Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1895-01-15
TO HELP A FRIEND.
Cashier Abbott of Dover, N.
H., a DefauIter and Suicide.
First Stole to Aid a Friend and $780,
600 Gone When Discovered.
Ends His Lite With Bullet When About TO
Be Arrested.

Dover, y. H., Jan. l4-Isaac +. Abbott,
cashier of the Dover National Bank, is
defaultcr, and the amount of the defalca-
| ton is estimated to be about $50, 900.
The discovery Of the defalcation was
made by Bank Examiner Dorr of Somers-
worth, who began an examination of the
bank, last Friday He asked Mr. Abbott
certain questions which the cashier said
he would explain next morning.
When the examiner came again Satur-
day morning, it was found that the safe
could not be opened, and Mr.. Abbott
failed to appear. He was at home and
| stated that he would explain all Monday.
The failure of the cashier to say any
thing was brought to the attention of the
bank officials, and Examiner Dorr at
once declared Abbott a defaulter.
| AT 3, this afternoon, just before United
| States Marshal Campbell arrived at the
house Of Isaac f. Abbott, the defaulting
cashier of the Dover National Bank,
brother Of Abbott heard the report Of
pistol and rushing to the cashiers room,
| found him lying on the floor with his
face shattered and covered with blood.
| Life was extinct.
| He left in his brother possession state
mcnt of the dcfalcations, in an envelope
addressed to Examiner Dorr. That
| gentleman would not make the statement
public
| He said the statement was not detailed,
| and only left clues for him to follow. He
would not state the amount of the short
age but it is stated by insiders that the
amount is not far from $50, 900. 1t is
limited that Abbott was not a thief in the
common sense Of the word, but made the
first inroad on the money belonging to the
bank to help out friend. He would not
state who the friend was.
The first suspicion Mr. Dorr had of the
dcfalcation was the discovery of note
for so, 600 among the banks resources
| signed NJ Nelson. This led to a ques-
tioning of Mr. Abbott Friday night, with
the result that he locked the vault with
ever thing inside, and adjusted so it would
not open until today. The name of Mr.
Abbott young housckeeper is Miss Mertie
| Nelson, and it was her signature, it is al
| legged, that appeared on the notes.
Bank Examiner c. M. Dorr was seem
tonight, by New England Associated
| Press correspondent. He SAID that the
loss of the daily balance ledger was a ser
Gus inconvenience and would probably
| prevent the finding out of certain impor-
| the safe the ledger showing the individual
| daily deposits for 1894 and also took out
the leaves of the 1898 book as fast as the
entries were made. This necessitatcs call
| ing in all the pass books, to cndeavor to
find the amount of deposits in the aggrc-
gate, and as this is only one side of the
account, it will not show from whose &C
counts the money was pilfcrcd There is
| i'm, he. Of N he
the defaulting cashier had placed the
book, but it was probably destroyed.
Examiner Dorr cannot tell when the
bank will open and the depositors are get
ting uneasy The entire available funds
of the city arc tied up and City Clerk
| Quimby can issue no more checks at pre-
sent The school board money and water
works department funds are in the bank.
Excitement is at fever heat, and there arc
fears entertained that the bank is worse
off than was thought this morning.
The savings bank commissioner said
little in regard to the condition of the
Five Cents Savings Bank, of which
Abbott was for a long time treasurer. The
bank was scaled down by the commits
sioncr % per cent, last winter owing,
as was then stated, to depreciation in
various stocks. Whether the hand of the
defaulting cashier has been in the till of
this institution, is not made public.
Abbott had never left the house since
Friday night. When a New England
Associated Press man called on him he
had revolver in his hand and said that
he saw but two futures before him, one
in prison, and the other at Vine Hill Gene
terry He babe all his children goodbye,
yesterday morning, and they thought his
leave taking were his last words before
going with the officers.
Mr. Abbott was found with a 32-calibrc
bullet through his brain. His two sons
and only daughter were in the house when
the pistol report rang out, and the door
was battered down with an axe. One shot
did the deed.
Abbott was not considered extavagant |
He lived in an elegant house, built with
his wfe's money. He was never known
to gamble and only made short business
trips out of town. He was n member of
the Washington Street Baptist church and
there is much sorrow over the sad turn in
nff fairs