Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1899-03-02
A MYSTERY CLEARED UP
Lexington's Defau|ting Bank
Cashier Found,
Charles NJ. FiSat, Died February I.,.,
mt Lockeu, Colorado, Under the
Assumed Mime OF "CharIcs Niles,
-IdcntiGcotiom Complete.
Especial to virg!n.an-Pilot.)

Lexington. Va. March 1.-The fol-
lowing letter which was received here
yesterday explains away the mystery
of the disappearance OF C. NJ. Figgat,
who looted the bank of Lexington of
$4,000 during period of twenty years
as trusted cashier Of that institution,
and left here February 18th, 1895, as
The letter is from Fincastle, Va, to n
friend here. and is written by the for
mer teller of the bank, who was n
brother-in-law of c. NJ. FiGgat. At the
time of his disappearance the abscond-
ing cashier was sought far and wide,
and rewards offered, but he was never
found. At one time he was said to have
been seen in Missouri by a young lady
from here on visit to that State, but
he was so much changed that she
thought herself mistaken. This was
probably about the time of his Short
disappearance" mentioned in the let
ter below. He was thought by some to
have gone to Mexico and by others to
Canada His defalcations We're only
discovered by a newly elected president
taking charge of the bank
EXTENT or THE LOSSES.
$4,000 was the amount involved. $40
200 due depositors and $4,000 capital
oI THIS he Sot away with $l45. 900. The
stockholders lost all their Investment
and the dopositors from time 10 time
have received dividends from the as
siEnee which now amounts 10 - pei,
cent. of their deposits. About nor
cent. more VIII be realized, and then the
looted bank with it's cashier will pass
out OF remembrance save by the poor
men. women ana children whose hard
earned savings disappeared with the
long-trusted cashier.
DIED IN COLORADO.
On the 18th Of February Turner Nc
Dowell. of this place. received a letter
addressed to j. II, IL. F'iggat (NIcDowell
IS j. H. Ii. Figgat's administrators. and
.hat is the reason the letter was given
70 MN by the pOstmaStor) stating that
Il man by the name of Charles Miles,
had died at his house at Lockett. Color
auo ON the 1st of February, ana want
cd 10 Know what he knew of him. The
man 81. w. Willis by name) said thnt
lie found Il little slip of paper in his
prayer DOCK. on which was written in,
pehcll' Write to j. II. H. Figgat
tlncaStlc. Va" We were almost ner-
iectly satisfied that the letter referred
TO our Mr.. Figgat, but to be satisfied
beyond n doubt Mr.. Willis Was written
10: and to-day long letter was re-
ceived. setting forth all the facts. and
we now have no doubt that the man
referred TO was Mr.. Figgat He sent
me little slip of paper of which l sneak
ana the writing is Enthusiastically Mr..
tlSgats. He sent also his prayer book
IN which the name Charles Niles is
Nlr. Flggats writing. He says that
MT. Flggat came to his house in Nav.
1898. and stayed some time; went away
ana stayed somewhere at n hotel. ard
.hen came back to him. He died of
heart disease, and only complained a
snort tine before his death. and died
suddenly. retaining consciousness to the
last. Mr. Willis Is Il farmer and COM
missioner OF the revenue. He does not
say anything about what Mr. Figga I
did. except that he did Il little WRITING
and adding for him on his books. Ijc
says he Paid his board. $3.50 per week.
ana had about SOS when he died: that
ne was decently buried. and tells Of the
Kind of collin and clothes in which he
was buried: that the amount extended
was more than he had. ana that
friends. OF whom he had many. paifl
the balance. His description is verv
accurate In many particulars. MI
Wills says that he had seen Mr.. Eir.
sat take drink, but that he did not
drink to excess