The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1898-11-19
COULDN'T FACE IT.
Approaching Disgrace Causes the
Suicide of a Banker.
Examiner rders Closing of First Ma
ttonal Of Emporin, knn.-rresi-
dent Cross T~hcreupon Kills Him.
seif-Cnused by Speculation.


Emporia. kan, Nov. i7.-Wednesday
afternoon the First national bank of
Emporia was closed by order of the
comptroller of the treasury. An hour
later Charles S. Cross, the banks presi-
lent and one of the best-known breed
ers of Herefords in the west, shot and
killed himself at sunny Slope" his
famous stock farm near town. Spec
ulation is said TO have led 20 Cross
downfall. His fortune has doubtless
gone down with the bank. Among the
heavy losers by the failure are Lyon
county and the city of Emporia. All
the city and county funds were depos-
tied in the institution. Cross was Gus
todian Of his fathers estate. which is
also said TO he i'm a wrecked condition.
Tragic Ending.
Cross ending was tragic. TO the
majority Of the people of the town the
comptroller's card in the doors of the
bank came ms a surprise, but in finan-
cial circles, both here and in the state.
the result has been anticipated for six
months. Examiner Charles Jobcs, who
closed the bank on order from the
COllDNlOlltI naS bttn ktAik wv AhO
books with the aid of President Cross
for the past week. No sign of mental
agitation on the part of the bank presi-
dent had been displayed, and when
Cross left the bank ten minutes before
IL closed, he waved his hand pleasant
ly to all his associates and seemed no
different than usual.
There was a smile on his sace as he
passed his friends ON the street. He
went Immediately TO Sunny Slope farm
and, speaking pleasantly TO the en-
ployes, passed into the bedroom of
Manager Evans house. When he did
not come out, Evans entered the room.
He found Banker Cross lying in "A pool
of blood with a pistol In his hand One
shot had be@i fired. and II went
through The back OF the head. Death
must have been instantaneous. The
news of the suicide was on the streets
% Emporia n few minutes after the
white caro- appeared upon the bank
door, and created a most intense SEN
sation.
rnnk I'm BnI Condition.
The banks statement has been grow
ing bad. first causing comment last
MAY. The statement issued on Septem-
Der 90 last did not materially improve.
Small Withdrawals Of deposits resulted,
but most OF the business men kept
faith i'm the bank, and up TO ten o'clock
Wednesday heavy deposits were made.
The last statement issued showed liza
bilities: Capital, 500, 900, surplus and
! profits. SOL ,2s9.53; due to depositors,
banks and bankers, $513.599.42; cir
culation. So. 800. Total resources,
| $a37, ssS.05.
Career OF the Dead Man.
Cross was the son of the late Col. Hgr-
rison c.. Cross, who died suddenly If
heart diesase at Mackinac a few years
ago and was believed 10 have been worth
several hundred thousand dollars at
the time OF his death. Young Cross was
80 years Of age and had worked In the
bank which his father helped organize
since boyhood Thirteen years ago he
became interested in stock raising and
in 1902 began the importation Of fire
Hereford cattle, for which his farm is
known all over the country. Sunny
Slope farm was one OF the best-stocked
farms anywhere and il was Cross am
bition TO make il the leading farm Of It's
kind In the United States. He had re-
Gently advertised a sale of fine stock,
the money from which, il is said. he i'm
tended TO turn into the bank.