The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-11-29
Prominent Cattleman of Usage
County In Trouble.
TRANSACTION
BOrrOWs Large Sum of Money
on False Affidavit,
But Returns 1t When DiscOV-
cred by Bank Officials.
Is Vice-Pres. of Lyndon Bank
and Ex-COunty Treasurer.

Kansas City, Kan. Nov. 29.-Peter
Peterson Of Vassar, Kan, vice prest-
dent of the Peoples State bank at Lyn-
don, Kan, and ex-county treasurer Of
Usage county, Kansas, attempted sui
eide by shooting himself in the head in
the office of the A J. Gillespie Live
Stock Commission company, in room 2O9
Live Stock Exchange building, at $3.50
o'clock yesterday afternoon.
The bullet entered behind and above
the right temple and lodged somewhere
inside of the head. Peterson, accord
ing to the doctors at Bethany hospital,
can not recover. Peterson fired two
shots at himself, the first one missing
its mark and tearing hole IN the cell
ing of the commission cOmpany's Office.
The reason for Mr.. Peterson wanting
to take his life is given by those who
are in a. position to know, as fear OF
prosecution at the hands of the Inter
state National bank of Kansas City
for making false afHdavits in obtaining
S10,0 900 from the bank on 500 head OF
cattle which had been previously mort
gagged to the First National Bank OF
Ottawa, Kan. In securing the loan
from the Interstate National, Mr.. Pet
erSOn had made affidavit that there
was no other mortgage on the cattle
When the Interstate National banks
officials pressed Mr.. Peterson for their
money he returned it.
Lee Clark, cashier of the Interstate
National bank, told a reporter last
night that the bank had no idea of
prosecuting Mr.. Peterson for making
the false affidavit. The latter had been
at the bank yesterday morning and
had seen the affidavit. He questioned
having sworn to it, as it contained
some false statements. When told he
had made it he said:
'Well, it must be true then, for
never swOre to a lie"
a. J. Gillespie, head of the commits
sion firm, said last night that about a
week ago Mr.. Peterson mOrtgaged 300
head of cattle to the First National
bank of Ottawa, Kan, for $4,000. Later
he came to this city and borrowed on
the same cattle from the Interstate Ma
tiOnal bank, at the stock yards, $4,000
more, which he deposited. When the
Interstate bank sent to Lyndon, the
county seat of Usage county, to record
the mortgage, it learned of the exist
ence Of a. previous mortgage and i'm
mediately began an investigation, at
the same time informing Mr.. peterson
of the discovery, and asking him for an
explanation. He at once came to this
city and returned the money he had
obtained from the Interstate bank. This
was yesterday afternoon. After leaving
the banks office he went to the office
of the Gillespie company, with which
he had been doing business for the last
fifteen years, in a very worried frame
of mind, and complained of his treat
ment by the bank people, and expressed
to Mr.. Gillespie the fear that they
would cause him trouble over that sec
Ond mortgage. But Mr.. Gillespie tried
to ease his mind by telling him that he
need not fear anything on that ac-
count and to make the matter more Sc
cure he would go to the bank officials
and try to dissuade them from any ac-
ton. With that Mr.. Peterson went to
the bank and asked to see the affidavit
he had made that the cattle We're free
from incumbrance- When Mr. Clark,
vice president of the bank, showed him
the affidavit, he strenuQusly denied ever
having made any such statements.
81 cannot understand why Mr.. Peter
son was led to do such deed" said
Mr. Gillespie, except that he was
afraid he would be caused trouble for
making that second mortgage. I can
not see why he was led to make that
money, having plenty to carry on his
business, and to make any deal he
chose to make. He has a farm valued
at $40, 900, well improved and well
stocked.
Our firms matters with Mr. Peter
son are all in good shape, and we will
lose nothing. He has plenty of funds
to pay out and when this is done there
will be fully $4,000 left. No one will
lose anything on account of any deals
Mr.. Peterson has made. His matters
are all in good condition, and his cred
itors safe if he has any, which 1 hard
ly believe"
1t was stated that Mr.. Peterson owed
the company s., 500, secured by another
herd of cattle, but Mr. Gillespie denied
the truth of the statement 1t was also
said that Mr.. Peterson had figured in
several cattle deals of a similar nature
in Burlingame.
Mr.. Peterson was one of the pioneer
cattle men of Kansas and was known
far and wide. He came to Kansas 25
| years ago. and has been shipping cattle
to Kansas City since that time, when