The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-09-16
ROBBED BY SEVEN MEN.
That Is Why the Union National at
New Orleans Failed.


New Orleans, Sept. 1S.--There is but one
more secret to come out in the sensational
wreckmg of the Union National Bank,
and the resultant bank panic which ragged
here last week. and it is announced that
it will be disclosed within the next TWEEN
ty-four hours. That is the names of the
men on the outside who drew out and APP
propriated 100000 of the banks stolen
money, thanks to the manner in which
Colomb ana Leefe, the bookkeepers,
cooked the accounts so as to always keep
the bank always in debt to these confed-
crates
United States Bank Examiner Escott
completed his first trial balance of the
bank tonight, and found the amount
stolen to be 1902 $500. This is subject to
an increase when all the accounts are
carefully examined.
The disclosure promises to be great
sensation from the standing of the men
engaged in it,, and from the holiness of
the scheme and its up-to-date character.
The bank was robbed by a syndicate
composed of seven persons, two on the
inside of the bank, and five on the out
side The whole transaction was bust
ness-like and systematic, including an
agreement as to the amount to be drawn
out or stolen each day, the division of
the funds, and how the booty was to be
used to the advantage of the partners.
Colomh, whose nerve and courage was
shown Il. his suicide the moment sus-
picion pointed his way, was the organ
izer of this great project and its direc-
or. 1t is reported tonight that con-
fession has been made; that three mem
bers of the syndicate have been named
and that the only reason their names are
not now made public is to prevent any
escape, as some of them are out of town
The money went mainly in riotous liv-
ing and speculation. In the big cotton
speculation last year, when cotton prices
scared, the syndicate was ahead. The
sudden collapse of the market prevented
it from making good the banks money,
and rendered a raid necessary and the
bank has been plundered heavily ever
since. The outside members of the syn
dictate are said to be high livers. Not so
Colomb ana Leefe they could not be So
for they were kept all the day at their
desks working away to cover up the crook
edness in their books. They had little
time for spree.
Colomb spent most of his share on his
family. He lived most luxuriously, hav-
ing ten servants and a housekeeper to
relieve his wife of domestic affairs. He
had evidently anticipated that the defal-
cation would come out sooner or later
and had determined on suicide when it
did; for he carried the poison on his per-
son, to be used at a moments notice. His
tragic suicide has aroused sympathy in
his favor. He had many friends, and they
all speak well of him.
Colomb was interviewed on Thursday
night about the bank He was perfectly
calm and collected then, and apparently
in the best of humor although it was
only a few hours before his death, and ne
had evidently determined on suicide. He
did not tell his family of his intention
and it was not until several hours after
he took the poison that he was discovered
in an insensible condition. His death rem
ders the work of investigating the defal-
cation very difficult and United States
Bank Examiner Escott doubts whether it
will ever be possible to know all the de-
tails.
1t now appears that the sudden action
of President Chaleron, of the Union Ma
tional, in turning over the bank to the
United States officials without consulting
his directors, rendered Colomb's flight inn
possible. He had no idea that the defalca-
ton had been discovered until the bank
closed down and he was being Swallowed
by detectives. Then escape was impossi-
BILE. He made no attempt to escape, went
home Immediately after the failure and
never left the house, seemingly completely
unstrung by the catastrophe.
1t was two days before the chief could
be discovered CoIomb spent the days in
his room. on Thursday night he learned
in some way that he was to be arrested
the next day. He got up in the middle of
the night and swallowed a large dose OF
morphine, which he evidently had ready
for the emergency.
When the United States marshal arrived
in the morning to arrest him he found Col
omb in an unconscious condition, hanging
to life by the thinnest of threads.
Colomb was a man of IS years Of age,
model boolSkeeper and industrious, and
devoted to his family He was a member
of an old Creole family and a confederate
veteran. He lived in a fashionable quar-
ter Of the city, and entertained handsome
ly. He had only 81 800 salary; but 1t was
reported that Mrs. Colomb had brought
him a fortune which enable him to live
far beyond his salary
Leefe, Colomb's observation-disclosures, Is
charged with being one of his confeder-
ates, and is said TO have received $lS5,OOO
as his share Of the plumber
Colomb and Leefe as individual book
keepers never handled the money OF the
bank Their confederate deposited, say
81 900; Colomb credited him with having
deposited $4,000; he kept from month to
month crediting him with sums he never
deposited. His account was credited with
the deposits of other patrons OF the bank.
When these other patrons presented their
books and had their accounts made up
Colomb had to steal from still other de-
positors in order to make the accounts
straight.
Acted Like It-"When married you"
he said, Il thought you were an angel
ha ot i'm