Omaha daily bee., 1899-01-07
BANK SWINDLER ARRESTED
Leighton O. Worthington Admits Passing
Worthless Drafts.
HE IS THE SON OF A PROMINENT lowAN
Formerly Employed i'm n Bank He
ApprOpriRtes Pad of Signed
Drafts when He Leaves
the Institution.

DES MONIES, Jan. 6.-(Special Tele-
gram.)-A warrant was issued in police
court this evening for the arrest of Leigh
ton G. Worthington. son of C. b. Worth
lngton, an honored resident of this city.
Young Worthington is wanted for swindling
the Iowa National bank. He was employed
In the bank until last April. 1t is alleged
that when he left the bank he took with
MIN a pad of drafts on a Chicago bank
with the lines for the payee and the amount
blank, but signed by George A. Dismore
cashier. This pad was replaced by series
which were REMEMBERED but altogether
blank. The discovery that the pad signed
by the cashier was missing was not made
until recently. All banks were notified to
look out for the drafts OF the missing SER
ies
Wednesday young Worthington appeared at
the Marquardt Savings bank in this city,
presenting one of the drafts made out for
$3.50 The Marquardt people took it and
telephoned to the Iowa National, getting in
structions to pay it. In the meantime de-
tective was sent to follow Worthington and
arrest him on trying to leave Des Moines.
This was done Wednesday evening when
Worthington took the Rock Island to go to
Omaha. He was taken before the bank Off
cials. He confessed to having swindled with
the one draft, and his father settled.
There was an attempt to keep it quiet, but
the bank employees were placed under sus-
picion and furthermore the remainder Of
the missing drafts were not accounted for.
Hence President S. A. Robinson had the
warrant issued for his arrest.
Recently Worthington, as an expert, made
an examination of the city books and
affairs. The committee on conduct Of public
l.. 10 ,,,,I hty
crepancies. He has made several reports in
which he has failed to mention what he
found. The councilmen have taken steps
to bring suit against him.
Refuses to Pay Revenue Tax.
Milton Remley, attorney general for
Iowa, refused today to pay the 5O-cent war
revenue tax on his official bond, which he
renewed as a state officer He has written
to the revenue commissioner, saying he Is
going to make test case to find out whether
the government can tax a state officer for
part of his salary. Remley proposes to
carry 1t to the United States supreme
court.
The Des Mones branch of the Woman's
Foreign Missionary society of the Methodist
church, including many conferences in the
middle west, met here today. Arrange
ments are being made for the annual meet
ing to be held here in October. At that time
a $4,000 thank offering will be taken to
found a school at Hyderbad. 1t will be
called the "E. X. Stanley Memorial in
honor of Mrs. E. X. Stanley, whose con-
tinuance in office as branch treasurer for
twenty-five years will be celebrated at the
meeting. ar
DR.. S. F. Fitch and Dora Schultz. st.
Paul girl can live together as man and
wife, as stated in their signed marriage con-
tract. The Polk county grand jury here this
afternoon ignored the charge OF seduction on
which Fitch was arrested here and kept In
Jail for month recently.
The Iowa Central railroad has signed
terminal contracts with the Des Moines
Union. This statement Is made upon the
authority OF F. NJ. Hubbell. This comes in
the nature of surprise, owing to the fact
that it has been published broadcast that
the Rock Island had threatened the Central
with a competing line into Marshalltown II
It entered Des Moines, which resulted in
the latter returning from the field with the
announcement that it would not enter COM
petition with the pioneer line.
The announcement that the Central has
signed the terminal contracts means that
the line will enter the city by June 1, as
originally intended. This does not carry
with it, however, the fairy story that the
general offices of the road will be moved to
this city, although it is probable that at
some later date this will be done. When
the line enters Des Moines the general
freight and passenger offices will be estab-
lished here, but all other offices, including
| heads of the operating departments, will be
stationed at Marshalltown.
| What effect the announcement Of the Iowa
Central that it is about to enter this city
| will have upon the Rock Island is not known,
but 1t is likely it will stimulate that road
to branch out into the Centrals territory.
The fight between Jefferson and Indianola
Odd Fellows over the location of the pro-
posed Odd Fellows Orphans home is now
practically settled. The grand lodge COM
mittee appointed to effect the settlemtn with
the local lodges at these places, n. S. John
son Of Bloomfield, c. A. Pillsbury of Eagle
Grove and c. e. Blair of Lamont is in this
city today comforting with grand lodge OFF,
GERS. Tomorrow the committee will go to
jefferson and Tuesday to Indianola to meet
the local lodges and find out the amount
of refund each demands. jefferson was
chosen as the location by the grand lodge
two years ago and Indianola by an author
lied committee. 1t is now expected that the
next grand lodge will decide ON ColfaX for
the location.