The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1893-11-18
Ex- President Of tho Merchants Bank
Of crsat Falls ACCUSED Of
Embszzlemsnk
Said to Have Taken Away &c.
ouritiss Pledged for Money
Advanced.
xhe Unitsa states Grand Jury Flnds {
1Yus Bill aud He II Put Ualer
5000 BoaAs.


charging him with converting to his own
uss securities which had been pledged TO
the institution Of which he was the hasd. -
sollstsSai for monsy advanced him. In
antistustisn Of sueh = proceeding Mr..
HANKS had secured counsel n the ps rsoas
sf Cox W. y. Sanders, Ltsst-Gov. A. 9.
Bothtn and Hon. Thomas X. Carter. He
WAS alssady under bonds given 10 the
Usitsd suites commissioners ~ GssAt Fslls
whom 10 Vas nrst arrested on ths charge
SID had his pssliminasy sxanination.
Whsn Ne Indictment was Tsturned Judge
Knovlss directed that thu sesussd fusatsh
. now bond In the sun Of $1,000 To \
abs him 10 ssours this bond Mr.. HApks
vas PLACED In charge Of Col. Sanders ole
o. his eouassl who was 70 BE- responsible
for he safe keeping. The fading Of bail
vas not saeh An easy matter. and II was
late In the afternoon before NJ. Haaks
secured Commodore T. G. Power and
Richard Jockey 10 serve % his bondsms on.
There ID bat one count in tho indictment.
u charges that on Dee. !, 1890. Hanks. who
vas ~ the time president oiths MsFchants'
National bank Of Great Falls. transferred
10 that institution : csstihoats for nifty
shares Of the capital stock Of
the Cascade bank Of Great Falls.
Of ths market value Of 5000. The stock
vas made ont in bis OWN name. and vas
transfsrrsd on the back to George A. wslls,
cashier Of. the Merchants bank, presuna-
ably for money borrowed BY Hanks, thosRh
the Indictment does not ny 50. II is fur
the, charged shat on Sept. ID. 1891. Hanks
unlawfully and without the knowledge and
consent Of The bank embeszlsd and son
vsrtsd the stock to his own use.
The Merohnnts' National bank Of Great
Falls suspended last summer, shortly. after
Hanks had resigned from the presidency.
ment were based were discovered after L.
q. Phelps had taken possession OF the bank
~ receiver. :
In technical terms the indictment found
BY the grand Jury reads - follows:
The grand JURORS Of the United States Of
America. duly smpnnslsd, sworn and
charged to inquire within q for the dis
triot Of Nontana and true pressntmsnts
mako Of all crimes against the laws OF tbs
United Statss within said district. upon
their oaths and '~nfirmations ind and pre-.
sent that Will Hanks, Of the district Of
Montana. In the circuit Aforesaid. and
within the Jurisdiction OF this cou.t. on
o6OBs xOp xCVAt - S0V ~
being then and there president Of . certain
National banking association. thsn and
there known and designated - the Nor
chants National bank Of Great Falls. Mon
tana, which said association had bssn
t~hsretofors creAssd 1nd organized under
and BY virtue Of tho laws OF the United
States relative to the organization Of
national banks. which said association WAS
then and there acting and carrying on the
banking business in said city of Great Falls.
in said district of Montana, under said laws
Of the United States; and that the said VIII
Hanks, a. suoh' president. then and there
had and received in and into his possession
the moneys, funds and credits Of said bank
ing association u certain csrtiionte
Of stock OF the Cascade bank. Of Great
Falls. Mont, which said osrti6osts WAS in
the words and figures following. to-wlh:
On the faos of said esrsideate: "lncor-
posated under the laws of Montana. No.
ital stock. $4,000. Four hundred shares
$4,000. g eat Falls. Mont. This is 70
certify that Will Hanks ID the owne Of nifty
shares OF the capital stock OF the Cascade
bank. transferable only on the books OF the
bank, in 20. son, or by attorney. on surren-
der Of this certidoats properly endorsed.
In witness whereof the said bank ia.
this certificate to DO signed By its president
and cashier At Great Falls. this fourth day
OF April, 1889. =. e. Atkinson. president.
+. p. Atkinson, cashtst."
On the back Of said certificate: "Foz
value received I sell. assign and transfer to
George A. Wells. oashisr.. nifty shares OF
the within mentioned stock and do hereby
constitute and appoint George A. Wells.
cashier. my attorney ~trfsyocable for me
and in my name to transfer tho same ON
the books of the bank. with full power Of
substitution insthe premlses. Witness my
hand and seal this LIST day Of ber.
1899. Will Hanks. Witns.s, N. s. Burma
And which said osrtinoats Of stock. a,
said last mentioned date, Wal OF the value
Of $4,000. lawful money Ct the United
had been, BY said viii Hanks. duly ,rans-
ferred. assigned and delivered to said
George A. Wells Ms cashier Of the said
Merchants National bank, and then and
there being. on Sept. ID. 1891. OF ths
moneys, funds and credits OF She said Mer'
chants National bank, and then and
there being In tho possession OF the
said Will Hanks o. such president
and there, With forcs and arms. wronRfullx.
unlawfully. feloniously. aud with thesin-
tent to injure and defraud said Merchants
National bank. and without the knowledge
and consent of said Me- chants National
bank, did smb zEle and couveft TO his own
use the said certificate OF stock of said
4. Cascade bank Of Great Falls. OF the value
aforesaid. contrary to the TO m of the
statute in such oasss made and provided,
and against the peace and dignity Of thu
United States of America.
Court Notes.
The case Of George Neimiok w. the Amer
lean Insurance company ia still on tria.