The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-11-23
A WRETCHED
CONFESSION
By Charles s. Cross, the Bank
er, of His MisdOings.
1t Was Written Last May When
Failure Seemed Near.
A CAREER OF DECEIT.
One False Step Led to Another
and All Ends
In the Suicide of the Man Who
Betrayed His Associates.

Emporia, Nov. 2S.-The confession of
Charles s. Cross, in which he assumes
entire responsibility for the complica-
lions in the affairs of the First National
bank, did not create much of a stir in
this city. 1t simply gave the people
what every one believed-that Cross
had inherited the debts-and by specu-
1ations and juggling of the books he at
tempted to recoup the losses.
To Mr.. Jobes, the bank examiner, on
the day preceding the suicide Cross con-
fessed everything, and exOnerated the
other officials in the bank
Last night in the presence of a few
friends and newspaper correspondents
William Martindale, vice president of
the bank. gave out the Cross confession
which had been sent to him by Mrs. Q.
s Cross, who found it, the evening after
the suicide in her private mail and doc
ument box 1t was addressed, in
sealed envelope, to Mr.. Martindale, and
Is in full as follows:
'Emporia, Kan, May II, 1898, II M
1 desire to state that the misfortunes
of myself and the bank have been
caused through my faults and errors.
1 inherited a large debt, which I en-
deaVored to meet by going into other
schemes which have all been practical
failures and only got me deeper in the
mire.
AS to the bank matters desire to
say that 1 have carefully laid plans to
deceive both the board of directors, the
cashiers and employees. Mr.. NIartindale
Will now learn for the first time how
have carefully deceived him, principally
by way of substituted paper of which
he has no knowledge.
The reports and letters written the
comptroller have been by me misrepre-
scented to the board; they have signed
on the last sheet on the pad, I having
sent other letters than the ones read
to them, changing every one but the
last sheet.
n hod F1caV~ IL e-Fr,,-
my life time. the only pleasant feature
being that Of my present wife, who has
been a good and true woman.
MI Davis, our cashier, has never
made an improper entry on the books
and knows nothing OF this whole miser-
able business.
Death I do not fear; it is preferable
to the agony of the past year I know
of nothing further to add except as to
Mr.. Martindale-this is a terrible thing
for him-he trusted me without reserve
/ have given him bill of sale of all
my personal property (Signed).
&C S. CROSS"
The State Journal published at the
time Of the failure the exclusive an
nouncement that the First National
bank had been examined and reported
to the comptroller of the currency as
lnsolvent on May last. Within three
days, and soon as he was made
aware of the condition in which the
banks affairs were found. Cross wrote
his confession of wrong doing thinking
tAldl the crash Wnlcn came IN November
was then impending. But the cOmptroI-
Ter of the currency gave him additional
time but this was not sufficient for him
to recover the ground lost during sew
era1 years of manipulation of the books
and accounts.
The envelope in which the confession
was sealed gives evidence of having
been carried in Mr.. Cross pocket for a
long time. The edges were crumpIed
and the address was sOiled. The theory
is that he wrote the letter in May and
carried in his pocket, having fully re-
solved to kill himself as soon as the
condition of the bank should be made
public or the failure take place
Instead of taking his life as a sudden
end to his misdeeds and misfortune it
now appears that Cross act was pre-
meditated and carefully planned. He
went home from the bank, on his way
to the Sunny Slope farm, procured a
revolver from his desk and then went
to the farm house and deliberately took
his own life.
While at the house to get the revol-
yer Mr. Cross went to his wife's room,
and placed the letter to Martindale in
a small iron box in which she kept her
private papers, where it would be easily
found and then rode quietly to his
death.
Receiver Jobes is now working on the
report which he will make to the comp
n he