The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1901-09-11
SEARCHING FOR LECENER.
His Family Anxious About the Missing
TimmonsVille Cashier.


Timmonsville Cashier.
A letter received here from Tim
mcnsville says thai the family Of Mr..
Frank G. Lochner. the missing bank
cashier, believe that his whereabouts
are unknown to them through no &C.
sire of his OWL" SpeskiDg Of the
strange case the Savannah Morning
News says:
F G. Lechner, a wealthy banker Of
T;mmonsville, s. G, anl owner Of g
valuable vineyard AID grocery store at
GrjAip. Gs.. bss been missing since
Aug. 10, and the police have been ak
ed totly and lccsse him. On that date
L:chner was in Savannah, on his way
to Griffin, and he mas disappeared as
mysteriously as If the esIth had sVal-
lowed him up.
He may have been foully dealt with,
but as far as known he cid not have
very large amount Of money on his
person at that time.
Mr.. Lechner's family have exhausted
every means Of finding him and have
almost given up sll hope. Mrs. Lob
ner and Der daughter were at Or fin
when the barker snd merchant dissp-
reared. He had written them that he
would leave Timmonsville for Griffin
on Sunday, 18th, and did 50. He has
been traced as far IS this city, but
where Re went from hero carnot be
ascerta;ned.
Mrs. L elmer and her daughter wait,
ed patiently for his arrival IN Grifi /
and upon his failure 20 lut in an ap
pesrance presumed that he had been
detained at Timmons7ille They re
turned to their South Carolina home,
aud We're smszsj t. 6od thaS notbiog
lad been heard Of him siocs bis depart
ure for Griffin, The other tfioers in
The bank we're equally as surp 'issd to
learn that he never reached Giifio.
A letter was written to Superlntend-
ent Reilly s:king him to try and To-
cate Lschner, but the detectives were
unable to learn anything of his shere.
abouts. NothiDg Wss said ab ,ut the
missing ms1's position in the financial
world, aud the information that he
could not be found was forwarded to
Mrs. Lechner. The letter was fled st
headquarters and no further thought
was given 10 the case.
Yesterday morning Capt N. Ed. Will
son, who is friend of the family, re.
ceived Telegram from Miss Bertha
R. Lschner, the missing bankers
daughter, asking that he lake up the
search. The telegram explained that
Mr.. Lechner had heen last heard from
in this city on the 18th, and asked that
the hospitals be searched. Capt. Will
son visited the hospitals, bus found no
Carolina man. He vas unsb!e 10 get
spy further information and wired
asking Of full particulars by mail.
Mr.. Wilson also called at police
,aquarters and had conference
Supt. Reilly. The telegram from
3 Lechuer was shown to the super
lnterdent, but he vas unable to ad
vance any plausible Theory to account
fer the disappearance. Supt. Reilly
ssid that he 2ould do everything Ia
his power to assist in lccsting the
missing man, but with the limited in
formation in his possession the task is
difhcu.s one. The detectives have
been fuIni: he'd description of Lach-
ne7, but have never rue across him in
their travels. 1t may be that he has
become temporarily derarged, and has
wandered in some out cf-the way
place. He is German and speaks
with decided accent.
W9T He LEFT.
A dispatch from Timmons7ills to
Tie State says the sudden disappear
snce Of Mr.. Frank u. L.chner, cashier
Of the Bank of IimnonsVille is
no longer mystery. When the cashier
first disappeared it was hoped that a
satisfactory explanation would te forth
coming, one that would not involve his
integrity, but an examination OF the
banks books dispels such hopes. The
directors have been bus:ly engaged in
this work, and although they have only
fairly begun, it is ascertaioed that the
cashier is short some $4,000. What q
thorough search will reveal no one can
foressy. 1t is feared that much more
serious shortage will be found. As
the examination goes on it develops
that Mr.. Lechner's private affairs are
in very bad condition snd he has prob
ably worried over them for some time.
HIS business plans did not mature and
he became desperate. Mr.. Lechner was
bonded by security company to the
amount $4,000.