Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-11-26
The Drowned Man Undoubtedly
Seely's, Accomplice.
ROBBNG THE Shoe AND LEATHER BANK
Paying Teller Sayres Tells Of Pay
ments to Baker.
INN UNITY FOR SEELY

NEW YORK November 26.-The doors
| of the National Shoe and Leather Bank
| were opened this morning just as uncon-
| cernedly as though the institution had not
been recently plundered of $4,000 by one
| of its trusted bookkeepers.
1--WE are prepared for any emergency
said one of the bank directors today. I'VE
stand prepared to pay out every dollar OF
| our Indebtedness just as soon as 1t Is called
| for but indications are that we will not be
very hard pressed"
Though there was no apparent danger OF
a run on the bank all necessary precau-
| tions were taken. The directors have held
numerous conferences and when the bank
doors opened this morning all was in
readiness for whatever trials or tests the
| solidty Of the Institution might be subject
| ed to.
After q session OF nm hour this morning
the directors meeting adjourned until z
o'clock. No authoritative statement was
made as to the amount of the assessment
that it had been decided to levy upon
| stockholders to meet the Impairment or
| capital. Director Beach would neither al
| firm nor deny the truth Of the statement
| that 1t had been decided to make the as
| sessment 30 per cent. Offers Of assistance
| from other banks were declined, with the
| assurance that aid was not needed, as the
| bank had received in deposits today more
| by 80 per cent than the Withdrawals. The
directors decided upon the adoption OF q
| system Of bookkeeping which. they de-
clare, will preclude any possibility of the
recurrence of wrong doings such as Seelys s.
| The sons of the late Frederick Baker
| insist that their fathers business record
was immaculate; that it Is absurd to charge
him with completely in Seely's wrong doing.
| as he had no deposit in the bank and left
| no papers as evidence that he had ever
| had any transactions with the institution.
On the other hand the bank officials assert
| that Baker had been depositor for the
past thirty years. 1t Is intimated that the
| directors are in communication with coun-
| sci regarding proceedings to secure prop
erty left by Baker as indemnity for the
| banks losses through his operations with
Seely.
| Despite the assertions of Frederick Ba-
| kers sons to the effect that their father
| was not the man implicated within Seely
| and that he did 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 a week, averaging about
5000 each, has positively Identified the
| body. Mr.. Sayres said to a reporter today:
| There is not the slightest doubt that the
| man who was found drowned at Flushing
on Saturday was Frederick r.. Baker, the
| man who assisted Seeiy to rob the bank,
| and the man to whom 1 personally paid
! the money. / have known him for at least
| eight years. and during that period have
| paid him money at least three times a
| week. Baker always presented his checks
| personally. ! never remember him send
| ing one by any messenger or clerk to be
| cashed all the time 1 have been in the
| bank. He generally came about three
| times a week, and the checks would be
| drawn for odd amounts. never over s40O at
time, though generally S15, $3.50 or $215
| or sums like that. In order to ascertain
| positively whether the man who was found
| drowned at Flushing on Saturday was the
| same Baker, I made a journey there last
| night, and l no sooner saw the body than
identified it. The sons told me they could
rot believe it, as they never knew he had
| an account at the Shoe and Leather Bank,
| and could not find the slightest trace Of
anything to verify 1T among the dead mans
papers.
IT told them could not help that. All
l knew was that the dead man was the
one who had presented the checks to me
so regularly for the past eight years and
to whom had paid the money. AS I was
positive they felt convinced and although
terribly shocked couldn't deny it."
terms with Seely the defaulting book
keeper, said this morning that it was cruel
to accuse the fugitive of having been
pool room gambler. 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
fl Cm Bakers estate. If Seely can be COM
municated with it is thought the bank Of
ficials will offer him Inducements to re-
turn, which ir effect will be a practical
guarantee of immunity from prosecution.
Inere mas Deen run Ui ally sort SO
far on the National Shoe and Leather Bank
this morning. Only $4,000 has been paid
out, which is an average amount. The di-
rectors of the bank are still in session to
determine the amount of the assessment to
be made on the stockholders to make good
the deficit in the banks capital. 1t is
understood that the assessment will be
a