The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-11-14
Institutions at Leavenworth, Marengo
and English Closed and $780,
900 in Deposits Gone.
COUNTY OFFICERS BANKRUPT
TREASURER BROWN PERHAPS FA-
TALLY STRICKEN WITH THE LOSS.
Banker WfIIett Disappears Before the
ErasI-M. O'COnnOr & Co. Caught
in a. RushviIIe Failure.
Special to the indianapolis Journal.

Special to the Indianapolis Journal.
ENGLISH, Ind. Nov. 13-Crawford coun-
ty was thrown into a high state of excite
ment this morning on the failure of the
Leavenworth Bank and the banks at Eng
lish and Marengo. These institutions have
been under the management of r. H. Will
lett, Democratic chairman for this dis
trict, and the deposits in each of the banks
were heavy. The trouble seems to have
originated at the Leavenworth Bank, where
Mr.. Willett makes his headquarters. The
Union National Bank of Louisville notified
the Bank of Leavenworth Friday that it
had Overdrawn. Willett being away and
nowhere to be found, the president of the
bank, Hon. j. p. Weathers, was notified,
who, after an investigation, ordered the
banks closed until he could make an inves-
tigation. They have been trying to locate
Willett, but have failed, he having last been
seen in Louisville Thursday morning. The
people at English, Marengo and Leaven-
worth have been gathered in a mob in front
of their banks all day, but the cooler heads
nave Kept down trouble. No one seems to
be censured but Willett His friends sent
out story that grief since his mothers
death had unbalanced his mind The de-
$1,000 AZ NiS III &C DdIhS VIII Tedcn 9l0U,VUU.
All the money collected by the county treas
urer on the last installment of taxes was
deposited III the Bank of English The
trustees of the different townships having
their money deposited have been ordered
by the county superintendent to stop their
schools till an investigation can be made.
Nearly every business man in the county
was caught some for large amounts
show that all the collected taxes of Craw-
ford and Perry counties were in the bank
and its branches, and that thousands of
dollars worth of pension checks have been
deposited during the last few days. County
treasurer Brown, of Crawford county, had
@lO,o0O on deposit and the deposit of Trus-
tee Bedsley, of this township, exceeds 81 500
EVERY trustee in this county is a depositOr
II is now alleged that the failure was con-
lenplated, and the feeling of Indignation is
so strong that riot is possible. The light
er deposltors are the more demonstratlVe
treasurer Brown, who is an invalid, was
Frustrated on hearing of the failure and
rear is entertained of results No state
ment of the assets and liabilities has been
given out.
An Associated Press dispatch from Leav-
enworth says the deposits of the three
banks are estimated to aggregate $3.50 Co.,
Ihe VIE OF X. III. Willett, cashier of the
parent bank, has received a letter from him
stating that he has almost lost his mind
and that he will not return to the scene
VI lildiicIdl uiSdSter. COntlnulng, the dis
patch says: County officials and educa-
tional trustees are sufferers from the crash,
and one death may be the direct result
Treasurer +. 7. Brown, of Crawford county
had upward of $4,000 county funds deposited
in the bank in this city. When told to-day
OF the failure he tainted, and tonight he is
IN critical condition. The revenue col
lected for school purposes was all on de-
post in the banks. and it is feared that all
of the public schools in Crawford and Perry
counties will have to be closed, as the trus-
tees have lost all their money The crash
came without warning. AS late as yester-
day afternoon each OF the banks continued
to receive deposits, and when they failed to
open their doors this morning there were
scenes of great CONSERVATION among the
business men, some of whom had deposited
so closely yesterday afternoon that they did
not even have change to begin business
with this morning"
A dispatch from Cannelton, Ind, says
that the bank at that place, a branch of the
bank at English, Ind, which failed to-day
and which was reported as closed, is open
and doing business.