New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-01-08
BANKS AND BUSINESS MEN SWINDLED.
HEAVY LOSSES SUSTAINED IN BALTIMORE
THROUGH MISPLACED CONFIDENCE,

HEAVY LOSSES SUSTAINED IN BALTIMORE
THROUGH MISPLACED CONFIDENCE,
Baltimore. Jan. spcciaD.-It was announced to-day
that II. Webster Crowl. ex-City Councilman prominent
real estate operator, trustee OF one OF the prncpal
Methodist churches, and leader in West End social
circles had swndled the banks and business men OF
Baltimore out of upward of 100000. Crowl failed
months ago. having been caught In extensive real
estate operations. hut popular was he in business
and banking crCles that movement was lnme'il-
ately started to place him on his feet again. Frlenu'
we're willing to loan him money 10 help him out Of his
pretended troubles. Scores Of these friends have been
swndled out Of amounts ranging from 800 10 $4,000
Crowl about thirty five years old He began spec
uating heavily in real estate about two years ago
From poor young lawyer ten years ago he came to be
one of the largest real estate operators In the south
Crowl swndled the Franklin Bank ont OF $ll3OOo me
Drovers and Mechanics Bank ont of S27 900. tho Ct
zens Bank Of Sl1 ,oOO and other banks for smaller
amounts aggfegating S25 900. His indebtedness 70 the
banks alone will reach S2OO0O0 and 100000 more u
owing to friends and prominent business men who in
dcrsed his notes.
some of Crowls methods were shrewd. lie had
constantly at hand the Endorsement Of his fathern-
law James W. Flack. who would leave at his office 4
large number of blank promssory notes with bis in
dorsement on them. great deal OF his real estate
conveyed to two three fgureheads whom he had
around him. The property would be mort gagged BY
them ana the mortgages dHSlgNcu 10 tIDW tnuN sd'-
ing him the nOt0riety Of giving mortgages He was
then able 10 sell the mort cage securities In many
cases he released them before they were paid and
again mortgaged the property. by this latter scheme
he is said 10 have obtained - 900 from member If
his church a short time before he failed Crowl asa
gave his note for stock in several recently organized
companies and then hypOthecated the stock To the
banks. lie made inflated statements Of his asseta
The in which he worked the Franklin Bank
through its cashier, V. Emory Gardner J., the mot
remarkable OF all his transactions. victim OF mis-
placed confidence is what Charlie, j. Baker the
president Of the bank. characteI1Zes what Others call
criminal negligence in the cashier. II is simply.
explained the president, - case of good man beng
taken in by the wileS of supposedly upnsht ana
rel giOl, friend Gardner superintendent oi
sunday school i'm the church Of which Crow was lead
Ing member President Baker last evening At q meet
ing OF bank directors asOnishcd them with
the announcement that Cashier Gardner had PEI
mtted CrOwl 10 overdlaw his account u
the extent OF more than 100000. and that he was
indebted to the bank for the further sum of $4,000
Colonel Hugh Sis~on. director of the bank, says that
the directors knew of the trouble during the monetary
crisis in December, but that public disclosure then
would have created panic ana a run on the Dana,
1t the intention OF the stockholders 10 IcoTshLe
the bank and turn IL into a National institution