Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1897-01-02
SUICIDE OF A BIG BANKER
Manager Hammond. Of the Broken
National Bank of Illinois.
Seeks Watery Grave.
His BODY FOUND IN LAKE MICHIGAN
Disappointment and Disaster Drove
Him to Seek kDeath-Banks Collapse
in Nebraska and North Dakota
Denver Banker Acquitted.

Chicago, Jan. 2.-W. A. mmond,
vice. president of the National Bank of
Illinois, is missing. He retired as usual
last night. This morning members of
his family found his room empty. Search
led to the Dem pster street pier. There
were found private papers in mmond's
hand writing. This convinced the search
ers that he probably committed suicide
| by jumping into the lake. The life-sav-
ing crew Immediately began search for
the body.
Hammond is said to have been the
business head of the bank since President
Schneider became too feeble to do prac.
tical work, and the large loans to the
which resulted in closing the bank, are
understood to have been made by Ham
mOnd.
Hammond was accused of enacting the
character of a "kieer," deceiving the di-
rectors of the bank and deliberately vio-
lating the national banking laws. Even
old employees Of the bank are said to be
unaware of what was going on. The ir
regularities only came after many years
of diigent service, during which he saved
money, and the prominent position he
came to occupy was the res ult Of years of
frugality and merit. Some of his saw
ihgs were invested legitimately. His
mining schemes brought him good
profits, which he Immediately put in the
stock of the bank After he served as
cashier and became second vice president,
it is said, he began personally to interest
himself in many corporations which made
applicants for loans, and in this way, in
the course of time, his Judgment became
biased. He drifted into unwarraDted
badly he sent ''good" money after "bad'
and disguised his overloans in various
illegal ways.
Hammond called on Percey Palmer, an
old friend and confidential advisor last
evening. He was very depressed and
talked gloomily about his future pros
poets. He and his wife slept in adjacent
rooms. Early this morning Mrs. Ham
mord noticed that her husband was gone,
and notified friends, who found trail Of
scraps of paper which led to the edge Of
the pier at Dempster street. The rain had
soaked the scraps and made the contents
almost illegible.
Mr.. Schneider, president of the Nation.
al bank of Illinois, was inclined to doubt
the suicide theory.
Hammond's body was found this after
noon at the foot of Church street, five
blocks north of where he is supposed to
have jumped into the lake, by boys who
informed the police.
BANK COLLAPSE IN OMAHA.
Omaha, Neb.-The Omaha Savings bank
failed to open this morning and is in the
hands of the state banking board. The
meeting of the clearing house yesterday,
it is presumed, took the action which
caused the bank to close.
The total liabilities are $S50,000. The
assets exceed this amount by 100000.
The resources are excellent and but little
loss can result to deposltors. The bank
has been in existence for fifteen years.
BANK FAILURE IN DAKOTA
Minneapolis, Minn.-A special to the
journal from Fargo, N. d., says the Citi-
zens' national bank failed this afternoon.
A BANKER ACQUITTED.
Denver, Colo-Under instructions of
Judge Butler, who said the evidence was
insufficient to convict, the jury to-day |
found Frank Atkins, president of the de-
funct Colorado Savings bank, not gnilty |
under the Indictment which charged him
having received deposits knowing the
bank to be insolvent.
STABLE CRIPPLE CREEK BANKS.
Cripple Greek, Colo.--A run occurred
on the First National bank here to-day.
The small depositors formed line and
we're paid. No big deposits we're touched,
A special train came from Colorado
Springs with $4,000 belonging to Pres
ident j. NJ. Parker.
President j. M. Parker said: II
have on deposit more than enough to pay
every dollar should it be demanded, but
only the small depositors seem anxious
and business men and mining men and
personal friends are depositing more
than is being drawn out. The run was
started by man to whom we refused
loan and am glad it came for it will
show the stability of the Cripple Greek
banks"