The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1898-11-25
BANKER Cross A SUICIDE
His Bank, the First National of
Emporia, Closed
BANKERS HAD LOOKED FOR IT..
Soon After the Comptroller Took Charge
OF the Institution the President Shot
Himself at Sunny Slope" His Here
ford stock Farm.

EMpoRIA, Kan, Nov. 17.-This morn
ing the comptroller of the treasury or
dered the First National bank of EN-
poria closed. An hour later Charles 5.
Cross, the banks president, shot and
killed himself at Sunny SLOPE" his
stock farm near here.
Mr.. Cross was found dead in the
south bedroom, lying in pool OF
blood, hole in his head and pistol
in his hand--a mute confession to the
fact that he was unable to repair the
havoc that fate had made in all his
affairs
The following is the statement Of
the condition of the bank, made to the
comptroller of the currency, under
call of September 20 1898:
Liabilities: Capital, 500, 900; surplus
and profits, SlO1, 2S0. SO; due to deposit
ors, banks and bankers, S513, 500. 40;
circulation, S22, 500. Total resources
$727, 3ss.95.
TO the majority of the people of the
town the comptrollers card on the
door of the bank came as complete
surprise, but in financial circles both
here and in the state the result has
been anticipated for six months.
The statement published quarterly
by the bank has been growing very
bad and last May the bank had only
one-half per cent of its deposits more
II, 4ho 10
Since then examiners and special eX-
aminers have been in and out of the
bank and the statement published in
midsummer was little better on the
face of it, but not much. The fall
statement did not materially improve.
The talk in the town spread quietly,
and there has been a small withdrawal
of deposits, but most of the business
men in town did not believe the ru-
mors and heavy deposits were made
up to 10 o'clock this morning.
The bank has 100000 on deposit, but
its assets are hard to determine. For
a week Charles Jobes, the bank eX-
aminer. has been wrestling with the
problem of the assets, and it is au-
chemically reported that he has found
them badly shrunken. The loans and
discounts are now about 100000, the
capitalization 500, 900 and the surplus
the same. The officers of the bank are
Charles Cross president; William Mar
tindale, vice president; D. NJ Davis,
cashier. Cross and Martindale are
popularity supposed to be worth the
amount of the deficit liabilities, but
each is heavy borrower at the bank.
Examiner Jobes, who has been APP
pointed temporary receiver, said to
reporter: "While l do not know ex.
actly what the outcome of this matter
may be, still think | am justified in
saying that the depositors will not
suffer seriously. Yet when a thing
like this occurs it lops off 25 per cent
of the assets of the bank at one blow. "
Since this statement was made, and
exactly one hour from the time the
white card appeared on the door,
Charles S. Cross had committed sui
eide, and it is now believed that his
fortune has gone down with the bank.
He shot himself at Sunny Slope farm,
where all his famous cattle are.
Among the heavy losers by the bank
failure are Lyon county and the city
of Emporia All the city and county
funds are deposited there
Charles S. Cross is president of the
First National bank of Emporia. His
father was one of the institutions
organizers, in 1871. On the elder
Cross's death, several years ago, the
son took up his fathers interest in the
bank. Mr.. Cross is also well known
as a Hereford breeder. At Sunny
Slope stock farm, near Emporia, he
had herd known all over The West.
sunny Slope" Mr.. Cross famous
farm, is three miles north of Emporia.
The farm consists of $3.50 acres.
Twelve men are required most of the
time to care for the stock. In the
Hereford herd are over 425 registered
animals, worth from $500 to 1000
each. 1t is said that Mr.. Cross has sold
calves of Wild Tom, his prize winning
Hereford, for 5000. At the auction
sale at "Sunny Slope" in March $50
head were sold at an average price of
S4O7