The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-05-14
SLIPPED UP IN SPECULATING.
4 BANK EMPLOYE OF ATLANTA IN
A CELL.

His Indebtedness to the Fidelity
Banking and Trust Company Ap-
proXImhteIy SI3.OOO-His Arrest
the Result of Charge Of Forgery
Drought Against Him ON Account
of Notes AEgreEatIng Sf.40O.
Atlanta. Ga. May 12-Tiram L. Mid
dlebrOoks eN-asslstaut cashier Of the
Fidelity Banking and Trust Company. ex-
teller of the Atlanta Trust ana Banking
Company, and eX-ass.stant city tax coll
lector whose downfall and abrupt dis
appearance from the city was described
in these dispatches a week ago is now a
prisoner behind the bars OF the Fulton
county Jail. He was arrested at LAGRANGE
yesterday upon a warrant for forgery,
sworn out by Il. B. Reed OF West Point,
Ca. who claims TO be the loser OF about
5000 on Middlebrooks' account. Middle
brooks could not give bond to-day, but
expects 20 be out of jail tomorrow. The
troubles which eliminated I'm Middle
brooks arrest are due to his transactions
with the Fidelity Bank, while DE was as
sistant cashier there. The approximate
amount of his indebtedness TO the Fidelity
is $4,000. To secure this the bank holds
$l2,5O an endorsed paper securing the
same debts to the amount Of $780, which
makes il absolutely safe from loss.
The notes for 81, 400. upon which the war
rant for forgery was sued out, are held
by II. NJ. Coker Of the Bank of the state
of Georgia While Middlebrooks was as
sistant cashier of the Fidelity Bank MIR;
Reeds notes for $il0O We're discounted
by the bank. and the money paid over to
him. Last December when these notes
notes signed In blank with which TO take
them up. Instead of applying the new
notes TO this purpose Mr.. Middlebrooks
took them TO Banker Coker ana used them
as cailateral for a note OF his own, upon
which he secured the ST. 100, less the dis
Several weeks ago Banker Coker not-
fed Mr.. Reed that he held these notes ana
requested him to be prepared TO pay them
tion that Mr.. Reed had that there was
something wrong. He allowed the mat
ter to stand. however, until Middlebrooks
left the city several weeks ago, when he
concluded to take criminal action.
When asked why he left the city, Mid
dlebrooks said: 81 was Ia debt ana out on
a place. / knew that this note was COM
ing due. and although I had tried to sen
stocks and property to meet II, 1 could
not raise the money, so / determined to
see what luck ] could strike elsewhere.
] went TO New Orleans and played the
race a few times / got on the 100 70
shot in the Royal choice race and came
4
would have been that much better off al
least, but ] soon lost that and then went
to Nashville. l did not play the race
there, however. j had no intention of
running away. If / had could have been
in China almost from the start / had. I
was just all broke up and wanted to get
away awhile to see If my luck wouldn't
What became of the money which you
got from Mr.. Cokerr' was asked Middle
Il don't know" he replied; Il guess
used ii to pay up debts that / owed. I
VIII tell you, though, that there Is no
woman. / do not deny that l spent some
that way but If had back every cent that
/ ever spent on the woman who Is con-
nected with these reports and everybody
else 1 would be but very little better
off In a iinacial way My troubles were
brought on by speculation. 1 bought
stocks and then could. not sell them for
Middlebrooks returned to Atlanta from
Nashville last Thursday and went from
here to LAGRANGE on Sunday. He was on
his way back TO Atlanta from his IA
Tiers home in Troupe county when ar
rested. Mr.. Reed claims that he paid the
original notes held by the Fidelity Bank
ing and Trust company, paying the money
to Mr.. Middlebrooks The bank, however,
denies that this money was ever received
and at the time, Mr. Reed alleges that he
paid IT, the bank officials state that Mid
dlebrooks had severed his connection with
the bank. The Fidelity bank has brought
suit against Mr.. Reed for the recovery of
this money, the notes having been for
warded to LaGrange to the banks attor-
neys last week The COker bank has also
placed the notes which ii holds in the
hands of its attorney for collection Mr.
Middlebrooks, who was connected with the
Atlanta Trust and Banking company as
receiving teller, just prior to his depar-
ture from the city. resigned that position
at the request Of the bank on account of
5000 check drawn by Reed and paid by
Middlebrooks when Reed had less than
500 to his credit This transaction was
made good by Middlebrooks' brother, who
is an eX-alderman and influential politi-
clan.
.Middlebrooks has young wife and one
child