Evening journal., 1892-10-04
DAMN ENDS HIS CAREER
The Notorious Bank Wrecker
Takes Morphine in Prison.
he STOLE HALFA MILLION DOLLARS

Religion Was the Cloak He Used Success
fully for Twenty Years to Cover Up His
Rascality-Death Came on the Day He
Was to BE Tried for His Crimes.
BUFFALO, Oct. 4.-Edward S Damn, the
notorious bank wrecker, has ended his in
famous career with his own hand, adding
self murder to his other crimes. He died
yesterday evening at the close of the day
he was to have been tried for robbing
the National Savings bank The cause Of
death is given by his family physician as
rupture Of an artery in the brain" 1t is
known, however, that he took opium on
Saturday, and the intent of suicide is very
clear.
When his case was called for trial his
counsel handed the court doctors certif-
cate that he was unable to appear and
was likely to die. This was the fiA5t inti
nation that any one outside of the Damn
family had of his condition, and it
created great excitement in the court
room. Mr.. Hoyt, in reply to questions,
said he knew nothing of his clients con-
dition or what the trouble was, but to
the judge he limited at apoplexy, without,
however, making any definite statement.
Used Religion as Cloak.
Edward S. Damn stood high in church
and social circles When the bank examin-
ers found that there was a shortage in the
accounts of the bank and recommended the
arrest of the trusted secretary and treas
urer the trustees could not believe the ex-
aminers were right in their conclusions
They had trusted him implicitly for over
twenty years-ever since the bank was
started.
lie had been looked upon as a model of
faithfulness, industry and integrity. He
was always first to arrive at the bank and
last to leave; he was the custodian Of
church funds, and widows and timid wOm-
en- came to his bank because they had so
often seen his silvered head bowed in prayer
at the altar. He never took vacation,
and always balanced the books himself.
Such an attentive officer the trustees
thought could do no wrong.
The examiners hinted that perhaps Damn
had reason for working personally over the
books and wearing the cloak of sanctity.
But the trustees scOlfed at the idea. How
ever, private detectives were called in and
when confronted with accusations, and said
lie could explain all if time and access to
the books were given him. The examiners
said they could figure the books without
him.
The news of Dann's arrest caused great
excitement when it was made known in
June. He was not locked up like a COM
mon criminal at first, but was allowed to
20 to and from his home under surveillance
Of a detective Then it was that Damn made
his first and unsuccessful attempt to take
his own life. He swallowed twenty NOR
phine pills. His stomach rebelled, threw
off the poison and he lived on in disgrace.
The examiners found in column after
column of figures distractions running
back for a long period Of years, and con-
tinuing up to the very day be was appre-
hended, when he stole package of $4,000
deposited by ex-Justice Charles Daniels, OF
the supreme court. The shortage at first
was stated at 500, 600, then at 100000; then
it was said to more than reach the banks s
surplus.
He stole Half a Million.
Finally it was learned that the aggregate
steal was half million. Before the figures
had reached this total Damn had been put
in Jail on warrants sworn out by indignant
stockholders, headed by Alderman Jack
White.
Here Justice Daniels asked him to make
full restitution, but Damn procrastinated
until public indignation was at fever heat
Finally he made over some of his property
his wife and family physician gave bail fol
his appearance in court when wanted and
Damn was taken back to his family.
He was indicted with his supposed tool
OF accomplces, Teller McCreedie and Book
keeper Armstrong, by the September granc
Jury. Their trial was set down for thii
month. There were sixteen indictments
against Damn.
Edward S Damn was born in the village
of Little Falls, this state, in 1884. He re
moved in 1854 to Buffalo with his father
Jesse c. Damn, who was banker here fo
many years.
After learning the art of banking from
his father Damn was connected with bank
in St. Louis, Cincinnati and Sandusky
After leaving the latter city he went int
the general Office of the Lake Shore at To
Iedo.
In 1861 he returned TO Buffalo, mayrie'
Jennie Webster, daughter of the lat
George C.. Webster, and was his JUNO
partner in the oil refining business 70
some years. Damn became secretary an
treasurer of the National Savings bank a
its inception and continued so for quar-
ter Of a century He leaves a wife and tw
sons, Jesse and Walter.