The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1884-09-09
THE CURSE OF CRIME.
1t Drives Another Bank Official ia
the Suicides Fate.
The President of the brunswick
Rank, Implicated in Theft with
the Cashier, Cuts His Throat
The Banks Affairs,

NEW YORE, Sept 8.-President MahIon
Runyon, of the New Jersey National bank,
on which there has been run for tha
last three days, cut bis throat at 7:30 o'c ock
a. III. Hili, the cashier Of tie bank,
VINO Is now known to have been Il de
laniter to the amount of $3.50 600, commit
ted suicide last Thursday by smothering
himself ii his bedroom with gas Runyon
IS known to have been implicated with Hill
the deceased cashier, and would have been
indicted The bank did not open III the
morning. 1t was up to the time or Hilp,
suicide and the disclosures which followed,
considered the strongest bal.k in all New
Jersey.
AT 9;45 a m President Runyon drove up
l" The bank in his carriage. lie was accom-
panied by his two young daughters Good
bye, papa" said Julia, The eldest, reaching
out OF the carriage as Mr. Runyon descended
to the pavement 81 nope all will be well.
III You do not see me before night" he re
sponded, tell mamma will stick to the
bank
Twenty minutes later Mr.. Runyon sent
Chief Fitzgerald, who was in charge of tie
bank, for copy of the morning paper in
winch the story was told OF his completely
III the banks downfall Securing the paper
he went INTO the room occupied by the or
ganlMnG directors and began TO read
deathly pallog spread over his face and lie
exclaimed; MY God! What will my children
doF = Passing his handkerchief over his
hlS brow, he threw the paper into the lap Of
Director Stoddard and, excusing himself,
went IntA the flItAt 1f ha Ia, A
minute later, the sound of fall was heard,
the directors rushed to the closet and dis
covered the body of Runyon Oh the floor,
with blood ooZing from gaping wound in
the throat He had determined on suicide
and had cut his wrists deeply, the blood
squirting against the wall and ceiling
1t Is reported that Runyan said before he
died, There is about one million gone" The
bank examiners We're about to arrest him.
Runyan had been president Of the bank four
or five years He was about 60 years of age
and has been farmer for many years, and
resided on his homestead about one mile
from here
Mr. Runyon was not generally regarded as
much Of a tnancier, the late Cashier Hill
being considered as running the institution
petty much his own way and Mr. Runyou
not appearing as Of much consequence in its
management. Mr.. Runyon leaves wife and
four children. His suicide strengthens the
Lelief OF giant frauds in the management of
the hank The bank is in chaos, oveI
100000 is said to have been stolen by him
The city is wild with excitement Crowds
blockaded Church street where the bank
stands. Acting Cashier Campbell is ex-
pectea TO be arrested for completely in the
conspiracy
Walter Carroll, a depositor, has cut his
throat. The mob threatened to burst open the
doors, and was only snbdued by large fore
Of police.
AT | 20 one of the directors, johnson Let.
son, was reported dead Investigation re-
vcaled the fact that he had become exhausted
or account of the strain ON his nerves. He
was heavy stockhoider and had dCpIsited
trust funds Charley Davies, a clerk Of the
bank, who had been repC rted dead, was
found alive at l As p. m.
The shortage of Hill, the cashier, who com.
mitted suicide, now foots up S196, 500, and
the president owes the bank $40, 600 more
which he cannot pay.
Hills operations were very simple. He
borrowed whatever sums he wanted of the
gank, giving good collateral at first Ther
he tool, the collateral and disposed of it, fill
ing, in its place in the vault with WORTHLESS:
paper When the collateral gave out he got
President Mahlon .Runyon to sign notes witt
him, and between times he borrowed littlt
money himself on his own notes.
The total deficiency discovered up to Sun
day night reached the sum Of S235, $50 81
Hill deficiency was Sl9G, S29G4 The differ
ence amounting to $50 lO067, is the amount
due from President Mahlon Runyon. A Por
ton OF this sum is reported on notes indorseC
by Hill. The balance is on securities which
have disappeared, and it is not thought thai
all of Mrs. Runyon's property, which, it is
| understood, is heavily mortgaged, will begiI
to meet the loss. 1t is not at all improba
| BILE that when the examination is fin
| iehed the amount of the whole deficiency
| will be much larger while it is feared thai
the report of the examiner will show still {
worse state of affairs The directors, non,
| Of them being expert accountants, have no
| been able to arrive definitely at many
| points, and have been compelled to estimate
or ignore in some cases where losses will NJ
| doubt he found-in fact, are known to exist
| The box where Hill kept his own securitie
was empty.
| Hill sunk most of his money since June
| and his stealings do not extend much fur
ther back than six months 1t is though
by the examination of this affair that h
was caught rather heavily on the Wall stree
| crash of May. He left no letter or writin!
| of any kind, SO far as ascertained, He iait
all his plans, got everything in the desireC
shape in the bank, and then enjoyed lif
to the fullest up to the last minute of hi
! life.
| The funds of the Voorhees, estate are no
| depleted, as first reported When the DO!
containing the securities was opened onl.
| $4,000 in bonds was found missing-$l7, 90
in Western Union bonds quoted at $50 abov
par. and s., 900 in government bonds Th
other bonds, aggregating Sls1 900, were ncgc
table only on the Endorsement of Hill an
MIR. Joseph Fisher, the other trustee.