Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1890-03-12

LOUISVILLE, KY, March 4.-Willism
Il. Pope, teller of the Louisville City Ma
tiona Bank, trusted employee, man
of seeming good habits and a frequent
er of the best social circles of this city, is
gone. With him went about S60,00 of
the banks funds.
Pope's absence at the bank, yesterday
morning, at first excited no suspicion,
as 1t was supposed he was at his sick sis
Ters bedside, or in the country detain-
ed by the flood. When no word was re-
ceived at 1870 O'Clock, President James
5. Pirtle, Vice President James S. Leech,
and Cashier w. s. Parker became sus-
picious. They opened the vault and
hasry examination showed that some
where between SAC, 900 and 100000 was
missing. The missing money was sill
large bills. All the bulky gold and sill
yer coin and small bills were left intact.
It Will require a careful examination to
state the entire amount that Pope took
with him.
At the first his friends would not be-
dieve that Pope had gone wrong. Shak-
ings OF the head of the bank officers
soon left no doubt about the matter.
Detectives and friends began to search.
thinking it possible that he was still in
the city. He could not be found, and
soon the reporters discovered the bank
robbery. AS usual they furnished the
detectives the first clue, and learned
that Pope had left on the
1855 o'clock train Saturday night
for Cincinnati. 1t is thought that Pope,
on reaching Cincinnati, took the GIN
cinnati, Hamilton & Dayton for Detroit,
and IS now safe in Canada. He lett the
bank Saturday afternoon with his usual
gentlemanly greeting: Good evening.
If anyone wants me, send to my room
or telephone" Pope was wearing his
overcoat, his hands hung carelessly at
his side, when he left the bank. 1t is
thought he must have had the money
then, as he could not have returned
before taking the train. A rumor,
which has not been verified, states that
the carriage which took Pope to the
train from his Jefferson Street room
contained woman.
That Pope had been contemplating
this move for some time is evident from
the TACT that for some DAYS he had been
accommodating in his reach bills of large
denominations of from 500 to $1,000.
Furthermore, in very recent casual
conversation with T. Grant Slaughter,
state agent for the Fidelity
New York, which was Pope's
surety for $50. 900. he had discussed the
extradition treaty, and the degrees of
crime for which a man was eXtradit-
able, Mr.. Pope holding that the new
treaty was not yet in effect, not having
oeen signed by representatives of the
nations.
The bank officials state that the
amount Of the robbery is in round num-
beers $6O, 900. and they think he carried
that amount away with him. There Is
a theory that the populations will be
found to cover period of several years,
and that Pope really carried very little
with him. This is denied by the bank
officials, who say that his previous &C
counts are all straight. They ali main
tain that their system of checking
precluded the possibility of con-
tInuous cheating. However ignorant
his employees may have been as to Mr..
Pope's habits. it has been well known
among 1.-The boys" men about town,
that Pope had been going it pretty
strong for several years, though no well
defined suspicion has existed that he
was doing crooked work, SO far as has
been learned, ever obtained even amcng
tie best in formed of his associates.
Pope is a native of this state and 3S
years old. His father, Wallace Pope,
resides eight miles out on the marrow
gauge" railroad. He entered the bank
NOTED. He was thought to be "close."
He had been leading a DIR. Jekyll and
Mr.. Hyde life for some years. as many
of his boon companions are
aware. At his room he was
an unusually quiet young gen.
tleman, and the only articles miss
ing from there were bible and prayer
book, which he must have taken with
him. at room on Jefferson Street he
frequently gave wine suppers to young
men of his class and last young women.
He gambled, and was known as
sucker" He frequently was drunk
over night, but was always at his desk
p,pf11y