The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-11-17
DAILY, SO A YEAR.
8 CENTS A COPY.
WEEKLY 2-TIAIES-A-WEEK 81 A rEAH
BANK PRESIDENT SUICIDES.
CHARLES $. CROSS or EMPoRIA
SHOOTS HIMSELF.

His Bank Closed by Order of the
Controller of the Treasury ana
Within an Hour lie Commits the
Deed-speculatiOn the Supposed
Cnuse of His Suicide--LyOn County
and the City of Emporia Heavy
Losers by the Banks Wreck.
Emporia, Kan, Nov. l6.-This afternoon
the First National Bank of Emporia was
closed by order of the controller of the
treasury.
An hour later Charles s. Cross, the
banks president and one of the best known
breeders Of Herefords In the West shot
and killed himself at sunny Slope" hIs
famous stock farm near town.
Speculation is said to have led to cross'
downfall His fortune has doubtless gona
down with the bank Among the heavy
losers by the failure are Lyon county ana
the city OF Emporia. All The city and
county funds were deposited in the insti-
tuition. Cross was custodian of his faith
er's estate, which is also said to be in q
wrecked condition.
Cross ending was tragic. To the ma-
jorlty Of the people of the town. the con-
trollers card in the doors OF the bank
came as d surprise, but IN financial circles
both here and in the state. the result had
been anticipated for six months
Examiner Charles Jobsz, who closed the
bank on orders from the controller. has
been going over its books with the aid Of
President Cross, for the past week No
signs Of mental agitation on the part oe
the bank president has been displayed and
when Cross left the bank to-day ten min
utes before It closed, he waved his hand
pleasantly 10 his associates, and seemed
no different from usual There was a smie
on his face as he passed his friends on the
street. He went Immediately to sunny
slope farm, and, speaking pleasantly TO
the employees, passed into the bed room Of
Manager Evans house. Soon after Evans
entered the room, he found Cross lying In
pool of blood, with pistol in his hand.
one shot had been fired. and IL went
through the back of the head Death
must have been instantaneous. The banks
statement had been growing small, and
caused comment last May.
The statement issued on Sept. 20 last
did not improve materially Small with
drDwals OF deposits resulted, but most OF
the business men had faith In the bank.
and up to 10 o'clock to-day heavy deposits
/ We're made.
The last statement show; Capital, $780,
| 600; surplus and profits, $lO1 2S9. So: due to
deposItors, banks and bankers, s513,59a.42;
circulation $22,5o0. Total resources, $751;
$685.
Examiner Jobsz has been wrestling with
the problem of the assets for a week and
Il Is automatically reported that he had
found them badly shrunken. To a reports
er he said: while / do not know exact
ly what the outcome of this matter may
be- still think ] am justified Ia saying
that the depostors will not suffer serious
ly. Yet when thing like this occurs IL
lops off 25 per cent. Of the assets Of the
bank at one blow"
William Martndale, vice president OF
the bank, has been regarded by common
consent for many years as one OF the most
solid men In Kansas He served num-
ber Of terms In the Kansas legislature and
has frequently been mentioned as a cam
didate for Governor.
Cross was the son OF the late Col Har-
rison c. Cross, who died suddenly of
heart disease at Mackinack a few years
ago, and who was believed to have been
worth several hundred thousand dollars.
Young Cross was 80 years of age, ana
had worked In the bank. which his father
helped organize, since boyhood. Thirteen
years ago he became interested IN stock
raising and In 1892 began the Importation
of fine Hereford cattle. for which his farm
is known all over the country. Sunny
Slope farm was one Of the best stock
farms anywhere and It was Cross ambi-
ton 70 make Il the leading farm OF its
kind In the United States He had recently
advertised a sale Of fine stock, the money
from which. 1t Is said, he intended to turn
into the bank.
Cross was personally very popular and
had innumerable friends. He leaves a
widow and q daughter. He had married
twice. His first wife was Miss Kate
Smeed, daughter of former president OF
the Union Pacific Railway. They were