The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1897-01-06
ENDED HIS LIE
Vice Pre<id,nt Commend Of the
Illinois National Bunk
Suicides.
Left His Home in the Night
and Jumped Into the
Lake.
Body Found Near Dempster Pier
After a Search of Several
Hours.

were found on the lake front heal his
nome in Evanston. The recent sensa.
tional failure of the bank Of which Mr..
Hammond was vice president is sup
posed to have led to his disappearance.
MI. Hammond retired q usual. In
the morning the members Of his fam
lily on going to his room found it empty.
Search was begun for him and 1t
finally led his friends to the Dempster
street pier. There they found a num-
Der of his private papers in Mr.. Ham,
mond's handwriting. This convinced
the searchers that he had probably
committed suicide by jumping into the
lake. The federal life saving crew at
Evanston, was Immediately notified,
and began a quick search for the body.
A tug was also wired for to come from
Chicago for the same purpose.
The disappearance of Hammond re-
calls the suicide of Otto Wasmansdorff,
the banker, a few days ago. Was
mansdorf's death was the direct result
of the failure of the National bank of
Illinois, the collapse Of that, .institu-
ton pulling down the firm of Was
mansdorff & Heinnemann, of which
Wasmansdorff blew his brains out with
q revolver.
Mr.. Hammond was the vice president
of the National Bank of Illinois, and
active i'll the management, in fact is
said to have been responsible head since
President Schneider, the president, was
too feeble to do much work. The large
loans to the Calumet Electric company
particularly. and to others which re-
suited in the closing of the bank, are
understood to have been made by Mr..
Hammond.
The Hammond home is situated on
Greenwood boulevard in Evanston and
was built five years ago. 1t cost not
less hen $500, 200 and many adverse
criticisms were based on the current al.
legation that it represented some i'm.
proper gains. q
The first open charges against the
business integrity of Mr.. Hammond
was made about only 10 days ago.
Then he was accused of enacting the
character of a 'kiter He was &C.
cused of deceiving the directors of the
bank, the depositors, and deliberately
violating national bank laws. His al.
legged Irregularities were said to have
begun many years ago, when the vice
president, it is alleged, began to use
the money and credit Of the bank in
outside speculations. This was done in
such a manner. it is generally reported,
that not only were the directors de.
ceived but the bank examiners as we'll.
Even the old employees Of the bank,
thoroughly familiar with the inside
workings Of it, were said to have been
unaware If what was going Oh under
their eyes. ..
At the National Bank of Illinois the
opinion was vouchsafed that the great
mental strain consequent upon the re.
CEN financial troubles of the bank had
proved too much for the vice president
whose health had been none too robust
for the past year. Many expression:
of sympathy were heard on every side
for him and his friends. The report Of
his disappearance spread quickly in the
banking circles in the city and the sui.
eide theory Vas generally credited.
Suicide Theory Confirmed.
1t was reported to the coroner a
II 80 o'clock that the body of Mr.
Hammond had been recovered from tn,
lake.
The body was found at the foot O
Church street, five blocks north o
where he is supposed to have jumped
into the lake.
Sixteen.year.old w. E. GednSy, will
a companion. was walking along thu
beach in the vicinity of Church stree
when they sighted the body foatins
only a few feet from shore. nc The fac
was looking downward. but the boy
were able to recognize the object a. tn
body of q man. The boys immediatel.
q for assistance and conducted tw.
| policemen to the spot. The body ha'
by that time washed almost upon tn
beach and the policemen had little diff
Guilty hauling it in. An ambulance wa
called and the body was removed to Al
undertaking establishment. Hammon'
was found to be clothed quite scantily
as had been supposed, but the ma
wore both shoes aud stockings contrar
to the belief of his family. Nothing O
importance was found in the pockets
Some keys. one Of which appeared t
be that of a safety deposit vault. WEI
in the trousers. At the undertaken
rooms the Lody of Nh. Hammond W;
soon identified by friends.
Ms. Hammond is com ,letely pro
trateI and under the constant care OF
physician. The ex-banker was 81
father of four children. They a
Eunice, IL years old Louis, IL; Eliz
II beth, :, and Lawrence, d.
How McSulIagh Met Death.
ST. LOUIS, Jan. 4.-Tne coroner
: jury in the inquest on the remains
Joseph b. McCu lagh have given Q We