Waterbury evening Democrat., 1894-02-10
LOVE AND MONEY GONE.
Love Was Cashier of a National
 Bank at Watkins, N. Y.
PROBABLY $lO000O IS MISSING.
He Was the President of the Village, but Used the Banks Funds to Boom West ern House Lots and Lost-His Threat to Commit Suicide Not Taken Seriously.

Used the Banks Funds to Boom Vest
 ern House Lots and Lost-His Threat to
 Commit Suicide Not Taken Seriously.
 WATKINS, N. Y. Feb. 10.--The greatest sensation that has been created iii Wat kns and the surrounding country in years was caused when the doors of the First National bank were closed and the tol lowing startling announcement was E st ed OF them:
 Closed because the cashier has run away.
 The cashier was John w. Love, the pres ident of the village and for several years one of the leading men of the place. Ii has been learned that Love left Watkins some time Thursday night, and the amount which he took with him from the banks vaults is estimated at about $50, ,000
 For some time Love ald others of this place have been interested in q city boom at West Muncie, Ind, and it is generally believed that he became involved through speculation there. Love is 8 years old and has a family. The bank has many depos itors in Watkins and vicinity, and groups of men are to be seen on every corner dis cussing the matter.
 Love left a letter for his brother James, stating that he was insane and would kill himself by shooting or jumping into the lake, but this is thought 10 be bluff on account of his taking all the banks funds.
 It is reported that there $10,000 of state money in the bank. The funds of the town of Dix were also there. The excite ment has been intensified by the finding of Loves coat and hat on the dock at McGee's boathouse. It is rumored that a Watkins girl to whom Love was attentive is also missing.
 Said He Would Commit Suicide.
 When James Love went to the postof1ice and got his mail he received a letter from his brother, John Love, who for 10 years had been cashier of the bank. saying that his accounts were short; that the books had been falsitied; that he was unable any longer to bear up under the strain; that no one else was to blame; that he had brought the trouble entirely upon himself, and that he was going away and would commit sui eide by jumping into Seneca lake or by shOOting
 James Love quickly communicated the news to the bank officers, and nasty eX- animation showed that there was less than 5000 in cash in the bank. Further quick running over other books indicated a short age of upward of SlOO00O The comptroller of currency was notified, and he replied by ordering the bank closed pending the ar rival of an examiner, and this was done.
 John Love succeeded his father in the bank, and the family has always had con siderable stock in it. He had the entire confidence of the officers and was given eX- elusive control.
 A few years ago he became largely inter- ested in the West Muncie Und) Improve ment company, and this is believed to have taken the money. The company bought a big tract of land, erected mammoth ho tel, built some factories and made an eff fort to get up a land boom Hard times came, and the lots, it is said, were drug in the market. It is believed that Love carried them as long as the banks money held out, and then, seeing inevitable dis covery at hand and knowing that he was criminally responsible, he decamped.
 Kissed His Wife and Disappeared.
 Love attended to business Thursday as usual and was home to dinner, after which he aifectiOnately kissed his wife and baby goodby and said that he was going to Penn Yan to attend a Red Mems banquet.
 Later some acquaintancts saw him walk ing toward the depot, and to them he said that he was going away. This was the last seen of him. but there are few people who believe that he took the train, as he was we'll known to all the Northern Central railroad employees, and none can be found who saw him on the train. It is believed if he went away that he was driven out of town, and there are many who think friends of his could tell more about his whereabouts than they do if they were willing.
 The bank had many village depositors and large patronage from the farmers It is claimed by officers that the concern will be able to pay 100 cents on the dollar, but conservative men shake their heads and predict that the disaster will be more widespread than is now surmised.
 Love was a popular young man and ap- parently devoted to his family. He never drank, and beyond the owning of fast horse he is not known to have had any eN- travagant habits. If he gamblcd or specu- lated in stock, the people of Watkins do not know it. In fact his disappearance and the revelation following were complete sur prise. Since the receipt by his brother of the letter mentioned not the least news of his whereabouts has been obtained, but this is not surprising, as he had an all night start, and it was not until afternoon. that the authorities woke up and telegraph ed description of him to New York ana other cities.