The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-02-24
LEXINGTON RECOVERING
FRONTIER RECENT SEVERE FINAN-
CIAL BLOW.
The Rock bridge Grand } ury to Take Hand
In tho Matter ana Intersstisg
Developments arc Expected,

LEXINGTON, VA, Feb. 23.-Special-
II has been one week ago to-day since
the pcople of this town and county yere
startled by the report that The Bank of
Lexington" the only banking institution
A. Rockbrldge county, doing general
banking business, accommodating the
business needs OF a population or some
thirty thousand people, hal gone TO tne
wall and was Mr.. Chas. NJ. flgga'' the
trusted cashier for twenty-nine years, the
has, known man in the town and county,
ana possessing the full confidence OF the
business public and county people in gen
erag had fed. leaving a shortage OF
ncarIv one hundred thousand dollars,
ube sum at first thought to have been the
amount of his steal, now figured out TO be
about s159.OO0). made up OF the STOCK OF
tie bank, the day before reported to be
held at $50 per share, and nearly every
dollar OF the $1,000 belonging TO deposit
tors. Never in the history Of the county,
with the possible exception OF the an
nouncement of the WalkerMiller homi-
c.Ce at BrownsbUrg, a few years ago.
have the Jeople of this section been so
surprised and worked up to such pitch
OF excitement.
WORLD or EUMoRs.
Since the true situation was made
known to the public, the people have
daily and nightly discussed the situation
I'm all it's lights and the public mind has
been at such tension that little else
but the bank robbery has occupied the
minds of the people. All manner OF wlld
rumors. speculation and fairy tales have
been going the rounds and FOR several
DAYS one unaccustomed 10 run rumors TO
the earth found 1t difficult TO realize wndt
was the true situation; what one woull
hear on one corner would be Contradicted
in the middle Of the same block ana
some other unreasonable story told IN us
place as the facts.
To-day the excitement has all passed OIL
and a more conservative view OF the SIT
ution is being taken OF the colo facts thdt
face this community and county we are
AZ about our normal and the people nave
now faced the situation as they find II
reasoning that there Is no use 10 cry over
spilled milk; as a result the Wheels OF
business are moving again; true they re-
vol .e but slowly but our people reallze
that they must make the best OF lhelr
condition and get down to work ana re-
build again their finances.
BUSINESS BEsUMING.
Staunch business men have been badly
crippled by the bank crash, orphans
widows trust and saving funds nave peen
swept away from the possession OF an
ever connding public in the honesty OF d
long trusted bank officer. The stock OF
what was regarded as double gilt edge Sc
clrItv of one OF the strongest banks IN
| the State have disappeared like smoke
and friendship, that priceless jewel mas
| been made TO pay premium OH ms
! honesty as in the case OF the sureueS
on Figgats bonds and individiu ;dper'
| and old Lexington, The Athens OF the
| South" must take upon her fair name
! this blot and go upon the record as having
| nrodrced a NAPOLEON of Finance. the peer
| OF any known quarter of this great coun-
| try. whose methods neither spared klns-
| men friends widows, orphans, the rch'
| the poor: by whose methods Wncre once
| blossomed a vigorous financial insutu-
| ton. the pride of the people, there STANDS
crumbhng ruin, the fall or when mas
| shaken TO the foundation public conf
| dence here and all over the country. But
| Lexington possesses too much pluck ana
| enterprise to let this condition retard us
| progress and Phoenix Ike sac VIII rise
| from the ashes of her ruin and buiid
| thereon better than she ever did before
profttng by her past experience.
Some Of our merchants, seeing the ne
c.sssary depression % business that must
| OF necessity follow in the wake of such
| a calamity are reducing force and putting
| into operation wise economic plans. In
| most cases cash is demanded or either
| that or short credit Is the rule.
As a result OF the bank collapse It is
safe TO say that never again VIII per
| sonal security be asked or accepted IN
| this county hereafter the security com
| panies will take all the risks and in mat
! way things will be conducted upon
! much sUrer basis.
| GRAND JURY TO INVESTIGATE.
or March the ith, March term OF the
| County Court, there will come together
special grand Jury TO investigate the
| Bank Of Lexington steal and IL IS proba-
| bic that the jury will deyelope many IN
| tercsting facts, not now i'm the possession
| of the public The jury VIII be made up
| of the best citizens of the county; men
who do not Gear to do their duty.
l. Y. Grinstead. Grand Master, J. q. o..
F.. Of Virginia, went 10 EdinbuIg yesteT-
| day TO organize one of the strongest
| lodges in the State. and he tells me that
ne has an appointment in Charlottesville
next week to organize a lodge OF seventy
| five members. Under his administration
the order Is rapidly growing IN the state.
Mr.. Jack Carmichael, grandson OF Hon.
| j. II. Tucker, OF Washington and Lee I'M
ye..sity law school, has been promoted 20
be engineer in charge of party IN the
department OF maintenance OF way on
the r. x Q. r. X. He IS only nlnc-
teen years old and comes from Washing
ton and Lee University.
Mrs. Tucker, wife of Hon. Harry 81.
George Tucker, IS spending the remainder
of the winter with her father Col. VIM.
Preston johnson, president OF Tulahe
University, IN New Orleans La MIS-
Tucker has been indisposed the past win
fer and went South for a change of eli
mate for the benefit of her health.
Captain John Carmichael, of the L. ;.
Interior Department Land Office well
| known civil engineer of this place. IS
/ stationed now ct the United States Land
| Office in the city of New Orleans.