Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1900-11-20
Is Where Bank Wrecker
Brown is Now Said
To Be.
HE HAD A WEEKS START.
Newport's Absconding Assis-
tant Cashier Skipped
Last Tuesday.

Newport. Ky, Nov. 20.-Accord'
ing to dispatch from Fort Wayne,
Ind, Frank NJ. Brown, late assistant
cashier of the German National bank.
whose defalcation was nearly 5000.
OCO, began his flight Tuesday last and
is now in Canada.
Cincinnati, Nov. 20.-The experts
who were working yesterday with Re-
ceiver Tucker on the books Of the Ger
man National bank at Newport. KY,
place the shortage of Frank VI. Brown,
the missing assistant cashier and indi-
Vidual bOOkkeeper, at $191,3O0- Ac-
cording to reports from those who
were with Brown when he left last
Tuesday night he had less than $500
with him. Investigation shows that
Brown spent the money as fast as he
got Ii, mostly On races, cards and
women. He was known as u pluDger
for years in betting, and the names Of
four women are published whose
apartments he is said 10 Ohavefurnished
and maintained in the most lavish
manner. One Of these women, the
one that became jealous and gave him
away To the bank officials. has disap-
peared. and her whereabouts cannot
be learned.
Memories That Were Too Slow.
Browns salary was only $500 per
year. Cases are now cited where he
spent more than that amount in one
day. His bond was for $4,000, and
1t is good as far as 1t goes. United
States District Attorney Hill will ar
rive from Paducah today. when it is
said criminal proceedings will be be-
gun. The federal detectives have GER
tain parties under, surveillance and
there are reports tonight about arrests
that will follow on the arrival-of Dis
trict Attorney Hill. During the run
on the German National bank at New
port KY. last Saturday S2OO,00O was
secured in Cincinnati to bridge over
terday and Receiver Tucker had other
moneys and papers also transferred to
Cincinnati.
How Brown Worked His System.
Browns system required wonder
full memory. The experts say he
carried In his head the figures that en-
abled him to call off correctly a lot OF
false entries in a way to throw the
clerks who were doing the checking"
with him off the track. A depoSitor
would put in $3. 100. Brown would
enter the proper amount of the deposit
in one book and enter Ii as 800 in
another. He would take the differ
ence, $1,000. himself. Then. when It
came to checking up, he would handle
one of the books. Another clerk
would check and Brown would call
of. Instead OF calling Off 800, which
appeared as the amount OF the de-
posit on the book which he was ham
ding. he would call it as $3.1O0. thus
making II correspond with the book in
the hands OF the other clerk.
Caught 1t Coming and Going.
he also worked it in another way.
A depoSitor would draw out 500.
Brown would make the proper entry
In one book and enter $3.10 in an
other. When the depositor had his
account checked up the figures were
taken from the book in which the cor
ret entry had been made. When the
bank officials looked 10 see what
amount was due the depositor they
were given their information from the
books which showed that 81. 100 had
been withdrawn. Brown had memo
rized all the individual account. and
the experts find no private marks of
any kind on the books. The general
ledger was kept correct and balanced
with the cash. while the Individual
ledger was nXeu 10 SUIT bFOWn pur-
poses. the former being the one that
the bank officials examined.
Began. with an Accident
1t is generally believd that Browns
first shortage started accidentally with
an error OF 81 600 in the individual ac
counts. II run on undiscovered and
Brown began fast living with the first
thousand and then worked the scheme
afterward.