The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-03-25
THEY CAN'T GIVE BOND
AWAITING THE RETURN OF GOV
RUSSELL.
THE RtQuIslTloN NOT YET GRANTED
Hearing of the Bench Warrant Set For Tues
day--A Letter Accusing Michigan OF
Having Robbed the Bank at
T arboro.


bank officers-James q. Michigan ana
T. ]. Ilatham-of the Abbeyille, Ga,
bank, will give up any funds they may
have embezzleSl or taken from that bshN
before making an assignment.
The bank has sufficient assets to Gov
or every liability" said Michigan, lis
president. yesterday. The amount due
depositors is only about $1,000 and there
are sufficient funds TO cover the amount.
The assignment papers We're drawn
nv Holton. the attorney who n now
nrosaeufing MS. He was the banks at
1orney and had he followed my inStruc-
lions and awaited letter from me he
>o,,la have found out where the funds
-. ana all rhis trouble would have
been avoided.
~ tho hank. / was in Tarboro, my bust
ness being such that | could not leave.
Almos. daily he sent me- statements OF
The condition. of the hank. and when the
crash came | told him TO have Holtof
communicate with me regarding matters
ba dslnsf understand. This HOlton dill
not do.
I'VE were greatly disappointed on get
ting here TO find Holton gone. THINK
can promise some sensational develop
,npnfs in regard to him before this thing
"a over. | think he had some intimatloh
of oar intention of instituting n SANDER
emit against him and so he fed fle
State. We are awaiting trial ana feel
confident that we can show that the al
fairs of the bank are i'll proper shape.
AT M time have we attempted to escape
or conceal ourselves. We were apprised
of the kilograms being sent and that re-
duisition papers had been asked. Anu
when the officer came to Tarboro he had
no difficulty in finding and bringing us
here"
What was the cause of the assign
ment!" :,
why, Mr. Latham allowed the with
drawal of a large amount OF money ti'al
was there on interest and should not nave
been taken ont. We were unable to re.
discount our paper so as to bridge over
the resulting depression and so had 10
go to the wall
MY instructions 10 Latham were to
nut the bank in the hands Of a receiver
for thirty days. | thought by that time
we. might get on our feet again"
This was Mehegan's account of the
transaction. Latham had nothing to
saw. 1t lis said that he was simply the
tool of Michigan in the whole business.
: Both of them are young men, about Is
wears old. Michigan is q married man.
He is large fine looking fellow, with
very swell airs. Latham is boyish in
size and appearance. With his red hair
and hang-dog expression he makes one
think of Uriaih Heep. Michigan has the
bold brazen look Of the fellow that
would skin you and then shake hands
and inquire after your health.
To see him with his grand airs at the
Marlborough one would not think there
was sheriff's eye on him all the time.
Through the kindness of Sheriff Shell
Icy they are at the hotel and not in Jail.
The bench warrant ON which they were
arrested will be heard before Judge
Clark Tuesday. The postponement is
10 allow Mr.. Joe Martin, of Tarbor0,
to be here.
The fight now is not before the court
but before the Governor and nothing
can be done until his return. which may
no tonight The Governor, will hear
the attorneys and after his decision the
matter will either he entirely off or in
the hands of the court. If the Govern.
or acknowledges the requisitiOn a ha-
beas corpus will test the Governors right
to turn the men over to Georgia authOri-
ties Mehegans bond was fixed by
Judge Clark at $4,000 and Latham's al
$4,000. Neither of them have yet been
able to give the bond.
The men arrived here yesterday morn
ing on the o'clock train. They were
brought by Sheriff Shelley, of Edge
combe county, and Deputies Stating
and Wiggans.
Their attorneys, Messrs. Donnell Gil.
liam. of Tarboro and Henry A. Gillian
of Wilson, came here to represent them.
Sheriff Covington, of Georgia. who took
the bench warrant to TarborO, also came
with the party. He returned to Georgia
yesterday afternoon, leaving Mr.. j. G.. L.
Harris to represent him.
When the matter comes to a trial. il
it ever does. it is said that a letter from
Mr.. Shackelford, president of the Tar.
hor0 bank, will be put in evidence
against Michigan. This letter states that
Michigan was connected with that bank
from June, 1895, to September. 1897
that soon after he got into the bank the
defendant began to steal it's money, GOV.
erng up his guilt by false entries and
fraudulent accounts with other banks
that he was discharged because of these
thefis, and that there is now on file a
written confession of Mehegan's to tho
directors acknowledging his guilt.
Mr.. Shackelford goes on TO say that
Michigan was bonded in safe deposit
company and he thinks he robbed the
Ahbeville bank to pay off the company
and get out of the prosecution threaten.
ed by them.
Sheriff Coyington says the people OF
Abbeville are very much wrought III
over the bank failure, and that the tria
will be a very interesting one. While in
Tarb0rO he says he found ont that many
Of the recommendations shown in Able
vile by Michigan and Latham were for
geries.
Governor Russell is expected back r.
day, and when he returns the reouisi
tion will no s1rpued hafnra him