Bennington semi-weekly banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 1894-1902, 1894-09-14
Geo. W. Collins Disappears.

For several days the village has been
full of rumors concerning the disappear
ance of George W. Collins, who, for the
last four years, has been general man
ager for Vermont of the Wayne Build
ing and Loan Association of Palmyra,
N. Y. Different causes for his absence
have been given, and rumors of short
age, varying in amount from $3.50 to ST.
500, have been widely circulated. With
a view of getting at the facts as near as
possible, BANNER representative WIS.,
| tied Mrs. Collins at her home on Grove
street and from her learned the follow
ing:
Since Mr.. Collins assumed the general
agency of the company, he has been
away from home considerable. Satur-
day, September LIST, he left his home in
the afternoon, saying that he was going
to Rutland on the five o'clock train and
should return on Monday. He took no
extra clothing with him save thin over
coat that he usually carried on his trips.
He appeared in good spirits, and there
was nothing to indicate that he was in
any trouble. The day before he went
away, he had some business relations
with James L. Mccall, and paid him
| about 81, 100 on account of the AssoC,a-
ton. Mrs. Collins says that she does
not believe that he had any great amount
of money with him. While he was gen
orally not very communicative in regard
to his business, she says that from all
that she could see or learn his accounts
with the company were all right, and
she had no idea that there was anything
wrong.
Monday, one of the family received a
letter from him which was apparently
written on the train, as there was no
date, and the postmark was unintelligi-
BILE. In it he said that he was going to
some unknown country, and that the
next day he should be on the water.
This was a surprise to the family, who
thought Immediately something was
wrong with him. He had disappeared
in like manner some six years ago, and
for several months had been an inmate
of an insane asylum in New York State.
The family had noticed some strange &C
tons of late on his part, but Mrs. Col
Inns says that he was perfectly rational
when he left home. There was nothing
in his home life that would cause him to
60 away.
Mrs. Collins is firmly of the opinion
that there was nothing that would drive
him away except the knowledge that
there was shortage in his accounts,
and she does not believe that there is
word of truth in she rumors that are be-
ing circulated. The Wednesday after
he left, telegram came from the COM
pany calling for some reports, and then
believing that there might be something
wrong, she notified the company that
he was away and that she did not know
where.
The secretary of the company came
here Tuesday, and has been here most
of the time since looking up the affairs,
He called on her first, and then informed
her that there was undoubtedly def
cheney somewhere, but could not say
how much.
Mrs. Collins and the family feel the
matter very deeply and have the SYM
pathy of many friends in their trouble,
but which is nothing that they should
| be blamed for, or have to suffer for.
The secretary of the company, Mr..
Shipman, was visited at the Putnam,
and from him the following was learned:
There are about seventy-fve members of
the Association here, and the local bust
ness has been quite prosperous. Mr..
Collins was the general agent and was
accustomed to deposit the company
funds weekly and send to it a deposit
| slip for the amount deposited. The de-
post slip for August 18th was duly re-
ceived by the company, and in fact ever
siuce Mr.. Collins had been connected
with the Association, he had been
one of the promptest of the agents in
making his returns and reports. His
monthly report for August had not been
received up to Tuesday, the 4th inst,
and he had written to Mr.. Collins inquir-
ing about it, when the notice from his
wife that he was away, was received,
and he Immediately came here.
Mr.. Shipman does not believe that Mr..
Collins went to Rutland as inquiries
have been made there for him. He was
| known there but no one had seen him.
During his stay here, Mr.. Shipman
has investigated the affairs of the Asso-
citation, has examined nearly all the pass
books, and states emphatically that the
shortage will not exceed $3.50, and that
none of the shareholders will lose a
cent, although some of them are antici-
pating loss of their usual monthly div
idends.
Mr.. Shipman corroborated the state
ment of Mrs. Collins that he paid Mr..
Mccall $1,100 the day before he went
away. He thinks that Mr.. Collins must
have been insane, as a man would hardly
ruin himself and bring the disgrace on
his family that he has, for a small sum
J like $3.50.