Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1898-07-14

gies and hammocks. Cattle and hogs
came swimming by, swiftly borne upon
the raging waters Then the water
rose TO the height of the tables Well
nigh. the ladies lose their nerve. but
/ the gentlemen were equal TO the occa-
ton Climbing down out the buggies
and hammocks they waded waist deep
and cut poles, fastened the uprigbts 10
/ the cross-pieces aud trees with ropes.
and piece-meal conveyed the plauks OF
the tables to this higher platform car
ryIug the ladies horseback 10 the new
place OF refuge. This about ten
O'Clock Not long after. the water be-
T gan 10 fail. but how slowly TO the anx-
/ iOus prisoners, For three and a half
hours they were confined to their place
/ OF vantage when a. last the dry ground
again appeared. The perches were
then abandoned. but the party was
still closely beleagured- What If the
windows OF heaven were again to open
Horrible thought. Happily they didn't.
and the waters gradually receded.
The succeeding night was not a com
Portable one TO the heroes and heroines
Of this over true tale. but next morn
ing found their island part Of the
mainland again. No time was lost in
getting things together-but some of
the tinware had gone Mississippiward
the vehicles were gotten out, the
horses attached, and every body gladly
faced for home. Il was an exciting
experience. not little tinctGred with
danger. The REGISTER tips it hat 10
10 1a1 -
the devotion and care shown ~ the
gentlemen attending.
Many OF our readers well remember
J. W. Craven. who was one OF the or
ganizers of the Iron County Bank and
acted as cashier OF shat institution
from the time il opened for business
in September. 1896. until the following
July, when he disposed of his interests
here and went TO Lufkin, Texas, &C
engage il the banking business. Since
his leaving here occasional letters have
been received from Craven by his
friends stating that his bank was
success and he was prospecting. Con-
siderable surprise was occasioned here
OF the arrival of the St. Louis papers
Tuesday morning. stating that Craven
had been arrested in that city the day
before on the charge OF forgery. the
following. taken from the Republic.
tells OF the arrest. and gives Craven's
version of the trouble: joel W.
Craven. youthful and dapper iudi-
vidual, who has been president of the
Citizens Bank of Lufkiu, Tex, for a
year or more. was arrested a. the
Moser Hotel yesterday afternoon by
Detectives Brady and Ziegler as a
fugitive from justice. The arrest was
made on a tele ram from J. ". Jones.
Sheriff. of Lufkin Tex. which states
that Craver is wanted there on the
charge OF forgery. Craven is % years
old and has q wife and one child living
at Lufkin. His parents are eminently
residents ofLickiDg, Texas
county. No, and have staked a great
deal OF the future of young Joel. The
young man burst in 10 tears when he
was placed in the Calaboose. Not for
himself did he weep. he said, but he
feared lest the blush Of shame should
be brought TO the wrinkled cheeks OF
his old mother and father at home and
his loving young vile, Mabel. now
watching his interests at Lufkin. L
am not a criminal he declared. with
a sweeping gesture of his right hand.
and it pains me 10 think that there
Is even the suggestion of a charge OF
forgery against me. II any forgery
has been perpeirated il has not been
by my hand. as God Is my witness.
This rrnnfo --G-p tho result of "a
collapse of my bank and nothing else.
| tried manfully and without deception
to prevent the bank becoming insolv-
ent. but all TO no end. 1t was with
this end in view that | left Lufkin AMI
journeyed TO St. Louis; not to escape
the angry depositors. Sixty days
ago, when business became so miser-
able that merchants began TO draw out |
their deposits feared for the banks !
safety. worked hard, but could not (
realize anything, except on discounted |
securities and collaterals. TO stem the |
tide. From $50. 600 the deposits dwin- !
died 10 $1,000 in two weeks. Still |
hoped the tide over safely. After / |
had called upon my friends until | was |
to further appeal TO them. |
decided 10 make one gigantic effort. |
II | could realize s., 600 | hoped 10 be /
out of the woods. Last Wednesday. |
with the business still going on, but in /
rather unsteady manner, bundled up /
and some paper on which /
expected 10 get about $, 900 CT So /
000- I went to Houston, where my |
with banks proved fruit /
less. | determined to get the money /.
AZ all hazards. so l left Houston for ST. /
Louis, arriving hers Friday night. /
the next day to make the eff |
fort of my life among the noneyed |
men of ST. Louis. but when ! arose the /
first thing that greeted me was tele- |
gram from my vile stating that the /.
worst had become known; that people |
were looking tor me and advising me
10 hasten home. | was getting ready !
TO return when the officers found me.
| suppose now that the bank is in the
hands OF receiver. II go they will
ind that the assets are about $50. 900
and the liabilities not more than $10.-
600. The failure Is due to the IN
healthy condition of my investments. /
the majority OF which are 0; q landed
character. I dc not blame deposltors.
for business with them was very bad
and they were forced to do a cash
business, consequently they withdrew
their deposits The unfortunate young
bank president went to Texas shortly
after his marriage. at Licking, Mo.
two years ago. His father assisted