The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-12-17
SUICIDE OF A BANK CLERK.
John Huntington Seriously Wounds Two
Inspectors and Then Puts Bullets Into
His Own Head.

Inspectors ana lnen Puts bullets Into |
His Own Head.
BY the United Press.
Council Bluffs. Dec. 16.-John Hunt
ington, remittance clerk in the Citizens
state bank, of this city, this morning
shot and seriously wounded +. N. |
Hayden, of Chicago, and A. Cromwell,
OF Minneapolis, respectively superin-
tendent and inspector of the Fidelity
and Casualty company, OF New York
city, and then committed suicide, shoot
ing himself through the head in the pri-
vate Office of the bank.
There was a shortage in the bank
acocmunts of $500 and this caused the
act The shortage dates from last
July, when a $500 check disappeared.
Every employe of the bank was under
bond signed by the Fidelity and Cas-
ualty company and by instruction of
the directors, information of the short
age was sent to the company, which
sent to this city f. N. Hayden, of Chi
cago, and A. Cromwell, of Minneapolis,
to ascertain the truth. The circum-
stantial evidence was largely against
Huntington and he was the first sub
ject of inquiry.
1t was just II o'clock when the confer.
ence between Huntington, the bank Of
ficials and Messrs. Hayden and Crom-
well began. Huntington was asked re-
garding the money he borrowed from
his sister andhe replied that the amount
was about 500. Asked what was his
ltopNeitin,, nf l., 4 4
none of the other mems business.
Cromwell, who did most of the talking
with Huntington, replied sharply that
that was not the kind of thing they
came here for, that they wanted no
more of it. Huntington became excited
ard angry and said "You can't come
here and bulldoZe me. l won't have it,"
After further conversation Hunting
ton however, stepped by Hayden and
pulled a revolver from his pocket. He
placed the weapon close to CromwelPs
head and fired. The bullet struck the
right side of the neck, passing through
behind the windpipe and lodged in the
left side of the neck. Huntington
then turned hisweapon on Hayden, who,
startled by the first shot, had started in
his chair, and before his victim could
rise to his feet sent bullet through the
neck. The bullet narrowly missed the
spinal column, cut through the skin and
flesh of the neck and passed out.
Instantly Huntington turned on
Cromwell before the latter had time to
rise and fired a third. Cromwell threw
up his right hand and received the bull
let just below the wrist. AS Cromwell
succeeded in getting on his feet Hunt
ington fired again, this time striking
Cromwell in the fleshy part of the back
and as Cromwell ran to the door a fifth
shot grazed the skin on his right side.
Huntington was then alone in the
room. All those In the bank had gone
through the outer door just as the
young man placed the revolver to his
right temple and fired the last shot into
his brain. He fell to the floor bleeding
and unconscious.
Hayden's injury was found to be not
serious, although he really had a closer
call than did Cromwell who brought
away three pieces Of lead. His wound
was speedily dressed and Cromwell was
placed under the influence of morphine,
while the doctor probed for the bullets,
all of which were found. The wound
in the throat might easily have been
fatal, as also might that in the back,
had the direction of the bullets been
slightly different
After the shooting the scene at the
bank was a pathetic one. The family
of Huntington was at once notified
and in short time the aged father and
mother arrived in a carriage. The old
father fell on his knees by the side of
the suicide and clasped one bloodless
hand and, in voice choking with sobs,
prayed for forgiveness of his erring
son. Huntington was found lying on
his back on the floor with the blood
running from the wound in his head.
He never regained consciousness and
died at / o'clock, where he had fallen
Cromwell, after recovering from the
effects of the drug, was very weak and
in considerable pain, but tonight was
sitting up in bed and able to talk.