The morning call., 1890-12-24
A FIRM FRIEND.
Letter From Frances E. Willard Regarding
The Ksan Failure.

CHICAGO, Dec. pa remarkable letter
will be published here tomorrow from Fran
ces u. Willard, President of the National
Women's Christian Temperance Union, re-
gaiding the circumstances attaching to the
disastrous failure Of the bankers of the or
ganization. Kean & Co., which is attracting
such widespread attention. Miss Willard
opens with an ardent defense of Mr.. Kean
recitlDg his thirty years of clean life and
helpful service in the Chicago Home Mis-
sionary work; his continuous honorable
connection with the banking business; the
TACT that he has successfully weathered all
previous financial crises. She says that she
has been waiting for some days to see some
leader in the pulpit or the pew leap into the
arena OF public controversy in the banker
defense. l am panied beyond expression"
said she, "by this silence of the good. 1t is
then true that the worlds people stand by
each other better than do members of the
household of faith. The Woman's Chris
tian Temperance Union and its affiliated
interests have had MIR. Kean for banker
during several years. He is a leading Pro-
hibitOnist and representative Methodist
layman. Who knows what hatred of the
temperance cause may be back of all this
what blow aimed at an organized movement
against liquor traffic?" Miss Willard saws
the losses of the organization and branches
are, happily, small, and adds: But know
by my correspondence that the press of the
country has been given to understand that
an appalling calamity has overtaken thu
white ribbon movement. Possibly the wish
Is father to the thought. There is joy in
heaven over one sinner that repenteth;
there is doubtless Joy in hell over one saint
that falls. Beyond peradventure there is
rejoicing in every grog-shop of the city
when the temperance cause or any of its adj
vOcates is ever taken by misfortune, SEEM
ing OF real"
Miss Willard concludes with hope for
the best, belief in the rehabilitation of
reputation and the triumph of eternal justice
toward the banker as well as his depOstors.
KEAN's STATEMENTS.
CHICAGO, Dec. 23.-At the hearing today
In the County Court touching the failure of
the private bank of S. A. Kean d Co., John
Z. Culver, who, it was yesterday stated
was indebted to the bank to the amount Of
$500. testified that he did not owe the bank
anything; on the contrary, the bank owed
him over $500. A representative of Brad
streets agency exhibited written state
ment made by kean in June, 1859, in which
he claimed a capital OF $4,000, with NJ. c.
Bragdon, Morton Culver and ID. w. Kean
as special partners. This is in direct con-
tradiction with Kean's sworn statement
yesterday that he never made a written
statement to the commercial agency. A
representative of Dun's Commercial Agency
testified that in June, 1889, Kean made him
written statement to the effect that his
Kean's) personal assets were S19l 600, with
an Indebtedness of $4,000 The balance
sheet of the bank at the first of that month
showed assets aggregating Sl,3l5,77S and
surplus of S10,S6S.
BUSINESS AFFAIRS.
NEW YORK, Dec. pa prominent OPP
orator In silver is quoted as saying: 1.-THE
amount of bear talk of silver coming from
Washington does not look as though any
body there was anxious to SELL"
1t is stated on good authority in Wall
street that the Lead Trust will declare a
dividend Of per cent early in February.
MEDIA Pa.). Dec. 23.-Judgments have
been entered against Samuel j. Lewis &
Son. extensive manufacturers at Clifton,
for $4,000.