Waterbury evening Democrat., 1895-01-15
PRISON OR THE GRAVE.
Defaulter Abbott of Nashua, N.
 H., Chose the Latter.
KILLED HIMSELF TO AVOID ARREST

He Had Robbed the Bank In Which He Was Cashier of SS5, ,OOO-C Confessed First to His Children-Was Pillar of the Church and Treasurer of the City Funds. DOVER, \. H., Jan. l5.-Isaac F. Alb bolt, the defaulting cashier of the Dover National bank. shot and killed himself in his home just before the arrival of United States Marshal Campbell. who had q war rant for his arrest. His brother heard the lhot and found him lying on the floor, with his face shattered and covered with blood.
 During the morning Abbott had con fesSed to reporter He said he might have tided over the examination of the bank at this time and covered up his steal ings for another year, but the amount of his embeZzlement was getting so large that discovery could not long be delayed, and he decided to face the music. . He declared that he had arranged the lock of the bank vault so that it could not be opened until today. He decided to call his children to him and inform them of his disgrace before they could learn it from the newspapers.
 II made up my mind to let them know what had happened" he said and then decided whether l should go to tho state prison or the cemetery.
 Abbott had been cashier of the hank for 20 years and was one of the most promi nent residents of the city and was also city treasurer Examiner Dorr says the short age will amount to moro than SS0, 900. The bank has suspended.
 The Dedication Discovered. He declared that his accounts as city treasurer and as treasurer of the Five Cent Savings bank were all right and had not been tempered with.
 Vague rumors of shortage in Abbott x accounts gained currency last Friday when Bank Examiner Dorr came hero to examine the hooks of the bank An in vestigatiOn of the cash account hy the cX- aniner and the directors on that day con vinced them that something was wrong. , The examiner went to his homo in Som erSworth that night and no action was taken by the bank officials, pending a ] further examination of the books 1 When MT. pOrr returned on saturday 1 morning. the vault of the bank which has ] a time lock- could not bc opened. The l mechanism appeared to he out of order. and all efforts to gain an entrance wore without result. Mr. Abbott was at once l placcd under tho surveillance of tho police,
  plrday and sunday. Monday morning the vault was opened, and soon nftCrward the notice was posted that the institution had suspended Bank Examiner Dorr immcdi ntely telegraphcd for lnited States mar shal to come here and takc Abbott in GUS tody.
 Was Prominent In Church.
 Abbott was treasurer of the city of Dover and also connected with the Dover Five Cont savings bank. which has offices il the samo building with the National banl un Central avenue, but it is said that nei thrr the city nor the savings bank will suf Etr by his dedication.
 Tho bank is about D years old and i rated as one of the soundcst and most sub >tantial in the city, Its president Is F. \ I'r wstcr. Abbott had been its cashier fO al cut 70 years and was one of the mos r, ninent residents of the city He haC tc,n prominently identified with the af fa,s of the Free Baptist church, of whiCl h. was an active member, and had hclG numerous positions of honor and trust il thr city. Thre' years ago he was elected city treasurer as Republican. Re wns nrl hu of age and was a widowCr, with daugh ter and two sons who are now in school He had handsome new house on Arcl street. He was under heavy bonds.
 Abbott had promised to give the direct OrS of the bank a statement as tn tn amount of money he had taken and wha he had done with it as soon as possible.
 The statement of the Dover Nationa hank for the year ending Dec 3l last show cd surplus of SEQ, 000 Its capital $lO0, 0OO
 It is said that Abbott spcculatcd exten sively through Boston firms.