New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-11-25
pORBED BY A BOOKKEEPER
Continued from First Page.

hold at once. A verdict of death by accidental
drowning was rendered.
T, Is known that New.York detectives arrived
Of Sands Point yesterday with a warrant for the
arrest Of a prominent man Of that place
80 SUSPICION OF FRAUD.
The officers Of the Shoe and Leather Bank
were without the least suspicion of the fraud
until early last week. 1t was not until Thursday
that its enormous character dawned upon them
last Monday See,y failed to appear at the bank
having had a holiday on the Saturday previous
His absence on Monday required the assignment
~ another bookkeeper to his work. which in
ended the care Of the ledger covering A TO K
Of the alphabet. This took in Bakers account
a depOstOr who, the bank officials saw had
kent an account at the bank for thirty wears
The clerk who was put In Seely's place found
hat something was wrong with the accounts
and he reported the fact To his superors Mes
sengers were sent to Seely's house in BROOKLYN
on Tuesday. and search was made for him in
the places he was in the habit OF frequentng
II discovered that he had fled HI had left
his home on Friday night with a trunk and hand
saichel. which he had packed hurriedly Presi-
dent Crane and some Of the principal directors OF
the bank held consultation. which resulted in
sending for w. H. Kimball. United States Bank
Examiner Mr.. Kimball began work on Thurs
day and finished it yesterday morning. In the
mean time. however he was able to report dis
coveries which showed that the bank had been
feeced numerically by Seely and Baker Yester-
day morning he laid before the officers the full
amount Of the robbery. ara reported the fact to
the Gearing House Committee.
HOW THE THEFTS WERE CONCEALED
Seely's method. as demonstrated by Mr. Kim
ball. was TO transfer to the account of Baker
his accomplice. large sums from the accounts of
large depositors. which appeared in Seely's
ledger. When Bakers check would come in to
be cashed. examination Of the ledger would
show ample funds to his credit. and his drafts
were always promptly honored. When it be-
came necessary 10 balance the depOsitOrs &C
counts which had been depleted to swell Bakers
supposed deposits. Seely would return them to
their normal condition by making transfers
from the accounts OF other customers AS he
had charge Of the \ TO X ledger. and also the
skeleton bank ledger. he was enabled 10 keep
on transferring and balancing and swelling
Bakers balances during the many years
through which the fraud ran. The directors.
with entire confidence in Seely. examined his
books daily. as occasion required. but never
doubted that they presented the exact state of
the accounts they contained.
FRIGHTENED BY a CHANGE OF BOOK
KEEPING.
Nevertheless it had been decided to introduce
a system of bookkeeping on Thursday last.
seely was. Of course. aware of it. and it
q knowledge of this fact that brought his long
career of crime TO a sudden termination. The
next night he fugitive.
The alarming proportions Of the spoliaton
made it necessary for President Crane and the
directors to appeal to the Clearing House Com
mttee. These bank presidents and members
Of the Clearing House Committee went to the
bank and examined Its condition: George f.
Baker Of the First National Bank: +. y. Tap
pan. of the Galatin National Bank; George G.
Williams. of the Chemical National Bank; Ed
ward II. Perkins. jr, Of the Importers and
Traders National Bank; William Winslow
Sherman. of the Bank Of Commerce; Henry w
Cannon. OF the Chase National Bank; W. A.
Nash, Of the Corn Exchange Bank. and J. Ed
ward Simmons, OF the Fourth National Bank.
After careful examination. they certified that the
bank was sound, notwithstanding the loss, and
was able to pay its depositOrs in full.
Cashier William ID. Van Week Of the bank
promptly put the cases OF oeely and Baker in the
hands of Police Inspector Mclaughlin and de-
tectives Of the Central Office were set 10 work on
the matter. Detective Sergeants Nugent Crouch
and Titus visited the bank yesterday afternoon
AMI had conference with President Crane and
Vice-President Pease 1t was said that the police
have had the depositor. Baker under surveil-
lance for several days. and that his arrest was
probable at any moment.
Cashier Van Week went also 10 the Federal
Building yesterday and consulted with Assistant
United States District-Attorney John o. Mott
United States Commissioner Shields and United
States Marshal McCar;y was also called In. 1t
said that warrants were issued Tor the runa-
way clerk and his accOmplice.
The officers of the Shoe and Leather Bank We're
al loss yesterday To conjecture where the vast
sum Of which the institution has been despoled
had gone. Austin COrbin. president Of the Long
Island Railroad Company said last evening mat
he had reason 10 believe that II had been Invested
in the Boynton Bicycle Electric Railway, which IS
constructed between Benport ana BeIport sta
ton, Long Island.
4 STATEMENT BY THE BANK.
The National Shoe and Leather Bank issued
November "a. 1894.
bookkeeper o. this bank has disappeareal, a or
request by the National Bank hxaiI', ~, i,o ma" 10
proven MIN deauler to me ain al ON M he stock
holders for assessment suhcient IN, 20 a'' by
cover any deficiency. We append statement -
the Clearing House JOHN PHI.' ~ CRANE. President.
recent examination OF the affairs OF Ine
9 9ns E snG9 sna deSeioped Of
and after an investigation by the Clearing 'iouH'
Committee this loss was confirmed 49,. ,rion
The committee are unanimous In the Epi M a
that Notwithstanding this loss the PAM - ~ a
sound condition and able to pay all rs
IN full GEORGE r Iii,b bxxhEZN'
+ = =, TREFi fklSXiss 'R'
WILLIAM A. NASH;
Clearing House Committee
The following bank officers we're present dIT ni,5
me nVeseSu ,h na a should arise George f.
Baker First National Bank; Frederick H. In,Ppan'
Gsan N Xaiiana Bank E. II Perkins IT, In
porters and Traders National Bank; W. W Sner-
man National Bank of Commerce; II: W IAN, Cain on
Chase National Bank ". y. Nash corn hXcmahse
Bank: j. Edward simmons, Fourth NatlonaI Hank.
Tho house NO % West SIEVE ntieth-st when
is ei,.4n in the directory the address OF Fred
erck Haker was closed last evening. The re-
porter rang the bell several times IN the base-
ment and at the halldOOr. but there was no
response. People HNlls III nv ,,ii.'h,,1 i,n
told the reporter that no sign OF ire mao pe EEL
seen In the house for several days. Careful IN,
quirv Of the storekecpers around about resulted
IN little until at length the proprietor or drug
store v,as found who assured the reporter that
Mr. Raker and his son voted from their house
on Election Day, and had come 70 I'VE theIe