The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1898-11-09
HE CAME BACK.
A Fugitive Banker Returns FROM
His Wanderings.
Gideon Marsh. the President of the Key
stone National Bank OF Philadelphia,
Gives Himself Up to His Bonds
man After Seven Years of
Roaming All Over
the World.

now defunct Keystone national bank,
returned to this city Thursday after an
absence of seven years and half and
surrendered himself to his bondsman,
William II. Wanamaker. In the after
noon Mr.. Wanamaker accompanied
Marsh to the Office of District Attorney
Beck and the latter turned Marsh over
to the United States marshal to await
a hearing to-day.
The closing of the doors of the Key
stone bank on March 20, 1891, caused
profound sensation. Investigation
showed that the bank had been looted
and that there was little left for de-
positors and other creditors. City
Treasurer John Bardsley had loaned to
the bank several hundred thousand
dollars of the city's funds and on these
loans he had been drawing interest for
his own profit. Bardsley was arrested
and his trial resulted in sentence of
% years imprisonment in the peniten-
tiary, several years of which he served.
He was finally granted pardon. Pres
ident Marsh and Cashier Charles Law
renee were arrested on May 4, 1891,
charged with conspiracy to make false
entries in the books CT the bank and
misapplication of it's funds, When ar
raigned before Commissioner Bell they
were held for hearing on May Is.
Marsh induced William Fl. Wana-
maker, brother of ex-Postmaster Cen
eral Wanamaker, to enter bail for him,
which he did in the amount of $4,000
On May 81, the day fixed for a final
hearing, Lawrence appeared but Marsh
had fed. The bail was forfeited and
the $40, 900 was paid to the clerk of the
district court by W. H. Wanamaker.
Since that date it is said Mr.. Wana-
maker has spent $4,000 more to appre-
hend Marsh and bring him to trial.
Lawrence was convicted and sentenced
to seven years Imprisonment, which
he served, less the Communication for
| good behavior.
| Marsh eluded the officers of the law,
who searched the entire country for
him, and the detectives who were even
sent to points in South America
whence there had come reports that
the fugitive had been seen. Not until
last Wednesday did his bondsmen get
an inkling of his whereabouts. Then
a atelegram to w. II. Wanamaker's office
stated that Marsh was at the Waldorf
Astoria hotel in New York, and would
surrender to him in Philadelphia. Mr..
Wanamaker, who was in Boston, was
advised and left for New York at once.
The fugitive and his bondsmen met in
New York and an agreement was
reached for Marsh to come to Philadel
phia and surrender to the authorities.
This programme was carried out.
Marsh said that in the more than
seven years of his absence he had
roamed almost over the whole world
and worked for living at anything
he could get to do. When he left he
had with him 81, 1886, which he had col
lected from two friends who owed him
that amount He went to Brazil and
afterwards travelled from place to place
all over the world. He then returned
to America and located in the state of
Washington, where he earned money
at any kind of labor he could get. His
wife obtained divorce from him about
a year ago.
The name of the fugitive has frc-
| quently been mentioned in the utter.
ances of speakers at political mass
meetings in the present campaign and
Marsh has been the subject of heated
controversy between Senator Penrose
and John Wanamaker. In a speech a
few weeks ago Penrose intimated that
John Wanamaker, prior to the failure
of the Keystone bank, had knowledge
of an over-issue of the banks stock and
knowledge of demand made by Marsh
on City Treasurer Bardsley for an ad-
ditional deposit of city funds. He
(Penrose) said it was to the interest of
Wanamaker that Marsh should not
come back to Philadelphia. The sena~
tor said he had been in communication
with Marsh and said that the latter
would probably soon come back and
tell about the looting of the bank.
Mr.. Wanamaker has been opposing
the republican state ticket, and aiming
to defeat the reelection of Senator
Quay. On October IA, after the speech
of Penrose accusing Wanamaker of
having inside knowledge of the banlEs
affairs, the latter delivered speech at
the Academy of Music. He denied the
truth of Penrose's statements and
called upon him to hasten the return
of Marsh.
He said he would like the truth told
about Keystone bank matters, and
said none could clear up the affair
better than Marsh. In his speech he
said: "There is nothing that will please
me SO much as Mr.. Marsh's return" "
When Marsh was asked what induced
him to return he answered: ''Mr. Wan
amaker's speech at the Academy of
Music. read it in the newspapers"
Philadelphia, Nov. 5.-Judge Butler,
of the United States district court,
yesterday on application of counsel for
Gideon w. Marsh, the ex-bank presi-
dent, fixed $4,000 as the amount OF
bail required for the release of the
prisoner. Meantime Marsh remains in
prison.
| PredIcts Great Things for Klondike.