The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-11-15
Casbier wilIett stiII Missing.

LOUISVILLE, KY Nov 14.-The failure
Saturday of the Citizens Bank of Leaven-
worth, Ind, and its branches at Marengo
and English, is still the absorbing topic in
southern Indiana. 1t was reported that
Cashier Winett, of the parent bank, had
fed to this city, but no one has seen him
here. a citizen of Leavenworth who is visit
ing in this city told the story of the bank
failure to a reporter He said Cashier
Willett was the principal stockholder, and
it is supposed that the failure was due to
outside speculations, as he had heavy in
vestments in spoke factories, electric light
works, water works plants, etc. He also
owned the Crawford County Telephone
Company. Willett has not been seen in
Leavenworth since last Tuesday night He
came to the bank that day and told Mr..
N. M. Barrett, the assistant cashier, and III.
w. Davis, the stenographer, and Mr. Bar
rett's only assistant bookkeeper, not to
put the time lock on the vault, as he was
coming back after supper. 1t is supposed
that that night he got about 81 200 out of
the vaults. 1t is not thought that he will
return, and the general opinion is that he
has committed suicide, there seems to
have been such a mania in his family His
mother committed suicide. He left one child
and his wife, who is almost insane from the
shock. Mrs. Willetts received Thursday
a letter from her husband stating that he
would not return. The bank and its
branches did a largo business and had
about 900 in deposits, 100000 in the
Leavenworth Bank $4,000 in the Marengo
branch and $4,000 with the branch at Eng
lish 1t is not thought that the assets are
more than half the liabilities. Thursday
night j. H. Weathers, the president of the
bank, with the assistant cashier, went over
the books and decided that it would be use-
less to attempt to continue longer in bus
mess, and accordingly yesterday the doors
were closed Mr.. WeatherS was not sup
posed to have a large financial interest in
the bank, and depended mainly on Mr.. Will
lett to run it. The people at IIeavenworth
understood the situation and attach no
blame to Assistant Cashier Barnett and his
assistant, Mr.. Davis, but the depositors at
English made quite demonstration yester-
day. The cashier of the branch there was
i'll and John Miller, the assistant was called
on by a committee and compelled to make
to them thorough exposition of the affairs
of the bank so far as he was able. The de-
positors include all classes of people.
The Union National Bank of Louisville,
was the Louisville correspondent of the
Leavenworth bank. When seen last night in
regard to the failure L. c. Cox cashier of
the Union National Rank, said that the fail
ure was a surprise to his bank, notwith-
standing the fact that they seemed pressed
for funds in the last few days to meet
their checks. This bank had small bal
ance with the Union National when the
failure was announced.
Samuel Ouerbacker, of the Ouerbacker-
Gilmore Company, who has a brother in
business in Leavenworth, said last night
that he had received q telephone message
that Mr.. Weathers, president of the bank,
had left Leavenworth at o'clock yesterday
morning, coming in the direction of Louis
Vile. He said, however, that he had not
seen him and did not believe he was in
Louisville. He knew Mr.. Willett, the CASH
Ter, but had not seen him recently, and
was not inclined to believe the report that
he was in the city. He said his information
was that the Leavenworth bank was short
about $4,000 and the two branches about
$4,000 each.