Delaware gazette and state journal., 1897-06-10
DEFAULTER FOR 100000
William N. Bosss, Paying Teller Of the
First National Bank Of Dover.
MADE CONFESSION TO DIRECTORS
The Banks Depositors viii
Suffer No Loss.


g. eclai Correspondence OF Gazette and journal
Dover, june . William N. Boggs,
paying teller of tho First Nationai
Bank oftbis town, la a defsulipr iItht
sum of S3s,p00. Tho peculailohs nave
extended over. a period Of 10 years, but
tho shortage has been covered up by
false entries that escaped tho eyes ol
the bank examiner.
Mr.. Boggs has been employed In the
First National for over l5 years, and
has always been regarded as perfectly
honest and upright in all his dealings.
He was not known to have any bad
babits. and always seemed devoted to
his family.
Mr.. Richardson, as soon as the de-
falcation became known, telegraphed
the government authorities, besides
notifying the American Surety Go. oi
New York, which institution furnished
Boegs' bond.
At a conference held at the home OF
Mr.. Richardson, it was decided to use
every endeavor to apprehend the fugi-
tive.
just before noon yesterday Cashier
Bateman received from Boggs a letter,
10 which be acknowledged his short.
NphsbEo uhe kufo ny WulCU
the officials could discover the methods
used BY him in eluding the bank exam.
insr. lioggs deprecated the fact that
he had gone wrong and axonerated the
cashier and his follow clerk OF all
blame. He spoke of his wife and chill.
dren and said he could not imagine
what would become OF them, conclud-
ing with tho assertion. that he thought
the best thing for him TO do would be
10 end his life. Mrs Borgs alsu re-
ceived letter from her b husband, in
which be acknowledged his crime ana
said that be could SEQ no way 10 which
to mend matters except ny suicide.
Both OF the letters were written on
letter sheets OF the ST. Cloud Hotel,
broadway and Forty. second street, New
York. Boggs went to Wilmington
either Saturday or Sunday and from
there went to New York. from which
place he wrote to bis wife on Tuesday.
At that time he made no mention Of
his crime.
That Boggs has no idea OF commit
ting suicide -or did not have when he
left Dover--is shown by his act in TAX
ing bag of $1,000 in gold from the
safe and substituting for II 81, 900 in
greenbackH. This would also show that
be had plenty Of money with him and
that ho was going abroad, where the
greenbacks would be useless.
1t was said last night by business
men that in March Boggs acknowledged
5000 shortage, but that an arrange
nient was made whereby the matter
was hushed up. The bank officials re-
fused to confirm this.
The cause OF Boggs' downfall is said
10 be gambling. About year ago, it
is said, ho was taken to task by the
bank officials for this failing, and given
the option of desistipg or resigning his
position. lie was generally believed to
hays quit the gaming table and in.
dulued in speculation, and the latter, il
has been demonstrated, cost him more
than carde.
Boggs is about 80 years old, and
comes of a connected Kont county
family. He entered the employ OF tho
bank shout ID years ago, and after
Eerging as book keeper was made pay
Ing teller about SIX years ago. when
Philip Burnett resigned. lie was mar
risd to Miss Miller, and has a churm.
ing family, living in house on Brad
ford street. Aa a paying teller Boggs
received salary of 81, 200 year, and
most folks about town considered that
hv lived within his means. Boggs
drifted into politics about five years
ago under the Union Republican ban
ner. and at one time was town clerk OF
Dover.
1t ia said that 80 expert was the de-
faulter that he could turn to the ac-
count Of any depositor in the ledger
without consulting tho index, and that
be could tell the balance of many OF
The depositors without examining the
ledger.
Dover, June THE First National
Bank opened as usual this morning, pre-
pared to meet a run, but nothing of
the kind occurred. The Farmers Bank
here has pledged assistance. as has also
the National Bank OF PHILADELPHIA,
through which the local institution
transacts it's business
Sheriff Shaw this morning issued
execution against Boggs' former oure-
tios, as follows: George V. Massey,
John M. Moore, A. ii. Moore, DR.. John
Nj. Smith, Joseph r. Whitaker lestate)
and William N. Boggs.
The statement that half.brother OF
the missing teller was one OF his sure
ties is incorrect. This bond was entered
December Sd, 1891, and was for $40, 600.
The sheriff also gurnisheed Samuel
W. Hall, president OF tbe Farmers and
Merchants National Building and Loan
Association, in which Boggs had some
stock. The latter had, however, bor-
rowed from the association 81, 200, and
President Hall was unable to say how
his account stands at present.
At TO- 30 o'clock run was threatened,
several farmers who are among the de.
positors becoming apprehensive. presi.
dent Richardson succeeded in assuring
most of them that thsre was no neces-
sity for anxiety and they departed.
A considerable sum was Withdrawn,
however, but the bank was abundantly |
able to meet every demand made with
put asking assistance from outside. The
directors have, since Saturday, deposited |
over $3.50, 600 as an ovidence OF their |
faith in the Institution weathering the
storm.
At - O'Clock President Richardson
authorized the statement that all asser
tiona and publications us to the amount
OF the defalcation being on the increase
were fallacious, and that 1t would he |
a week or ten days before anything |
positive would he known. 10 repre-
sentative of Tho Gazetts, Mr. Rich
ardson said; "You can say for me that |
should anything like a run take place
~. II. HI