The Monitor. [volume] (Woodstown, N.J.) 1884-1892, 1884-09-12
FEARFUL EFFECTS OF n FINANCIAL
FAILURE.
The Suicide of Cashier Hill Followed
by That of President KunyOn.
Other Details.

L
quent suicide of Cashier Hill, of the Ma
tonal Bank of New Jersey, at New Bruins
wick, have been followed by still more
startling developments. MablOn Runyon,
President of the bank committed suicide i'll a
room of the bank on Monday, after the
concern had been forced to suspend pay
ment, pending an examination by the Ma
tional Bank examiner He had been dri-
ven to the building in carriage with his
wife and daughter Lille A great crowd
of dcpositors blocked the street as they
drove up. Every one was denouncmg
Cashier Ill., and muttering vengeance
against the directors and the president, but
all stopped and stared in amazement at
President Rllnyon. and broke out in start
led comments on the shocking change that
had come over him since he left the bank ON
Saturday. His face was haggard and ashen,
and his eyes sanken far back in his head.
Soon after the arrival of Bank Examiner
Edward H. Sheeley, President Runyon
slipped back into the directors room UNI
noticed by any of the directors or clerks,
who had come in just before the Examiner.
The others did not notice his absence and
continued their conversation about the
banks affairs. In the course of these lnen-
ton was made of and comment passed
upon the fact discovered the day after
Cashier Hills suicide, that Mr.. Runyon
had overdrawn his account some $50, 600 or
$40, 900. After a time, however, President
Runyons absence was noticed and search
was made for him. when the door OF
small room near the directors room was
found locked. \ general alarm ensued,
which it was soon seen was only too well
| founded, as when the assembled directors
and others broke open the locked door
Mahlon Runyon lay before them in pool
ofblood His coat was off, his shirt sleeves
were rolled up, and he was spattered with
blood. He gave single gasp as the door
was opened. his head fell forward, and he
dead He gave single gasp as the door
was opened, his head fell forward, and he
was dead He had thrown his coat upon
the window sill, drawn a common pocket
knife from his pocket, opened one of the
small sharp blades and cut deep cash on
each side of his throat after severing the
veins at his elbow joints Then he had laid
the knife down on the window sill furthest
from him. and drawing his watch from his
pocket with his bloody fingers, SET it near
him on the sill and watched the hands inca
surfing off the last minutes of his ebbing
life. Less than an hour before he had
parted from his wife and daughters telling
them not to be alarmed if he did not return
early, as he should stick by the bank
dispatch was sent to the former who was
stopping at Bound Brook, whittier she had
driven with her daughter, after leaving Mr..
Runyon at the bank The news of the sui
eide reached Bound Brook ahead of the
message and farmer who saw her told
her she was wanted at home. She started
before the messenger arrived, driving the
team as fast as it could go. AS she drew
up at the entrance of the old-fashioned
homestead, ON the Raritan river, Pastor ii.
c. Applegarth of the First Baptist Church,
met her and told her husband had died at
the bank She instantly asked if it was a
suicide and when told that her suspicion
was right she broke down completely. Her
daughter wept bitterly Peter p. Runyon
the dead mans nephew, sprang into the
carriage and drove to the bank to find out
the cause for the suicide. After ten min
utes' interview with the directors he drove
back and bending over the window, said:
'Unce was honest. The directors say so.
He was not responsible for the thefts. ="
The popular demonstration at last became
SO threatening that the police tianked the
street and with difficulty quelled the ris-
ing disturbance. At / 30 one of the direc-
tors, Johnson Lctson, was reported dead
Investigation revealed the fact he had be
come exhausted on account of the strain on
his nerves. He was heavy stakeholder,
and had deposited trust funds. Charley
Davies, clerk of the bank, who had been
reported dead. was found alive at As p. IN.
Wild rumors were circulated of the suicide
of other persons. but they failed of coniir-
nation.
At three o'clock in the afternoon an in
quest was held. the jury rendering the
verdict that I'VE find that Mahlon Run
yon, ON September 8th, in the National
, Bank of New Jersey, in the city and state
aforesaid, did voluntarily, fclonously, and
of his own malice aforcthought, kill and
murder himself
1t is said by an cX-asscmblyman and re
terated by others that the bank had for
, years been run in the interests of poit-
, cal ring. of which Levi d. Jarrard and Hill
. We're the chief members. There was an at
! tempted run on the savings banks of the
, city, but the officers took advantage of the
law permitting them 10 require sixty days
notice of 4 depositors intention to draw
E his money. The New Brunswick Savings
Bank is said to have $50. 900 on deposit with
the National Bank, out of total amount
of deposits of 1915, ESQ. A. The Dime
; paid its depositors from 10 to II O'clock
when it also took advantage of the law
1t has only $400 on deposit in the National
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