The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-08-11
A WICKED CASHIER
The Dishonest Life OF a
Shasta Banker.
ROBBED RIGHT AND LEFT.
The Surprising Story of the Shame
less Stealings of Fred
GrOtefend.
Special to THE MORNING CALL.

SACRAMENTO, Aug. 10.-The Evening
Bee this afternoon publishes a long and
sensational story of the disgrace and down.
fall of Fred Gratefend, cashier OF the
Bank of Shasta County at Redding, and
who has been one of the most prominent
and influential citizens of Northern Cali
forna He is only So years old, very pop
ular and trusted implicitly by every one.
The Bee sent reporter to Redding to
investigate the case, and he found rather
startling state of affairs. Young Grote-
tends father, who was pioneer merchant,
left an estate worth 200 when he died
There are several sons and two daugh-
tiers. The latter reside in San francisco,
and one of them is a helpless invalid.
The bank cashier was made executor
without bonds. He held his position as
cashier until about two months ago, when
he retired in disgrace.
Besides holding a position in the bank
Grotsfend was City Treasurer of Redding,
and he also held great amount OF prop
erty, real and personal, in trust Ne one
ever dreamed of eXacting security from
him. He was one of those fellows whose
word is as good as his bond.'
One day Gus GrotefeDd came down from
Shasta and paid visit to Judge Bush, vice
president of the bank. and unfolded a
startling tale to him. He told him that
Fred had squandered the Grotefend estate.
tut, tut, my boy" said the Judge,
don't speak so hastily about your
brother. BE is all right There might be
some mistake"
mo; l say there is no mistake. It is
even worse than have told you. Other
estates have also gone to ruin through
him."
81 never was so shocked in all my life"
remarked Judge Bush. in explaining the
affair to the Bee man yesterday. 81
would just as soon expect flash of-ight-
ming out of to-day's bright sky. OF course
under the circumstances aud for the good
of the bank an investigation had to be
made. This resulted in Fred's resignation
as cashier. position filled at present by
my son. 1 wish you would say that the
bank is perfectly solid, and has not been
in tie least injured. Mr.. Grotefend has
assigned his property TO the bank.
''What did he do with the money!"
That's what puzzled US. Some say it
has gone into the mines, but l can't see
how he could have put SO much into the
ground"
Naturally Judge Bush, aside from say
ing that Grotetend had turned over his
property to the bank, would not say how
the cashier got away with it. 1t is known,
however. and the information comes from
the lips of one of the bank directors. that
be carried from the vaults the sum Of
$780, 900.
In order to cover up his disgrace and
avoid punishment, he assigned to the bank
what properly he possessed. which in
cluded a ranch in Trinity County.
Among those who had implicit conf
dence in the young cashier was Mrs.
Lord, widow, and an old family friend.
who resides in the town of Shasta. She
sent to Grotefend the sum of $1,000. all the
money she possessed, with the request that
he invest it in Understanding bonds.
She hoped to get enough from investment
to pay her triding living expenses. Since
the expose of Grotefend's crookedness, it
has transpired that he not only failed to
invest the money, as requested. but that he
put it to his own use, and the widow is
row penniess.
Another Shasta pioneer named Henry
Bergh went the way of all flesh, and after
the will was read it was found that his
estate banned out $4,000. In this in
stance, also, the brilliant and trusted
cashier was made administrator without
bonds. The heirs have not had any kind
of settlement out of Grotefend for more
than year, and as near as they can cal
culate he has defrauded them of about
$4,000, and they have little hope of ever
getting cent of the money.
Until few days ago there was firm in
Redding doing fruit and vegetab busi-
ness under the name of Wesser e. Baker,
The senior member was Henry A. Wesser.
He and Fred Grotefend were schoolmates
together. and there has been a warm
friendship between them all their lives.
Mr.. Wesser had $1,000 in spare cash, and
not caring to keep it lying around his
store he gave it TO Grotefend in trust.
When some of his bills fell due he could
not get any money to pay them. and the
firm failed. Banker Grotefend had used
up the money.
Grotefend is also accused OF having
squandered other large Sums of money.
The coin was used in mining speculation.
Besides losing his position as bank
cashier he was forced to resign the office
of City Treasurer. His accounts with the
city were square Last Thursday or Fri
day night he swallowed poison to commit
suicide, but doctor saved his life, and on
Saturday his brother. DIR. Grotefend, took
him to San Francisco, where he is still re-
naming.
REAMS HEARD FROM.