St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-04-16

funds. The young man was yesterday
brought up with sharp turn in st.
Louis, Mo-, by Chief of Police Huebler,
who at once dispatched the following
message to Chief Clark, of this city:
". B. Smith, late teller of the Second Ma
tional bank, your city, is arrested. Do you
want hin: Answer quick.
Chief Clark Immediately communi-
Gated with the bank officers, and notified
the st. Louis authorities to hold the
prisoner. The Guaranty Company of
North America, of Montreal, which,
through its Chicago branch, insured the
the bank against any dishonest opera
tons by Smith. and was consequently
the loser by his defalcation, was also
apprised of the arrest. Cashier Mon
fort, of the bank, was seen last night,
but was inclined to doubt that the man
under arrest is the defaulting teller, so
many similar reports having been re-
ceived by them and found to be erro
neous. Should the man prove to be
Smith, however, Cashier Monfort
stated that the bank would prosecute
the case to the end. in the event of the
guaranty company's failure to do so.
The crime for which young Smith is
wanted created no little talk in st. Paul
at the time, as he was man well edu
Gated, OF fine personal appearance, led
a regular and industrious life, was
member of st. Paul's Episcopal church,
and stood well in society circles. On
the Saturday afternoon previous to his
flight, in the ordinary course of business
in the bank, a package of $1,000 was
presumably, was placed by him in the
depository. Sunday night Smith dis
appeared, and when the bank
was opened Monday morning,
and he was found to be
| absent, his accounts were gone over.
They were found to be absolutely
| correct, except that from the $1,000
package he had been entrusted with
OH Saturday $500 was gone. No
attempt had been made at any
time to doctor his books, and
his one dishonest act was but de-
| liberate steal. 1t was afterwards learned
that he had been heavy loser through
| an unfortunate Investment in Winnipeg
| just before the bubble burst, and, all
his wages being sunk there, it was
| claimed that he was driven to the
| crime through mad desperation. A
| young lady prominent in local society,
| to whom he was betrothed, was desert
| ed. Though detectives were at once
placed upon his trail no, clue to his
| whereabouts could be discovered.
| Smith come TO st. Paul two years be-
fore his crime from the Chatham, Ont,
branch of the Merchants Bank of Cana
da. He brought valiSe filled with
letters of recommendation from prom
inent Canadians. among them one from
Manager Ireland, Of the Canadian Bank
of Commerce. This letter was the
means of securing him a position in
the Second National bank. Smith has
wealthy relatives in Chatham and To-
ronto, Ont.
| HOW IT WAS DONE.
| ST. LOUIS, April 15.-Walter B. Smith. pay
ing teller, who left 81. Paul over three years
| ago with $1,000 belonging to the Second
| National bank of that city, was arrested here
tonight. The chief of police this morning
received from Pittsburg detective a tele-
gram ordering the arrest of Cowan
! 4 Cowan, 507 Pine street. for attempt
| ing to swindle the Allegheny Ma
| tiOnal bank. of Pittsburg out of large sum
| by means of u bogus draft. CoWan was
! found at his desk in the Pine street Office
! One of the first articles taken from the pris-
ouer's pocket when being searched
| at the station was a photograph of
himself attached to a circular issued
! by the American Guarantee company, of
New York, Offering d reward of 1000 for
the arrest Of W. 4. Smith, the absconding
teller. The prisoner set up as defense that
| he was once a detective and had followed
| Smith around the country. He will be turned
| over to an officer of the Guarantee company
fnrr nfY 70 %