the country was as
founded by the thieveries OF BALDWIN New
Jersey bank cashier, who stole some two mil.
lions. A few days later two or three heavy
stock brokers in Wall Street found themselves
plundered by their cashiers. Next the staid,
sober and severely correct business communi.
ty of Boston was all torn up by the discovery
that two of its most trusted banks had been
wrecked by the dishonesty Of their cashiers.
This was speedily followed by telegram an
nouncing that the cashier of the Prince Ed.
wards Island Bank in New Brunswick had
absconded with some 100000, being about
all the available cash of that concern and
lastly, and most exciting Of all, comes the news
the plumber by its cashiers of the Savings
Bank at Usage and two other Kansas banks
This last case, in many Of its features, even ex.
cells all the others IN the coarseness, so TO
speak, Of Its phenomenal wickedness The
other cashiers could at least make the plea
that they had really meant no dishonesty.
They SIMPLY speculated a little, and felt all
along quite sure of eventually making enough
to cover all losses; but they were unfortunate !;
the fa.es were against them, &c. But in this
Kansas case there was apparently a deliberate
purpose all through to rob confiding public.
There was a man named Sanford, who, with
three or four partners acting as cashiers,
owned three handsome at Caldwell, one at
Hunnewcll and the third Savings Bank, at
Usage City. Besides the banks the parties also
owned large amount ofreal estate, and operat'
ed IN cattle, &c. They enjoyed the general conf.
dence of the public and deposits in the three
or two ago the partners, or at least the head of
the ring, one J. S. Danford, president" of the
different banks, concluded it was about time
to bring on the climax that awaits all wild cat
uhhho, w thC ShSu VII uuu
lighting out. As a preliminary to this end,
the parties first put out of their hanus all the
real estate they owned, and then pocketed the
cash, closed the banks and undertook to ske-
daddle out
But unfortunately they weren't quite quick
enough IN their movements Their depositors
and other creditors got wind of what was up
and the absconding president and cashiers
were arrested in their flight and brought back.
Two of the cashiers Tanner and Denman,
when arrested, wilted and confessed that the
whole had been vile conspiracy to rob the
depositors. They succeeded IN saving their
necks by disgorging and thus making good to
the depositors a considerable percentage Of
their losses. The head conspirator Danford
was also arrested and carried back to Cald-
well, where company of some rs well armed
and indignant depottors are standing guard
over him, Offering him the alternative OF Sc
curing all his creditors against loss or hav.
ing his carcase perforated by bullets