Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1896-04-16

| For Liquor His curse ana bahe-The SOL
vency of the Bank not Affected and with
Henry Hin acting as Cashier, Busines,
Goes on the Same as Before.
TO the many friends in this city and
vicinity of Charles +. Hills, late
cashier of the Belding Savings Bank,
whose disappearance last week, when
it became known that his absence was
so prolonged as to make it absolutely
certain he would not return, was a
great surprise and created genuine
sensation, such one as Belding has
not realized for some time. His stand
ing and popularity in home, in social
and in business circles made the fact of
his leaving in so mysterious a manner
more intricate and the cause prompt
ing it difficult of solution.
On Tuesday afternoon of last week
about three o'clock, he left the bank
and called at II. j. Leonard's store,
who Is president of the bank, and ask
ed permission TO go out for short
time on some business of his own, stat
ing that the cash balance for the day
had been made up and the boys could
get along with the business. His re-
quest was granted and he returned to
the bank, took his coat and told Judd
Smith, one of the clerks, that he was
going out and wouldn't be back until
about half past ten o'clock, at the same
time asking him to tell his wife that
he would not be at home until that
hour. Mr.. Hills then left the bank
and walked directly down Main street,
crossing the bridge at the Richardson
Silk mill and turned south on the river
road.
Not returning that night, Mr.. Leon
ard, whose suspicious were aroused
somewhat by Mr.. Hills actions at the
time he was in the store and his move
ments afterwards, took charge of the
bank and on, "Wednesday installed
Henry Hill Of Orleans, formerly a
cashier in one Of the banks at Green
vile, as cashier. In Wednesday S mail
a drop letter in Mr.. Hills handwriting
came to Mr.. Leonard the substance of
the contents being that the business he
had gone TO transact was not completed
and that he wouldn't be back for few
days; that currency for the pay rolls
had been ordered and would be in time
for payments, and that the boys if al-
lowed to would get along all right. In
the same mail was also drop letter to
his wife enclosing $500 in bills and
few words stating that he would be
gone a few days.
On Wednesday morning, Levi w.
Loveland, who lives on the state road
opposite the race track, came TO the
station TO take the train for Ionia, and
on being questioned by Mr.. Leonard if
he had seen Hills, ascertained from
his statement, that Mr.. Hills came to
his house shortly after three o'clock on
the day before while he was hitching
up his horse preparatory TO going to
Grattan and he asked him to take a
ride, that they drove TO Grattan and
returned to Belding at five o'clock p.
m., where Mr.. Hills left him.
Chas. f.. Hills was trusted employee.
He had been cashier since the bank
was organized, nearly nine years ago
and had never been required to give
bonds for the faithful performance OF
the trust, but within the past year or
two, craving appetite for liquor at
times which he has often said was so
powerful even from his boyhood days,
that he could hardly CONTROL it though
very few knew of his habits, led him into
nervous and discontented spells. Some
time ago the bank officials asked him
to give bond but up to the day of bis
lie had neglected TO do
so.
When ]. Dobson Goode, the Belding
Bros. accountant. arrived in the city
two weeks ago TO audit the numerous
books of that firm, it was decided by
the bank officials to have him also 90
through the books of the bank, and on
the forenoon of the day of Mr.. Hills
leaving, Mr.. Goode told Charley he
would be ready to begin work on them
the next day. The investigation of
course went on without his assistance
and when the balance was struck it
was found that $500 was missing and
that Mr. Hills had overdrawn his salary
account by check TO the amount of
about thirty or forty dollars. The
bank, however, is amply secured for
this as he owned stock to the amount
of $500 and over, which has not been
Various theories are suggested as
the cause OF his departure in the man
ner he did. Certain it is that 1t was