The evening world. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1887-1931, 1894-07-19
THEIR BONDS WORTHLESS.
So Says Receiver Sickels of Har-
lem Rive Bunk Officials,
Defen ds II mself from Criticisms of
Depositors.

C5l David b. Sickels, receiver for the
defunct Harlem River Bank was some
what indignant this morning at the ac-
ton OF the depositors and shareholders
OF the broken bank at meeting held
last night. at which II was openly charg-
ed that the receiver was endeavoring to
protect the officers of the bank and that
outsiders had obtained access to the
! books, while they were refused even a
list of the depositors. They also at
tackled Col. Sickels for not endeavoring
to bring Bookkeeper Kean back from
Canada, and hold that he is unnecessar-
lily slow IN winding up the affairs of the
institution.
II do not want to protect any one"
| Col. Sickels said to an Evening World'
reporter to-day. "If any If these de-
positors will show me evidence incrmi-
mating the officers of the bank ] will
help them TO secure conviction
Col. Sickels then went on to tell some
OF the unpublished history of the bank,
| which, on the face of It, seems to put
| position. He said that when he entered
| into possession he found that the bonds
of all the officers of the bank were al;
most worthless. At the outside he did
not believe they were worth more than
| 10 cents on the dollar.
The American Surety Company OF
ne said, the surety for the bank ON,
GERS. He had sued that company with
unsatisfactory results.
The officers of the Harlem River Bank
had. he said, ali been bonded under a
so-called schedule bond year ago last
Fall. When the Company Jailed nothing
was done to secure new bonds In
| solvent company, yet the bank con
tinued on In business until April Is last
when its doors were closed by State
Superintendent Preston. During all that
able security in case any, Of the EN-
ployees went wrong, and when kean dis
appeared with $4,000 there was no com
pany ready, to spend enough money to
bring him back.
II am perfectly willing, to assist them
in any way. that is possible, but ! can
not spend The money Of; Of the bank Nth Nth
complain that nothing has been done
about Kean. I cannot personally bring
him back; His case Is IN the hands OF
an indictment has been found against
Z" As to winding up the affairs Of the
| bank l am doing Il as rapidly as Is pos.
sible. When I took the recevcrship
receipted for &S4S, 425 So available assets
A great deal of this was IN outstanding
paper. In sixty days | have cole, collected e,
20 per cent, payable July %. Some notes
fall due the latter part of August;
cannot collect them before they are due
AS business men they should know that
1T is not true that ! refused them a
list of depositors. Three gentlemen
called on me Just as was leaving town,
and requested them to call again. One
did so and said they were going ia
form an association and wanted list
of depositors. I replied that ! wished
to consult my counsel before furnishing
the list"
NJ. w. Libas. of 40 Nassau street. a
| member OF the Committee appointed tc
engage counsel and bring the matter be
fore the Grand Jury. said the Commit tet
| would meet tomorrow. He said ina
they had evidence that President Rober
GIL had advanced money on third mort.
| gage, and had also received a deposit OF
1850 after Supt. Preston WAS In cnarst
Of the bank. They would reconimeni a.
the meeting of the depositors TO be hel
mex, Wednesday,, that these facts be laic
| before the Grand Jury.
Mr.. Libas said that VI was apparent
that the officers did not want kesr
| brought back for fear he would make
statement the tendency OF which
would be to implicate them