Worcester morning daily spy. (Worcester, Mass.) 1888-1898, 1898-02-05
A BANKING CHANGE.
Mr.. Williams RetIres from the City Bank
After 80 Years of Service.

Mr. Williams Retires from the City Bank
After 80 Years of Service.
Charles Austin Williams is no longer
assistant cashier of the City National
Bank. He had been in the service of
the bank for 80 years, some % of that
term as assistant cashier. Thursday af-
ternoon, at the close Of business, he
gathered up his goods and chattels and
walked out He might have remained
longer, but there were reasons why he
preferred not to do So Not only has
Mr. Williams gone, but there is now no
office Of assistant cashier. The reason
for this is soon told.
At the regular meeting of the direc-
tors, Monday afternoon, 1t was unani-
mously voted that the office Of assist
ant cashier, as a distinct and separate
office be abolished on March 1. 1898,
and that thereafter the Guties of the
office be discharged by the teller.
Mr.: Williams appeared for duty as
usual, Wednesday morning, and went
through the daily routine. When he
started for home, after banking hours,
Nathaniel Paine, cashier, took him one
side and showed him the vote of the di-
rectors. Mr. Williams was naturally
surprised, for he had had no hint of
any impending change, and he said so.
He remarked further that he did not
need a months notice, but would quit
the bank at once. Mr. Paine asked him
70 come back for day, al any rate,
ana nelp on some business IN hand, and
THIS Mr.. Williams consented to do. He
worked Wednesday and Thursday, but
mat completed mis- career at the bank.
MI. Williams departure is evidently
much regretted by everybody connected
with the City bank, and there is moth
ing but commentator for him and his
services. He was we'll liked and he is
spoken of as very efficient bank man.
Inc reason for the change is, in part, a
ueslIe Tor economy in the management
of the bank
-Four years ago. many will remember.
MI. Williams, on the advice of his ply
siclan, resigned his position, because
the continuous strain of routine work
idu begun to tell upon his health. At
the earnest solicitation of the entire
BOARD OF directors, however, he consent
ca 10 continue in his place after a new
distribution of work had been arranged.
among other things it was desired that
ne should act as cashier in Mr.. Paine
absence :"
some two years later it was suggest
ca that possibly he could afford to
apate some portion of his salary. Int
Mr. Williams naturally thought other
wise, and there the matter was dropned
Last April the matter was again
oroached, and Mr.. Williams made sub
stanually the same reply, but added
that the directors would of course act
as they thought proper. 1t appears that
the salary list was then revised, though
TO what extent cannot be told here. ex-
cept that Mr.. Williams salary was re-
duced about 20 per cent. According to
Mr.. Williams nothing more was said to
him about his Office from that time till
tuesday afternoon, when he was in
formed that the directors had abolished
his office the day before.
Among banking men. the incident has
been the subject of some comment, and
one OF them told the Spy Friday night
that it was well understood that the in
tention was to advance the salaries Of
some OF the younger employees of the
bank, but that the directors did not see
their way clear to do this and still re-
tain man who commanded so high a
salary as Mr.. Williams. Hence they had
to let him CO. though against their will
1t was intimated that when his salary
was reduced, last April, he submitted to
the reduction, expecting that the sala-
ries of the other men would be adj
vaneed at that time
Mr.. Williams himself was seen by a
Spy reporter at his handsome house at
Fruit and William street, He was
somewhat disturbed at the way the
matter had been represented in the pa
pers, and said:
THE public has been given wholly the
wrong impression, through tonight's
Gazette, with regard to my leaving the
City Bank. 1 did not resign. The posi-
ton of assistant cashier, as a distinct
and separate office, was abolished Mon
day by the directors, the vote to take
effect March 1. The first intimation I
had Of this action was on Tuesday af-
ternoon. 1 had no alternative but to go.
I might have staid the month out, but
hardly cared to do this, under the
circumstances. So worked two days.
as a matter of accommodation, and