The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1891-11-03
SENSATIONAL CHARGES.

Irving A. Evans Said to Have Given His
Fortune and Life to Save the Bank.
BosToN, Nov. 2.-The Boston News Bu-
reau prints the following: The friends of
Irving A. Evans declare that he offered up
his life as tribute to friendship; that he
was worth SSO0.0O0 one year ago, and gave
all that and more to save his friends; that
he kited checks between New York and Bos-
ton. had enormous arbitrage transactions
In both exchanges to make clearings be-
tween the two cities and assist the Nav
erlck National Bank to meet one draft
with another; that when the strain could
no longer be borne, he overdrew his ac-
count at the bank TO make his own clients
individually square; destroyed oil evidence
duplicating any other parties. and declined
to return to the city to effect settlement
then put himself out of this world to save
Mr.. Potter and the bank.
Mr.. Evans's pistol shots, though they
missed his, own heart, went straight
through the bank. His dying words to his
wife were: Don't blame Asa" When his
body was cold his hand was found bare of
the handsome gold ring which he had
worn for q long time, and which was q gift
from Mr.. Potter. He had taken it oil the
v
handbag. remarked to his aunt: This
means nothing to me now, for / have no
longer any friends"
Upon Mr.. Evans's books are five Joint
accounts Joint account No 2 is what Mr..
Evans termed to his associates and conf
Dental friends. "the big account" 1t is
this account that is 5000. 900 under water.
There is no evidence outside of one liv-
ing man, we believe. that shows
Mr.. Potter was the partner upon this
x.n1
by the b,.ok.&eeper and Mr. Evanss
partners that the account belonged to
Mr.. Evans and Mr.. Potter jointly; but Mr.
Potters name is not upon the books. and Mr..
Evans IN his last letter denied it explicitly.
To different individuals within year Mr..
Evans has said that Mr.. Potter had no
joint account and no transactions with
him: him. Mr. sTzo olp Potter has beer. paid
nsSnaton sa9OG with as Mr. prHts GHan. of aI on
GUS checks, but Mr.. Potter declares
that he has received no check from Mr..
Evans for over eighteen months. nor has he
during this time had any personal account
with Mr.. Evans. All of Mr.. Evans's great
have, however. been conducted in the name
of this joint account. and it is declared by
some people that the Maverick National
Bank surplus was In. reality, the partner
in this joint account
Before Mr. Evans shot himself his family
understood that he was insolvent, and that
he owed the Maverick Bank S2O0, 600, with
100000 nominal collateral and il was q
settlement with that bank that his brother
had arranged the day before the fatal Oct.
1S. Mr.. Irving A. Evans was 20 have come
that day to finish tho settlement
with the bank. 1t was represented
to the bank that the house was only
S55. 900 under water. for il the bank would
take the collateral aud sign release to the
house, Mr.. Evans's father and brother
would make that $4,000 good to the house
and liQuidate the creditors on the basis
of 100 cents on the dollar. This settlement
was executed few days alter Mr..
Evans's death, and the bank directors
Co. from all liability. amounting to $780,
600. 1t Is probable that the directors
did not know the amount of the liability
they were writing of. for If they were as
sured that with this loss taken the bank
shares would still bs worth $500. As the
collateral is worth but little more than
100000 the loss taken by the bank upon
this account is about S500.000, but if the
bank were otherwise good, this loss should
have only reduced the surplus by 80 per
cent.
Mr. Potter says at the time of the settle
ment he was offered q release for another
personal liability he might have with the
house of Irving A. Evans d. Co., and he
declined it because he declared no such
liability existed, nor had Mr.. Evans any
account for which he was legally or NOR
ally responsible. Mr.. Tobey. the junior part
ner of Irving A. Evans az Co., admits that
he has never sent a statement to Mr.. Potter
of the account upon which he believes Mr..
Potter was liable. Col. Albert A. Pope said
last week that he had no evidence that Mr.
Potter was responsible for Mr.. Evans's
suicide. but he believed it. and if the evil
dence was good the joint account would be
collected if it took off the institution. Asa
p. Potter was worth S75O.00O clean and clear
few years AGO.