Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1889-06-20
HALL AMART' 4 BANK rAlluRE.

ed Of the funds or failed to place the
sane to the credit of the bank here.
Drafts of the bank had been dishon-
ored and protested as early as June
9Th, but such facts were not generally
known, and not at all known to any
of the directors.
Mr.. K. A. Hall, the cashier, ON leaf
ming that drafts of the bank had been
protested, on June 9Th visited Kansas
CITY and made arrangements for the
paymest of the protested drafts, and
for fuaure drawings, and supposed up
to neon of Thursday everything was
moving on all right. Further depos-
its wrsre thereafter refused, and pay
meat.of checks made until all curren-
CIV .iE the bank was exhausted
Many attachment suits were begun
against the bank as soon as the fail
ure became known. Sheriff Witham
tcok possession of the bank and all
tkat was in the vaults and safes. The
appraisers, so it is rumored, foundbut
little or nothing in the baak. Mr..
Fall was visited on Friday morning,
and stated that he proposed to make
an assignment of all his property for
the benefit of his creditors. and that
he thought there would be sufficient
assets to pay ont. So far the assets
have not been found, and no one
seems to know where they are. Mr..
Hall had the full confidence Of nearly
every one. Until quite recently his
name attached to any enterprise
seemed to assure success.
A talk with DR.. G. H. Martin, the
president of the bank, brought ollght
the fact that in January last at the
time of the surrender of the First Ma
tional Bank charter, and the organiza-
| ton of the Hall 4 Martin Bank, a full
examination of the books, securities.
deposits and liabilities was had by the
directors, and the affairs of the bank
were found in excellent condition, the
securities being good in nearly every
particular. Among other securities
was a note of Jas. S. Warden for a
large amount. which Mr.. Hall was di-
rected to notify Warden he should
have to take up. DR.. Martin also says
that at the time he, individually,
wrote Warden that the note should
have to be taken up. Whether this
was done or not no one as yet seems
to be able to say. The appearances
indicate that the bank has been gut
ted by some one. Those who know
Hall do not believe him guilty of any
thing except the blind trust he seems
to have had for man reputed unscru-
pulous and sharp in every particular.
Mr.. Hall on Saturday morning, left for
Kansas City, intending to secure, if
possible, the securities of the bank, and
send them to r. NJ. McGonigal, whom
he named as trustee. Mr.. McGonigal ar
rived in from Oberlin on Friday, but
after studying on the matter decided
,thst he would not accept the trust.
As nearly as can be learned the de-
: post book showed about $64 200 OF
deposits. Mr.. Fred Finnerty, the
paying teller and book-keeper, and
Mr.. Hall himself, said that the actua
deposits for which the bank is liable
are between *12, 900 and s15, OO0-no
to exceed the latter sum.
The failure of this bank works /:
| serious hardship upon the entire com
munity. Among the depositors ar
many homesteaders and farmers, who
trusted their little all to its keeping
> and on these the blow is very severe
: 1t is said that an attempt will be made
to fasten the liability on the director.
: and stockholders of the bank. Non,
: Of the directors, it seems, had any
: stock of the bank, but as a matter o.
: accommodation allowed Mr.. Hall tn,
use of their names as such. trusting
him implicitly. Nearly all of the di
! rectors were depositors and lose di
; rectly in this way, some in quite larg'
amounts.
! Hl,o Han