The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-12-24
THE SANITY BANKER
Miss Willard, of the w. C. Il. T.,
Defends Financier Kean.
He SUFFERS FOR HIS pIETy.
Testimony Is Introduced in Court, How
ever, To show That He Was Guilty
of Fraud and Perjury.

CHICAGO, Dec. "a remarkable letter
VIII be published here tomorrow from
Frances Willard, president of the National
Nomens Christian Temperate Union, re-
garding the circumstance attaching to the
disastrous failure of the bankers of the or
ganization, 5. A. kean & Co, which is
attracting such widespread attention.
MISS Willard opens with an ardent defense
OF Mr. hean, reciting his thirty years of
clean life and helpful service in Chicago
nome missionary work: his continuous
honorable connection with the banking
business, and the fact that he has success
fuiiy weathered all previous financial
crises. che says she has been waiting for
days TO see some leader in the pulpit or
pew come into the arena of public contro-
yersy in the bankers defense.
Il am panied beyond expression" SAYS
she, by this silence of the good. 1t is.
then, true that the worlds people stand by
each other better than the members of
the household Of faith. The Woman,s
CHRISTIAN Temperance Union and its
affiliated interests have had Mr.. Kean for
banker during several years. He is a lead
Ing prohlbItIonist, a representative Metho-
Dust iayman. Who knows what hatred of
the temperance cause may be back of all
this; what blow aimed ut an organized
movement against the liquor traific?"
Miss Willard says the losses of the
organization and branches are happilv
small, and adds: 'But / know by nv cor
respondence that the press of the country
has been given to understand that an an
paillng calamity has overtaken the white
ribbon movement. Possibly the wish is
father TO the thought. There is ioy In
heaven over one sinner that repenteth;
there is doubtless JOY in hell over one saint
that falls. Beyond peradventure there is
rejoicing III every grogshop of thercity
when the temperance cause or any of its
advocates is overtaken by misfortune,
seeming or real"
Miss Willard concludes with hope for
the best, 4 belief in the rehabilitation of
the reputation and the triumph of eternal
justice toward the banker, as well as his
depositors
At the hearing today in the county court
touching the failure of the private bank
OF ;. A. kean d CO., John Culver, who was
yesterday said to be indebted to the bank
to the amount of $4,000, testified that he
did not owe the bank anything. On the
contrary, the bank owed him over $200,0O
A representative of Bradstrects agency
exhibited written statement made by
kean in June, 1889, in which he claimed
capital of 100000, with McBragden,
Morton, Culver and d. W. Kean as special
partners. This is in direct contradiction
10 kean's sworn statement yesterday that
he had never made written statement to
the commercial agency.
representative of Dun's commercial
agency testified that in January, 1889,
kean made him written statement to the
effect that his (Kean's) personal assets were
$19l, 800, with an Indebtedness of $4,000.
The balance sheet of the bank that month
showed assets aggregating 81 ,3l5, IT'S and
a surplus of $l0,s6s.