The Bryan daily eagle. (Bryan, Tex.) 1895-1898, 1897-01-03
HAMMOND IS MISSING.
Circumstances Lead to the Be
lief That He Suicided.
SOME OF HIS PAPERS FOUND.

Front Near His uomc-ilc l. Charged
with wrecking the Illinois National
Hank and This n IL believed 4. Re.
spoasibie For Hls Absence.
CHICAGO, Jan. a--w. A. Hammond.
vice president Of the National Bank Of
Illinois, is missing. Some Of his effects
were found on the lale front at Dcmp.
ster street pier. near his home in Evan.
ston. The recent sensational failure Of
the bank is supposed to have led 70 his
disappearance Mr. Hammond retired
as usual last night This morning
members Of his family. on going to his
room, found IL empty. Search was be.
gun for him and It finally led them to
the Donpster street pier. There they
found a number Of papers In Mr.. Ham
monde handwriting. This convinced
the searchers that he had probably com.
mitted suicide by jumping into the laiSc
The Federal hfesaving crew at Evan,
ston was Immediately notified and be
gan a quick search for the body. Tug
were also wired for 10 como from Chi
cago Tor the same purpose.
Mr.. Hammond was vice president Of
the National Bank Of Illinois. and wal
active In its magement; In fact, he u
said to have been the responsible head
since President Schneider was too fee.
bic to do much work The large loan
to the Calumet Electric company. par
ticularly. and 10 Others. which resultOs
in the closing Of the bank, are under.
stood 10 have been made by Mr.. Ham
mOnd.
The first open charges against On,
business integrity OF Nc. Hammond
were made only about 10 days ago
Then he was accused Of enacting tn,
character Of a "kiter." He was &C
cused Of deceiving the directors Of the
bank and the depositors, and Of dclibor,
ately violating national bank law. His
alleged irregularities were said 20 have
begun many years ago, when. II Is al.
legged, he began 20 use the money and
credit Of the bank in outside specula.
tons. This was done IN such manner
that not only were the directors de.
ceived, but che bank examiners as woll
Even old employees OF the bank. thor,
oughly familiar with the inside work.
ings Of It. were faid TO have been un.
aware OF what was going ON under
their eyes When IL was openly charged
that the second vice president had fa.si.
fed the banks accounts an investiga.
tion suggested that the irregularitie.
must have begun AZ least four years ago
At this time Mr.. Hammond is said Ia
have interested himself In the now
famous Calumet Electric railway. II is
now believed the first overdraft 20 this
railway, amounting TO $4,000, were
made az this time, whom the comptroller
Of the currency Immediately called for
n statement from the bank, aud HDm.
mond disguised the irregularities by dos.
ignating the overdratts as "f,r5ign ox.
change"
Mr.. Hammond called on Percy Pal.
mor. his old friend and confidential ad.
wiser at o. .ock Friday evening. He
was very p'Soh depressed, and talked
Rloomily about his future prospects.
Mr.. Palmer talked enoouragingly to him
and about II O'Clock Mr.. Hammond
went home and about II 30 retired for
the night
He and his wife slept in adjoining
rooms. Early this morning Mira Ham.
mond awokc aud noticed that the door
connecting the two apartments was
open aud standing AZ a different angle
from that which IL had been when she
went TO sleep She looked into she
room The clothes on the bed wcre
thrown back and her husband was not
there. His nightrobe hung over the
rear Of the bed; bis watch was on the
table, but his trousers, coat and under.
clothing were nowhere to BE- found. He
had not taken his shoes or socks
This frightened the woman and she
at once sent for Birnoy J. Moore. an old
friend Of the family, who was told Of
Mrs. Hammond's suspicious He drove
hurriedly 20 the house. On his way he
stopped at the home Of Mr. Lord OF
Lord. Owen q Co At the house they
sent a telephone message 70 Chief Der.
tram Of the police department, inform.
ing him OF tho startling intelligence
They then drove down Dempstcr street
in the ,airection * Lake. They soon
found well developed trail IN the form
pf numerous scraps OF paper which led
20 the edge Of Foster pier At the foot Of
Dampster street Five fcot from tho end
Of she pier, n number Of pieccs Of type.
written documents, on one Of which
was Mr. llammond's signature. were
found with other scraps containing writ.
ing which the men recognized as the
ex-banker's. He had evidently torn a
number Of documents into shrcds. scat.
tering the pieces as he walked down the
length OF she pier.
Captain Lawson Of the hfcsaving dc.
partment was then notified and began
20 search for the boiy
One Passenger Fatally injured.
DIS MONIES. Jan. A passenger.
train ON the Keokuk and Western,
southbound, was wrecked two miies
Suuth Of Nofwalk infnfIno eo.,c,.,l r,,.