The sun., 1894-12-17
FIVE SHOTS In THE BANK.
4 CLERK WOUNDS TWo MEN VINO
WERE BANNING mrs lCCOU UNITS.

| IrItng 10 trace email Dcuctt N Nhe
| Citisen.' Bsnk or Counen Ri-Ts s-O-e
OF Them shot Three Times, and both
May Die-Ths Stories OF Eyewitnes-cs.
| COUNCIL BLUFFS, Ia, Dec. 16.--A sensational
| tragedy occurred in the private ONCE Of the
Citizens Bank about IL o'clock this morning.
| John II. Huntington. q clerk In the bank. shot
| 3. II. Hayden of Chicago and c. A. Crom-
well Of Minneapolis, experts In the en-
ploy Of the Fidelity and Casualty Com
pany of New York. seriously wounded
them, and then turned his revolver on himself
| with fatal effect. Hayden received a shot
| through the neck and IL very seriously hurt.
| Cromwell was shot three times. One bullet
passed through the jaw, another fractured his
wrist, and third ball entered his back below
the shoulder blade and ranged forward. His
injuries are Of q dangerous nature.
Hayden and Cromwell came from Chicago
three days ago at the request Of the officials Of the
| bank to investigate shortage of $500. All the
| employees Of the bank were under bonds in the
surety company, and the experts were sent
| here to trace the shortage. They had an en-
| gagement with Huntington at the bank this
morning, and were in the directors room ques-
| tioning the young man, when suddenly without
| a moments warning, he walked over to where
| Cromwell was sitting and shot him. Hayden
| and Mr.. Edmundson, President Of the bank,
| were In the room. and at once ran out, and 30
did Cromwell. Before the inspectors reached
door, however, Huntington emptied three moro
| of the chambers OF the revolver into them, and
then turned the weapon against himself. The
revolver was found lying by his side with all the
| chambers empty.
Hayden and Cromwell ran down First avenue
to the Grand Hotel, where they were stopping.
Cromwell fed up the stairs. into the parlor, and
closed the door. crying, Keep that man away
from ~ He was soon followed by Hayden
| with the blood gushing from an ugly wound in
| the neck. The wounded mon were then taken TO
| their rooms, where their injuries were dressed.
At the bank Immediately after the tragedy
| every body was too excited TO understand just
what had happened. The noise attracted q
| crowd and several persons made their way into
| the directors room. Here young Huntington
| was found lying on his back on the floor with
the blood gushing from wound in his head.
Smoke filled the room and the chairs were upset.
covered with blood. He never regainsd
consciousness and died at 1 O'Clock where he
+. II. Hayden was seen after the shooting. and
made the following statement:
, We were sitting in the room questioning
questions. to which he took exception and grew
quite angry. was sitting in front Of him and
room. The questions we asked did not accuse
the man Of any crime. but were leading up TO it.
Suuuenly huntington uEOse, WlluOuL any luulCu-
tion of what he was going to do. thought he
was going to the toilet room. He walked behind
quickly pulled out his pistol and shot him.
Jumped up to- to run when sR he & turned = his =wsapon pom
tected as we both ara ran toward the door No one
aefend a oarssisss 20 anu "' "er' mo- prepared
Frank TrImble was In the bank talking to
| things were getting warm In the back room,
when suddenly he heard tie shots. They were
burst out Of the room and ran out and down to
the Grand Hotel; % II was greatly excited, and
did not escape" Trimbles calls soon brought a
bank and into the room where Huntington lay.
4; ID. Edmundson. President Of the bank. said:
sty compsny 6sye been here for Tie Is pas, tire.
days investigating the deficiency which was dis
covered on July 20 last. This was on the eve OF
TO account for the $500 shortage. but attributed
II to some mistake rather than to a premeditated
gate the affair. About ten days ago we sent for
for a meeting at 10 O'Clock this morning"
Messrs. Hayden and Cromwell, Mr.. Hannah
brief conference. John Huntington was stand
| ing At his desk in the bank proper. We called
hs an
which were given abruptly and with an inso,,
lepce new IN the the young man; When asked asked
reply. i borrowed it, and when questioned as
to the parties from whom he borrowed If he
T forget Mr. Hannah left during the
Interrogation, and a few moments later ! de-
Huntington also arose % and started. as thought
for the small closet just of the directors room.
the door / did not hear another shot, and
Immediately the two examiners staggered out
tss and 'hs a
With 2 a stream of blood pouring from wound in
In reference to the character Of Huntington
him an honest young man, though we knew that
sSs in III s iasssrty heard the '' SS
John Huntington was Just 2l years of age.
He entered the bank three or four years ago,
tanes @ CLERK. lie had d. been be s Keeping &C company
during the last four years with young lady OF
Shortly after his death the Coroner r. removed @ the
body 70 Estey's undertaking rooms where an
nFSsss w S ee nea tSs SyDS mSTnns ntu
The father remained at his side 20 the last, i'm
Ploring those near him to keep the matter from
that the news had spread like wiidfre
a., 1t isnothing for him e die " he cried, but
but was not allowed TO enter the room until
death was near. The effect upon her was terri
saw s; her her at ii The d side Of her s6n. '' "0
Late tonight fears are entertained that the
two wounded men will die. They are In bad
condition.
by the United Pres.
There was . shortage OF $500, and this caused
the act. The shortage dates from last July. On
the 10th OF that month four $500 checks passed
into the Citizens Bank. Only three Of those
checks have ever been accounted for. The first
the cashier OF the bank, q. X. Harmon. knew OF
the matter was about the 18th to the goth OF
August, when his bOokkeeper, Mr.. Roff. called
his attention TO the fact that there differ
ence OF $400 between the statements of the Citi-
Omaha
The Citizens Bank had $500 charged up 10
the South Omaha bank which the latter had
failed 70 give credit for. Inquiry was At once
made of all the employees OF the bank who
might know Of the matter, sad an Investigation
was made. The whole matter was checked over
without finding the mistake. The investigation
showed that on July 10 four items OF $500 each
had passed through the hands Of the receiving
teller.
Three OF these items were traced successfully
TO their settlement The other item. IL was
found, had gone from the receiving teller into