The record-union., 1898-11-04
KEYSTONE BANK FAILURE.
AFTER AN ABSENCE OF OVER
SEVEN YEARS,
Gideon w. Marsh, the Fugitive
President, Returns to Phi1a-
delphia.

w. Marsh, the fugitive President Of
the Keystone National Bank, which
collapsed on March 80 1891 returned
to the city to-day after an absence of
over seven years and surrendered him.
self to his bondsman, William H. Wan
amaker.
The closing of the keystone Bank
created tremendous sensation at the
time, and the developments subsequent
thereto resulted in the sentencing to
long terms of imprisonment of John
Bardsiey, then City Treasurer of Phil
adelphia. and Charles Lawrence, the
Cashier of the bank. Both have now
completed their sentences
Marsh was at the time of his dis
appearance, May 10, 1891, under three
indictments for violation of banking
laws. Security in $4,000 had been
entered by William H. Wanamaker fer
Marsh's appearance in court. He sud-
denly fled from the city, and Mr.. Wan
amaker was obliged to forfeit the
amount of the bail, and it is said that
he expended fully $4,000 more in an
endeavor to ascertain the whereabouts
Of the fugitive.
Mr.. Marsh to-day informed Mr.. Wan
dIlldhSI lHdl ile Welt 1IOIl lCiC ~
Brazil, where he remained several
years, and then came back to the Unit
ed States and located in the State Of
Washington, where he has been earning
his living He came East a few days
ago.
Not until yesterday did Marsh's
bondsmen, who have been prosecuting
their search for him for years, get an
inkling as to his whereabouts. Then
telegram came to the office of William
r. Wanamaker, who is a brother Of eX-
Postmaster General Wanamaker, stat
ing that Marsh was at the Hotel Wal
dorf-Astoria, New York and would
surrender to him in Philadelphia to-
day.
This program was carried out. With
out being recognized on the street
Marsh went direct to Mr.. Wanamak-
ers office, and later in the day, ac-
companied by his lawyer and Mr.. Wan
amaker, he proceeded to the office of
United States District Attorney Beck,
and was committed to prison to await
a hearing tomorrow morning.
Marsh says he has travelled from
place to place all over the world. He
returned to America, and eventually
located in the State of Washington,
where, he said, he had earned money
at any kind of labor he could get.
The news of Marshs return, when it
became generally known late in the
day, became almost the sole topic of
conversation. Not the least interest
ing part of the discussions were in ref
erence to the effect the sudden appear
- Lox Il +,
III political circles.
The name Of the fugitive has fire.
quently been mentioned in the utter
ances of speakers at political mass
meetings in the present furiously excit-
ing campaign, and Marsh has particu-
larly been the subject Of heated con-
troversy between United States Senator
Penrose and John Wanamaker
In speech a few weeks ago Senator
Penrose intimated that John Wana-
maker, prior to the failure of the Key
stone Bank, had knowledge of an over
issue of the banks stock and knowl-
edge Of a demand made by President
Marsh on City Treasurer Bardsley for
an additional deposit of city funds. He
Penrose) said it was to the interest
of Wanamaker that Marsh should not
come back.
The Senator said he had been in COM
munication with Marsh, and that the
latter would probably soon come back
and tell all he knew about the lootiug
of the bank.
Mr.. Wanamaker has been vigorously
opposing the Republican State ticket.
and especially aiming to defeat the re-
election of Senator Quay to the United
States Senate.
Wanamaker offered to advance mon
ey for Marsh's return, to endeavor to
secure lenient sentence for him and
after he had served it to re-establish
Marsh in business, if he would only
come back.
When Marsh was to-day asked what
induced him to return he answered:
Mr.. Wanamaker's speech at the
Academy of Music. 1 read it in the
newspapers. 1 consummated a desire
to protect my children, and the thought
that my return would revive a state of
affairs that would be a scandal and
mcst painful to them is the only thing
that kept me away. Recent develop
mentS convinced me that the affairs of
the bank had been so thoroughly venti-
lated that my coming home would add
very little to the publicity of the pres
ent state of affairs. then decided that
would end an intolerable existence,
and here 1 am"