The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1891-10-24
ABAHk TELLER SHORT sl9U, 900.
a Steal Extending over a Num-
Der of Years.
Gracia Robbed the National Bang of New
Orleans by a Systematic Plan The
Banks Credit Unimpnired and the Ne
fauiter Not Arrested.

NEW ORLEANS, Oct. ca Speciall--
In an Interview with j. c. Morris. pres-
ident of the clearing house, this morn
ing In regard to Cashier Eugene f. Car
cia's defalcation, he said:
Eugene f. Garcia, paying teller of
tho Now Orleans National Bank, il
defaulter to the amount of 500, 600. It
was first discovered on the 9Th of
October and the full extent of the de-
falcation was only demonstrated on the
18th. no
some packages had been paid out
pufportlng to contain S., 900 and $40, 600.
while they only contained $500 and
el'Soo. complaint to this effect was
mnde to the bank. Garcia confessed
that the shortage was from old pay
nentS, errors and mistakes committed
ny MIN within tho last fifteen wears.
=. nc casn In the bank was examined and
tho shortage discovered. Tho loss of
tho large amount has been carried to
proht and loss and still the capital Of
500, 600 and the surplus of Sl5O.OOO re-
mains intact"
DO you think that any deposits will
% Withdrawn from the bank on account
OF this defalcation?"
VI do not. If anything of that kind
should occur, aD authorized as presf-
dent OF tie clearing house to say that
every dollar required will be furnished
by tho clearing house banks. The
present condition of tho bank is an OK
ceedingly strong ono, and it is able to
meet requirements for It's deposits, as
Will be seen by the statement published
by tho bank"
No arrests have been made and none
arc probable.
The robbery in somc respects is so
peculiar that there is hesitancy i'm ac-
cepting the story told by the paying
teller, eugene Garcia, as to why and
how he stole the money.
lie is an old man of excellent creole
family, and has held tho office for MANY
years. He lived without show or dis
play in cheap house in the creole sec
ton of the city. He had no expensive
habits, was not dissipated, and, so far
as known, did not speculate.
According to his story he discovered
sixteen years ago that no was $50, 900
short in his accounts. BY some mis-
take, which he never understood, he
mad overpaid some check, but to whom
hepaid the money or how tho mistake
occurred he could not say. Fearing
that II it was discovered no would be
circumstances discharged and held re-
sponsible for the loss. Garcia decided 20
conceal it, hoping to make good the
money in some way.
lie resorted to q simple but dangerous
trlck. In making up packages of money
he would place few hundred dollar
bills at tho top and bottom, tho rest of
the package being composed of 81 bills.
Ihese packages were marked "S5, 900
and $40, 900, alth ough containing only
$500 and 500, and were stored in the
vault OF tho bank, only occasionally be-
ing sent 10 other banks.
Finding that his scheme was not
discovered, Garcia became bolder. He
took little money from the bank and
used 1t in various wildcat schemes, in
The hope that he would make enough TO
replace the money that he claims was
lost. Very little of it went in ordinary
speculations. 1t was used in tho
widest schemes. The defalcation
grew larger and larger, until it reached
a total of 100000, for tho greater
portion OF which Garcia can give no
account. IIe does not seem to know
what he did with the money.
Tho national bank examiners exam
ined tho bank dozen times, but could
SEQ nothing wrong about it, and not tho
slightest suspicion was caused until six
days ago Having need for some money,
package in the vault supposed to con-
tain $4,000, was opened by one of the
officials, whom it was discovered that
instead of containing 500 bills all but
two OF tho bills were of the $40 denomi-
nation.
second package AMI third dis
closed tho same fraud. Tho bank Off
Gals counted the cash and found it $780,
900 short. Yesterday the officials Of tho
bank laid the facts before the clearing
house. They showed that the loss
could be paid out Of the surplus without
affecting the capital
THE RICtIyOND rEpn,Y~Y