The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1894-11-27
THE BANK LOOTERS.
Seely, the Fugitive Bookkeop3r,
Not Yet Located,
BAKERS SHARE IN THE BIG STEAL,

Evidence Accommodating That the Dead Man
Had Contemplated Suicide for Some Time.
Believed to Have Robbed Estates Of
which lie was Executor.
NEW YORK, Nov. 27-Tho doors Of the
National shoe and Leather bank were |
opened yesterday just as unconcernedly as |
though the institution had not been re- |
Gently plundered of 1854, 900 by one of its |
trusted bookkeepers. owe are prepared |
for any emergency" said one of the bank |
directors. I'VE stand prepared to pay out |
every dollar of our Indebtedness just as |
soon as it is called for" There was no |
run on the bank, although the officials
were prepared for one. There was $4,000
paid out an average days business, while
the receipts were largely in excess of that
| amount.
Despite the assertions Of Frederick
| Baker sons to the effect that their father
was not the man implicated with Seely in
| the looting of the bank, and that he dld
not even have an account there, Paying
Teller Gilbert Sayres, of the bank, the
man who for eight years past has cashed
checks for Baker personally at least three
times week, averaging about $500 each,
If Seely is alive the bank officials will
do all they can to bring him back, as his
evidence is absolutely necessary in order
TO recover the losses from Bakers estate
If the fugitive bookkeeper can be com
municated with, it is Thought, the bank
Iofficials will offer him Inducements to re
turn, which in effect will be a practical
guarantee of immunity from prosecution
The box of the late Frederick h. Baker
in the vaults of the First National bank
was opened yesterday afternoon in the
presence of the vice president of the Park
National bank and their attorney, Director
Beach and the Shoe and Leather bank $
attorney, and Frederick r, Baker, son OF the
late Mr.. Ballcr and his attorney. Sundry
papers of no value, memoranda of possible
value and an amount of currency less than
$500, were found in the box There were
also several life insurance policies drawn
! by the Equitable Life Insurance company.
r In the box there was also Will executed
+ by the deceased Mr.. Baker in 1871.
The bank officials are going to pay con
, siderable attention to the late Mr.. Baker S
, life insurance policies. They say they are
convinced that the Baker family will be
' made to see the justice of the bank S claim
/ against his property, and they look fol
4 restitution as ample as the Bakers can
4 make.
From certain facts adduced today there
can be little doubt that Baker had planned
to commit suicide some time ago. Nc
later than Oct. 4 last Mr.. Baker had take1
q out two insur ance policies of $4,000 eacl
. with the Equitable Life Insurance com
- pany. 1t was found that these policies
y were incontestable, an additional premium
's of 500 each being paid to make them so
~ The two policies were made payable Il
- Bakers wife, and the officials of the in
n suranoe company have made practical ad
No mission that they are not rendered invali'
n because of Bakers suicide. 1t is ais
n known that Baker tried to take out
is policy for $4,000 with a Connecticut lif
Insurance company, but declined to do S
because the company would not strike ou
the suicide clause in his policy. 1t
c. thought Baker had at least $4,000 wort
a of incontestable insurance on his life, a
o. of which was made in favor of his wife.
h. Attempts to trace the disposition tina
Is Baker made of the money of which b
IS robbed the bank, and the public announc'
,d ment of his transactions Herewith, hay
o. brought to light facts that indicate th'
4 as far back as fifteen years ago he bega
o. his populations, and that his stealings wi
81 amount in the aggregate to an enormoI
sum, far above the amount taken frol
the bank.
Baker, who had good reputation Il
,s+ honesty and business shrewdness, su
n,, ceeded in getting control, during the la
~ ter years Of his life, Of number of goo
20 estates He was either executor or Il
trustee of funds for the heirs. Those pc
- sons who trusted him are now allegiI
Of that he appropriated large sums of mon
W., belonging to them to his own use just he
~ far as he did so only his own books tn
are now locked up in his safe in charge
his son Frederick will show.
If these charges prove true they she
he Baker to have been not only one of t
w most remarkable defaulters of the az
of but also explain to a large extent why
lrt became necessary for him to enter into
nd scheme with Seely to rob the bank. /
r a ing unfortunate in his speculations,
red most part, Baker, his accusers say,
sorted to the bank thefts to get money
pay these aocruing amounts. In this W
he kept those for whom he was trustee I
,ok solutely in the dark as to the state of til
be property.
VI