The sun., 1896-09-14
BANK-LOOTING SYNDICATE.
SEVEN PERSONS IN THE NEW Or
LEANS STEAL OF SGOe,oOO.
The Two Clerks or the Union National.
CoIonb ana Leone. DId the Work Inside
Money Ussd In Riotous Living and
Specuintlon-Arrenta nta TO BE Made at Once.

Hhe Two Cterkp OF the UNION Nht'ohet'
CoIomb ana Leone, Did the Work Inside
Money Ussd In Riotous Living and
observation-disclosures 10 he Made Mt Once.
NEW ORLEANS, Sept 13.--There is only one
moro secret to come out in the wrecking Of the
Union National Bank and the bank panic which
ragged hero last week. and II Is announced that
II will be disclosed within the next twenty-four
hours. That is the names Of the confederates,
the men on the outside who drew out and ap-
propriated the 5000. 900 of the banks money.
Colomb and Leone. the bookkcepers. cooked the
accounts as to keep the bank always in debt
to these onfedcratos.
The bank was robbed by a syndicate COM
posed Of seven persons, two on the inside OF the
bank and five on the outside. Tho whole trans
action was busnesslike and systematic. includ-
ing an agreement as to the amount to be drawn
out or stolen each day, and the division Of the
funds. Colcomb. whose lack Of nerve was
shown by his suicide the moment suspicion
pointed TO him. was the organizer of the project
and It's director. IL Is reported tonight that .
confession has been made; that three members
OF the syndicate have been named, and that the
only reason their names are not now made pub
lie is to prevent any escape. as some OF them are
out Of town. The money went mainly In riot
Gus living; the balance speculation with the
hope Of recovering the amount stolen.
In the big CO ton speculation last year when
cotton went up SO high the syndicate was ahead
OF the game. The sudden collapse of tho mar
ket prevented 1t from making good the bank q
money and rendered new raid necessary. Tho
bank has been plundered moro heavily than
ever elnce The outside members of the syndi-
cate are said to DO high livers. Not so Colcomb
and Leone; they conid not be %, for they were
kept all the day at their desks work
ing away to cover up tho crookedness in
their books They had little time for
o spree. Colcomb spent most Of his share of
the swag on his family. He lived most luxuri-
ously. had ten servants. and a hous"keeper TO
relieve his wife OF the trouble OF domestic
affairs. rather large household for n clerk on q
salary of $3.50 n month. He had evidently an
ticipated that the defalcAtion would come out
sooner or later. and had determined on suicide
when IL did, for he carried the poison on his
person to be used at moments notice. He had
many friends, and thew all speak OF him as
generous and brave. To commit suicide 10 the
only thing IA gentleman could do under the cir
Colomb was interviewed on Thursday night
about the banks condition. He was calm and
them ana IN hMrs tnS ossa
his death, and he had then evidently determined
on suicide. He did not tell his family Of his in
tention. and IL was not until several hours later
that he took the poison and was discovered In
an insensible condition; Once or twice in the
looked look around the here room, NJ but he neither spoke
nor seemed To know any one. Colomb's death
renders tue work OF INVESTIGATING the defaiea-
ton very difficult. and United States Bank Ex-
aminer Escutt doubts whether II will ever be
possible to know all the details.
The receivers OF the Bank OF Commerce and
American National Bank will take possession OF
them tomorrow. The other two closed banks.
the Mutual National ana Union National. still
remain in the hands Of the United States exam.
iners. II is thought that the panic Is over and
that there will lie no trouble tomorrow.
United States Bank Examiner Eecott COM
pletcd his first trial balance OF the Union
National Bank tonight and found the amount
stolen to be 5000. .6S101. This Is subject u an
increase when all tho accounts are carefully
examined.