Omaha daily bee., 1886-07-16
Additional Particulars Of How Benkel-
mans Banker Fleeced the Community.
WORSE THAN A SNEAK THIEF.
The Amount of His Doodle Not Ger
tainly Known, But Many Poor
People Ruined - Other
Nebraska News.
The Renkelman Failure.


state fair aNd has not been heard from since.
His son, who runs q jewelry store at Benkel-
man, staid in the bank during this time. AT
last young Better appeared and said: OIL
guess the bank Will not open to-day There
is no need of ii as there is not dollar in the
safe and the old man is
IN CANADA By THIS TINE,
Beltzer is man Of about forty-hve years
old, and had the confidence of all the busi-
ness men and all the people in general. He
started the bank about three years ago, and
it was the general depository of all the
merchants and farmers in that portion of the
country. 1t was the only bank until about
two weeks ago, when new bank started.
All the business men made this q place OF
safe keeping for their valuable papers, deeds,
mortgages, etc, and tits thought that he has
taken everything with him. His brother,
Lewis A. Beltzer, was president of the bank
until the new bank started two weeks ago,
when he accepted a position in the new bank.
lie denies all knowledge Of any crookedness
on the part of John A. Better. Pay & King,
general store; Sam Scott, livery; Henry Cox,
restaurant, and nearly every business man
will lose from $500 to ST, 900 each, and several
wholesale houses are out on drafts and
checks, which are being
RETURNED PROTESTED.
Several eastern banks will lose heavily. IL
will be hard blow on the farmers and those
holding government land, who will lose their
little all. Many had the money deposited
there and would prove up in a few days, and
now they must sell out or abandon their
claims. Beltzer leaves wife and
children to bear the shame and disgrace
of his actions. 1t is said that the last thing
he did before he left was to
ABUSE AND BEAT HIS WIFE,
as if the shame and sorrow o. his wrong
doing would not be lasting enough in her
memory. He decided his homestead to his
wife and gave bill of sale of his personal
property. The greatest excitement prevails,
Some estimate that he took with him as high
as sixty thousand dollars in money, notes
and securities. However, the amount Is not
known for certain yet Canada thus gains
another addition to its distinguished colony,
while America feels sore over the loss and
ruin occasioned by his departure Society
rejoices that one less scoundrel remains. We
suppose he is safe with Emo, Mother Mandel-
baum and the rest, by this time.
ANOTHER ACCOUNT FROM BENKELNAN.
BESKELMAN, Neb. July 15.-TSpecial Tele-
gram to the BEE. "Wednesday night, July
Z, John A. Beltzer, cashier of the Dundy
County bank. absconded, taking from the
safe package of $500 which he received the
day before from McCoOk. Nothing has
since been heard of him. Lewis A. Beltzer,
president, had charge of the bank till it
closed its doors Monday night. Attachments
were sworn out by Messrs George and Cain,
Herbert and others at l O'Clock Monday
night and served Tuesday morning at 80
o'clock. This done they drove to Imperial,
where they had attachments served upon the
Chase county bank, a branch of the Dundy
county bank; The Chase County bank had
not opened Monday, but such was the conf
dence of the people in Lewis A. Beltzer, the
cashier, that no action had been taken till
Tuesday. The liabilities amount to about
$4,000 it supposed, and the assets to $4,000
Public opinion is divided as to the capability
of Lewis A. Beltzer, some claiming he had
no knowledge of any wrong, while others
assert as vigorously that he is equally blam-
able. Some think he has been defrauded by
his brother. The principal loosers were poor
and worthy homesteaders, many of whom
had their little all deposited in one or the
other of these banks, safe, as they supposed
to be drawn for future use as their necessities
demanded the severe trials of their first years
settlement.
STILL ANOTHER ACCOUNT.
BENKLEMAN, Ncb.. July Especial Tel
egram to the BEE. The excitement occa-
stoned by the failure of the Dundy County
few days, has now subsidized somewhat. The
first intimaton the public received of the
failure was early Tuesday forenoon when the
attachments sworn out by several of our
merchants and notice placed on the door,
though for several months there had been
rumors as to the solyency of the bank. John
A. Beltzer, cashier, left town, it is supposed,
on the 4 o'clock train Tuesday morning, July
8, and has not been heard from since. His
brother, Lewis A. BeltZer. president of the
Dundy County banl: and cashier of the Chase
County bank, of which j. A. BeltZer was
president, had charge of the bank from that
time until it closed its doors. Saturday he
paid d. ID. Muir, cashier of the First National
teen hundred dollars; The, Chase County
bank had credit of 5000 and Its cashier "a per-
sCnal credit of $3.50 IN the Dundy County bank
at the time of its failure. 1t also had credit
of $l70 in the First National of McCoolS and
S95Oin the First National of Lincoln. both of
which were placed to the credit of the Dundy
County bank in the First National of Lin
coin. All the property belonging TO the firm
is attached and IN the hands of the officers.
The assets and liabilities of the two banks
cannot be ascertained with certainty. There
is supposed to be about 81, 800 on deposit in
the Chase County bank, with no drafts dis
honOred, and property attached to the amount
of $1,000, including $500 in notes; while in
the Dundy County bank the deposits range at
about $4,000, the dishonored drafts ST 400
with 81, 400 worth of property attached.