The Yellowstone journal. [volume] (Miles City, Mont.) 1893-1901, 1893-10-21
Communicated.
.ditor Yellowstone Journal:s i

| j ueslfe. lnfougH the columns OF your
| paper. to say few words touching the
matter Of the article published in your
issue OF yesterday under the head OF
might appear to your readers that Mr..
II. f. Bachelor, as president Of the
bank, had made false entries upon the
books OF the Stock Growers National
| Bank in relation to loan of Andrew F.
Burleigh and T. H. Logan, and had
made notes purporting to be the notes
OF Andrew F. Burleigh and I. H. Logan,
when in fact they were not borrowers
from the bank.
AS one OF the attorneys OF Mr. H. F.
Bachelor | desire to say in relation to
these charges. as they would seem TO ap-
pear in your paper. that we have every
reason to believe that Mr.. Bachelor has
good and substantial defense to each
and all such charges.
The fact is that for number Of years
the Stock Growers National Bank has
been carrying the paper of Andrew F.
Burleigh in the sum of s3.253.92; that
the officers of the bank have exercised
every possible effort to collect said
| amount: that some time prior to Octo-
ber, 1892. Mr. Burlegh transferred. for
the benefit of the bank as collateral Sc
Mining Company. That thereafter an
assessment was made on said stock of
one per cent. which. so far as the stock
held by the bank was concerned. would
amount to 500. The assessment not
being paid until after the stock was adj
yertised for sale. there was an additional
expense of SO for advertising said stock
for sale. which amounted to Sll0 all told.
After making a thorough investigation
as to the probable value of the stock the
| directors Of the bank authorized and in
structed Mr.. Bachelor. as president of
the bank. to pay the assessment and ex-
pense of advertising said stock for sale.
This item of $1,000 was carried for some
length of time as a cash item. and after
wards on October %, 1892. in a pencil
memorandum this amount was added to
the promissory note of Mr.. Burleigh, the
old number of said note was erased on
the bills recoverable register and new
entry made on said register showing the
indebtedness of Mr.. Burleigh to the
bank to be s3..63.9o. The receipt which
was obtained by the bank upon the pay
ment of the said sum of $1,000 was at
tached to MIR. Burleigh's note and in
that way carried by the bank in the
pocket or receptacle for paper of that
character.
AS to the further charge in relation
to the loan of L. Ii. Logan. the facts are,
as will appear from the books of the
bank and the notes still held by the
bank, that on December 3lst. 1890. Mr..
Logan was indebted to the bank on two
promissory notes together with interest
added up to that date in the sum Of
S5,04S.24, that on that date Mr. Batchel-
or made new note for the whole
amount of the said two notes together
with the interest, and attached copy
OF the new note to the said two notes
that had been made by Mr.. Logan,
marked the Two notes paid on the bills
recoverable register and made an entry
on said register under new number for
the amount of Logan's indebtedness to
the bank at that time the said two notes
signed by Mr.. Logan were pinned to-
gether with a copy of the new note so
made and from:that time on were carried
in the pocket or receptacle used by the
bank for that class of paper. The new
note was forwarded to Mr.. Logan for
his signature, which note was never re-
turned by him. !
Neither the Andrew f. Burieigh or
the Logan notes have ever been stamped
as cancelled or paid
in relation to all Of said notes. as made
by Mr.. Batchelor. or under his direction,
were simply made as a matter of con-
yenience in keeping the books and ac-
counts Of the bank and for no other pur-
pose.
Several bank examiners have ex.
amined the records Of the bank, includ- |
ing the paper carried by the bank in the |
nature OF loans. The examiners have
been fully informed and advised as to |
the nature and character of the entries, |
and 90 far as know no word Of disap-
proval has ever come from the Comp
troller Of the Currency in relation to
such entries.
As to the charge OF embezzlement in |
the sum OF q, 700 by Mr.. H. F. Bachelor |
as president. and Elmer E. Bachelor as |
cashier, will simply say that the books |
Of the bank and other evidence obtain !
able will be such as to show that said |
moneys were paid out for the purposes !
indicated by the records Of the bank, |
and that neither Of the Bachelors rea-
lized any benefit from such payments.
c. r. MIDDLETON.