The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1894-12-24

NEy YORK, Dec. 2S.-The Herald to.
d,v publishes a lengthy statement
written by Samuel G. seely. the de-
i,pt,ing teller of the National Shoe &
Leather Bank. in which he gives tho
whole history Of how he came to rob the
bank Of sS54,OOO. sesley will be sem
fenced tomorrow.
In bis statement Seely says the whole
affair grew out OF his mistake in not
correcling clerical error ten years
svo He had been connected with the
bank since 1880, and was getting 81 800.
Until 1885, he says, Frederick Baker
was an utter stranger to him. He says:
/ became first acquainted with him
through q mistake I mad made-an
oysrdraft. l had noticed his namo in
The books in the postings, the came az
others. but had no other knowledge Of
him beyond that.
Nv mistake which led to the over
draft was purely clerical error. l did
not notice this mistake until next
morning, when was balancing the
ledger. I think that was in the year
lSS5 It is long while ago, and, owing
10 what l have inst gone through, my
memory is not clear as TO dates and
amounts. The amount OF the error was
no. more than $1,000, and probably
something less-I cannot be positive
about it.
At any rate 1t was enough overdraft
to irichten me at not reportiug it in
stantly. lost no time, however, in
sending MIR. Baker the regular printed
oyerdrait notice. He paid no attention
to il, and two days later called at his
Office. found him Sitting in a chair
and said TO him:
"Mr. Baker. l paid your account (so
much on such day. I sent you no.
tce informing you that your account
was oyerdrawn and you have not paid
auy attention TO 1t. have not reported
the matter to the officers OF the bank.
will you please send a deposit to make
the deficit good?"
"There must be some mistake Mr..
Baker said. II will give you my, pass
book to balance, and then you will see."
If l remember rightly now. he did
give me his passbook. proved to him
that his account was ovordrawn. He
appeared 10 be thoroughly honest
man. aud SO l waited, saying nothing to
the bank officials. Then l saw him
again, and he said to met
"Wel, as soon as l get some OF my
rents in will go up and make that
matter good to you"
This went on for some days, 1 do not
remember just how long. Finally he
came to my window in the bank and
sad:--
"Seely, l will make that all right in a
few days, but i want to close a little
deal in real estate, and as soon as l
make a turn l will settle that right
away. No one will know anything
about it except you and !"
Seeley then proceeds to tell the story
Of the events that followed; how he
kept on cashing Bakers checks, each
time Baker telling him that he would
straighten matters out when he real
lied on bis real estate deal. He says:
One day-I cannot recall the precise
time-Mr. Baker came to me again, but
he only repeated his first story. / lasked
him to settle, but he said he had an-
other deal 10 make--that the first one
had not been put through, but as soon
as it was he would vino out his indebt-
edness.
Then l found that other checks OF
Bakers were coming in through the
Clearing House and from other quart
es. II | refused to credit him ] knew
would be found out, and then he was
always promising. He would say
u have lots Of property up town.
am well secured. You need not be
afraid. | have payment to make and
l must have the cash. l have aome
sales on hand, and Sas soon as / market
them will be right on my feet again
and will have plenty Of money"
lie TRUSTED BAKER
Trusted him, and time went on. But
when, through his fictitious credit, he
got up $1,000 or $1,000, I made up my
mind to 20 aud SEQ him. But it was no
use. Then l had debts oil my own.
One day | said to him.
Mi. Baker,iT am in n tight hole, will
you lend me some money? will give
You my noto for 1t. When you make
good your overdrait will pay it back"
He said certainly" and | made out
the note for Sl75 for three months. l
have o memorandum OF that and other
notes. That first note was dated July0,
1855. On September 10. 1855, ho gave
lhe a check for SIS. On December 5,
lSSj, | borrowed $3.50 on my note for
three months. On February %, 1886, |
borrowed 500 OIL my note for three
months. That makes 5000. At various
other times | received sums which in
all do not aggregate more than $40 900.
as these loans, II | may call them so,
extend over Il period OF about ton years
y will bo seen that my average from
Mr.. Baker was about Sl,000a year
>, Ihls was tho beginning Of the end.
For ten years this vent on, Baker hold
Ing Seely oil by promising TO make the
matter good, until finally his over drafts
reached S35i,010 and it was impossible
70 !. '"ttlc. All Seely got out Of II was tho
$40 900 ho borrowed from Baker.
s'eiy's story is pathetic ono oi how
ne pied with Baker constantly to make
MN good so no could s;raighton tho
books and make matters all right. Then
came the crisis. Seely ran away and
EaEcr committed suicide. Seely con.
c'ndes BY saying: There 10 one lesson
I" DO drawn from my iato-that Is that
n" ono can afford even for one 'ecnnd
10 hide mistake he may have inadvcr'
,ently made with money that belongs