The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-12-15
I DEFENSE OF c. s. Gross.
H O. Whitley Says the Elder Cross
Was Responsible for the En-
poria Wreck.

ter conflict that men are sometimes
called upon to wage with 1.-The thou
sand natural shocks that flesh is heir
to. For nearly a quarter of a century
this bank has been viewed as one of the
most solid institutions of it's kind in the
state. Its management has appeared
quite above suspicion. Confidence in its
soundness had become so firmly i'm
bedded in the minds of its patrons that
few. If any, of them would heed the
whispered warnings of its weakness. Its
fail was unsupported and crushing in
ITS force. Even after its doors were
closed by the examiner and its president
had rushed nad1y to his farm and in
nicted the death penalty upon himself,
many persons failed to comprehend the
situation. In the excitement of the mo-
ment many blamed the government,
while others poured their invectives up
on the bank officials. Each deposition
regretted he had not been given oppor-
tunity to withdraw his money in time
to save his loss. Some reasoned that
if. the bank had not been closed and
time had been given, all would have
been well. 1t is now demonstrated that
this was a mistaken idea and that in
dulgence for even a short time would
have made matters much worse. "A few
of the depositors might have been able
to withdraw their funds, but this would
only have incurred a deeper loss upon
others. 1t is now feared that the banks
assets are wholly insufficient to meet
its liabilities. It's substance seems to
have gradually been fTittered away.
The fact is, the bank should have been
closed long before it was. 1t is proven
beyond dispute that the action of the
bank examiner is not only justihable
but of great benefit to its creditors. The
task of bank examiner is a very diff
cult one. The Justification of affairs
through the substitution of worthless
paper and the doctoring of the accounts
is not always easily detected, as is
shown by the fact that work of this
kind had been going on for some time
without discovery. It now appears that
the foundation for the final wrecking
of the bank was laid by it's former
president, H. G. Cross. He was a spec
ulatOr in outside properties and was
possessed of an ambition to obtain con-
troll of surrounding affairs In both a
political and business sense.
A few years before his death he con-
ceiVed the idea of absorbing the news
paper interests of this city This idea
he carried out to the extent Of squan-
dering a large sum of the banks mon
ey. How much, / am. unable to say.
Mr.. Cross seems to have entertained the
notion that a bank should exercise a
great deal of influence over the COM
munity in which it is situated. 1t Is
pTOba BILE that the carrying out of views
of this kind here and elsewhere has
furnished much Of the material from
which the so-called reformed politicians
of this state have been able to draw
exaggerated pictures Of evils flowing
from banks. They charged up indivfd-
ua1 extravaganza and dishonest meth
DDS to the monopoly OF rights. AGSu-
nents of this kind made -cOnSidera bic I
and there became a general |
ly conceded concentration of power in |
banks. / desire to speak of this mat |
ter in a candid manner, as it is useless |
to attempt to cover up the wrongs that !
have been perpetrated. I believe that |
C. S. Cross bravely ShOuldered the pack |
that contained the Faults of another and
that MANY of the secrets of his miSfOr-
tune were buried with him. Sufficient |
facts have come to light since his death
to extenuate and tighten many of the |
errors that he committed. Let us re-
member that there are conditions con-
nected with the faults of men which, !
although they do not excuse, palate
at least the motives that inspired the |
deeds. Human tribunals may not ex-
cuse but eternal justice may strike |
balance between the temptation and the
crime From all that can be learned
in regard to facts and circumstances
connected with the affairs of the bank
it appears that in this case the presi-
dent was its moral as well as its legal
head It also develops the TACT that
men unskilled in accounts have no bus
mess to hold important positions in
banks If directors are required to sign
statements showing conditlons they
should be able to revise the business
done by the president and cashier. ON
erwise it is a farce and unreasonable
that they should be charged with CON |
current responsibilities. Mr.. Martin
dale. the vice president, nor none of the
other directors appears to nave been
cOeT1iZant of any of the crooked trans
a c+iOns of the bank which was Slowly !
I1ut surely sailing into whirlpool as
merciless- as Niagara. mighty GAIA
ract that, without the slightest com
junction OF conscience, dashes ar tnaS
comes within its power to certain 0e-
ef7-11ctiOn It matters not what comes !
within it's influence, it is the province
of this mad torrent to pour on ana roar
on regardless of consequences There ~
scarcely a doubt that the directors ana
minor officials of the bank had such i'm
D1icit confidence in the integrity OF Mr..
Cross that they were fully pnnoeo TO
the true situation of the bank
some of these men appear to nave
been made it's greatest Vlctlfns. II -
not nv purpose to disparage or SPEAK
in exten1ation of the faults of anyone
further than to accord to each that !
which is justly due. Rivalry IN ponies |
and business speculat1onS IN lanuS'
stocks and mines seemed 70 haye tlis ~
ioIIsIv absorbed the substance OF the |
bank. All bad paying investments nave |
been unloaded upon 1t, ana IheTe- mas
been a gradual conversion OF the papk )
funds into doubtful private enterprises;
Electric light plants. mining ana InuA
cattle speculatlons ana Va
rioIIs other things contributed TO the |
hanks final overthrow. The gooo cllI-
1eDsbin and generous sentiments OF I
neither H. C. nor c. S. Cross have ever
been questioned by their nelghbors;
These men were charitable in aims ana
liberal in their dealings Neither ever }
axacted the pound of flesh. 50 ex-
emnlary was the conduct and so love
Iv was the life of c. S Cross that ne
I'D few. if any enemies Notwith-
standing his faults, he might easily
have maintained the respect of this
community had he chosen to live the
"details Of the various speculations that
ga TO the failure of the bank VIII PROP
4 blv be furnished by the receiver an
course of time. When these facts are
fully brought out I believe 1t viii pc
shown that G. S. Cross was actuated
Nv an insane desire to save the bank. /
70 accomplish this he made many bold
pushes and he finally offered up his life
as a sacrifice for the errors he had com
1oifted Had he been actuated by
raven spirit he might have saved him