Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1899-03-01
DEATH REVEALS THE SECRET.
C. N. FIGGAT DIED IN COLORADO,
WHERE HR WAS KNOWN Az
"CHARLES NILES"

The following letter which 'as received
here yesterday explains tic MYSTERY Of the
disappearance Of Cha.l NJ. Tiggat who
looted the Bank Of Lexington OF @145, 900
during period OF twenty years as trusted
cashier IL that institution. and left here Feb
ruary 18th, 1895, Us though to take little
business trip. The letter is from Fincastle.
Va, to j. p. Welsh here and is written y
the former teller OF the bank, X. X. Goodwin,
who was brother in-law OF c. N. Figgat
At the time Of his disappearance the AZ
scondins 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 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
letter below. He was thought by some to
have gone to Mexico and by others to Cana
da. His defalcations we're only discovered
by a newly elected president taking charge
OF the bank.
According to the bank examination $179..
900 was involved, $79,O 900 due depositors
and $50, 900 capital stock. OF this he got
away with s145, 900. The stockholders lost
all their invs stment, and the depositors from
time to time have received dividends from
the assignses, Judge J, K. Edmondson until
his death, and since that time Colonel Robert |
Catlett, which now amounts to rs per cent. |
Of their deposits. About 5 per cent. more
will be realized and then the looted bank |
with it's cashierw will pass out Of remembrance
save By the poor Inen, women. and children |
whose hard earned savings disappeared with |
The long trusted cashier.
THE LETTER.
Following Is the letter dated February
18th:
ION the 18th Of February Turner Mellow
III, OF this place, received letter addressed
o j. II. II. Figgat (McDowell Is j. II. II.
!. s admir-. and that Is the reason the letter
vas given to him by the P. NJ stating that
man named Charles Miles" had died al
10 house at Lockett, Colorado, on the LIST
I February and wanted to know what he
new of him. The man q. w. Wills by
ame) said that he found slip Of paper in
Is prayer book on which was written lin
encil, write toJ. H. II. Figgat, Fincastle,
a." We were almost perfectly satisfied
nat the letter referred to our Mr.. F., but to I
3 satisfied beyond doubt my brother
ames wrote to Mr.. Wills and to-day we re-
lived long letter setting forth all the facts, g
I'd we now have no doubt that the man re-
rred to was Mr.. f. He sent the little slip I
paper Of which | speak and the writing Is :.
Mr.. F.'s. He sent also his I
aver book in which the name CHARLES v
les 10 Mr.. F.'s writing. He says that
7. +. came to his house in May 1895, and
ayed some time, went away and stayed b
at hotel, and them came back
him. He died of heart disease and only
implanted q short time before his DEATH C.
d died suddenly retaining consciousness 4,
the last. Mr.. Wills Is farmer and com.
ssionep Of the revenue. He does not say n
ything about what Mr.. +. did except that r.
did little writing and adding for him on II
J books. He says he paid his board, So. so al
: week, and had about $4,000 when he
I'd; that he was decently buried; and tells a.
the kind Of coffin and clothes in which he d,
s buried that the amount expended wee
re than he had; and that friends, OF which n
had many, paid the balance His des-
ption is very accurate IN many particulars. N
. Wills says that he had known Mr.. f TO
ga drink but that he did not drink to ex-
g." lnl