The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-02-26
TELLER HAMMER SHORTAGE
Inflammation Shows That II Viii Ksacn
Nearly SIS, 900.
uR. ROBERT u. PANEILL ARRESTED.
wo,,h,css Cheeks IL Ills AMOUNTING W.
n CHIT Thousand Dollars We've "e'"''
,h. polnulting Te,ler-Mr. Ham
mere Statement.

SKY. came 10 many the news on 'u''""''
that. MIR. Walker G. Hammer 'o"e' "a
,h. First National BanH. vas undT ar
rest at the station house. charsep VIZ
appropria,ing@to his own use N''V'' u
tho funds of the bank. Many iei'S''
credit the story fof some time 'H'''"''e
=, nov rumor about the Lexington
,,,.,,er and did not have the news cur
a.,,o., mill late In tho day, when IL was
town talk. All during the
t,o,s OF business men stood on INC on
corners and discussed the matter "''io
s,o friends Of the unfortunate man
told The story with tears IN thelr w.
-, mi reared IN Lynchburg carry III
,,t. a,ohracing the Christian religion a
su,dav-scbool and church WorK't al d"
times. OF good habits man "''o
ferred mss home TO dlssipdloli' ""r ,nt
monument member OF me Ones -
Rsntist cht..h. one Of It's founders, II
- moi 81 tnee that the rumor againSt
nt,n received little Crcdencc untll iuHS
verified.
s,spI GID THE lRREGULtkIIh.
- ,i,,c tho officers OF the bank
b,,vc suspectcd that there was soiht II
.o,,,laritv in the books. but none ihouS"'
a., tho trusted teller was at iaull' \
.o,,iet Investigation was IN progress "nSu
Mr. Hammer confessed mat ne vas ~
guilty party. and statement 'aI olul'
lcot by him. showed that ms Shoitasc
. amounted TO So 900. IN small SUITS 80,
ing a period OF seven years -. .,. -
-, tho Investigation and confession was
- a. ,bs othfcrs. and there was but
ono thing 10 be done; viz nave MN
,,i,.,d under arrest. A sergeant OF Poi''
~ s,immoncd by telephone, ana 'o'l
arrived In reply 10 the queStlo"
v,nrrant had been sworn out Inv P'''
don't of the bank said there was -
- y. bercupon Sergeant PendlcioH Sd'N -.
emouut was large enough 10 come uiI"'l
- ,,,ar,,, of felony. he had authority
90 make the arrest. and Would 40 %
Nr Hammer passed into an inner Ioo'.
anout that time. and the sergeant rearing
that he might do violence 10 n'll''i''
called Mr.. Talley's attention 10 MS I,@'''
,Ir Hammer said he had no idea OF doIi%
ANYTHING OF the kind. ana ApptaIt' ,V3'
and collected The sergeant was I'4u
ed to make the arrest as quickly az P'I,
hIe and avoid ATTRACTING attention Nj
Adams. the president OF TIE Dahh' wan"
ed a short distance In the rear
NONE sPFNT ~ DISSIPATION.
A. the station house Mr.. Hammer asked
the Sergeant what kind OF warrant nv
had for him. and was told that ne nau
none at all. .,;<1 ~,
"Tbat does rot matter" replied MI.
Hammer. and ne did not demand a war
ront Il wouid like for my friends 70
know ono thing" he said, and thtt Is
,bat not ono copper of the money was eN-
peuded by me on dissipation.
some OF his friends called on MN l"d'
night. but e. was not generally known
until Sunday. when many called ne
prisoner stayed IN the Chief $ once od'-
urdsv night, SUM and last night 10 Il
friend VIII, called he said that the money
us taken under the most distressing cir
cumstances NJ. Hammer was bonded 10
SomDai,t ~ HSor-TrSS 1nerica.@'rhe default
ing teller was by request OF lie Fresl'
dent. taken 70 the bank this mornine to
open the big safe and aid IN getting Out
tie statement. As 10 nov Mr. Hammer
concealed the shortage so long 1t Is stated
that he did 50 10y means OF the teHeI ;
check Whenever the cash was to be
counted ne would borrow from other
banks 10 make his cash good Mr.. Ham
nor was returned TO the station house
at 3 O'Clock. and viii occupy the Chief $
office. There has been great EFFORT 10
day on the part Of the friends OF the de-
faulting teller To raise among themselves
the amount of the shortage III the hope
OF compromising the case. but 80 far these
efforts have been unavailing. and the ne
cessarv amount has not been realized
Mr.. Hammer WAS the head of large
family there being ten children. among
them two grown sons ami a married
daughter.
The bank makes the follow ing state
mont to the public tonight:
AN exhaustive examination into the
condition OF the First National Bank
made by a competent committee of the
board of dir, ctors. disclcSes the fact thai
the shortage oil ,hc teller in oGsh amounts
TO so, S4l .6s, which ii is expected VIII be
diminished 10y the security bond of $1,000
the teller's possession checks OF sundrN
parties aggi eating Ss,lS6.7$. which W,
apprchend are nearly worthless, though
this may be diminished by some expected
payments ana securities. This is th'
worst that 1t is possible to make of the
situation. and the sOlVency of this in
sttution is NOT impaird. and the asset!
of the bank SHOW that IL still has lars'
surplus. and is entitled to the confidence
of the people"
ROBERT II P4NNILL ARRESTED.
Another feature in the bank shortage
was sprung tonight in the arrest OF
Robert ii. Pannill city ticket agent OF
the Chesapeake and Ohio railroad. He
represents nearly the WI ole item of sun
dry parties mentioned I'm the statement
Of the bank. Checks amounting to &CW
of his were found To have been held bS
Teller Hammer. which checks were ap
pretended TO bc worthless. As he ha
had all day TO make tins obligation 600,
and has not done So he was according
~ arrested tonight and lodged in tn
station house lie had hearing befor
United States Commissioner w. n. Tins
ley with reference To giving bail. Tn
sum nXed by the Commissioner wa
$1,000 ana up 10 this time the amour
has not reen raised. His counsel. Nj
John l.. Lee. was seen and said that Mr.
Pannin would have nothing To say excep
that his account was OVCrdrawn, and tina
the money was obtained in the regula
channel Of business. without his being
party TO any combination 10 defraud tn
bank. Pannill is a young man. abou
thirty years OF age. and is native o
Petersburg. lie married Miss Ellen FLOYD
daughter OF Colonel y. b. Floyd. OF thi
city. The couple are very popular in SO
ciety circles.
At l2:4 this morning Pannill gave ba
In the penalty OF $1,000, with Captain y
}. Floyd as security