Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1901-04-26
THE BANK TRAGEDY.
BANK FAILS AND ITS PRESIDENT
AND CASHIER SUICIDE.

BANK FAILS AND ITS PRESIDENT
AND CASHIER SUICIDE.
The First National Bank Of Vancouver Goes
to the WaII-Its President and Cashier Delhi.
erately Commit Suicids-Each Shoots Him.
self in the Mouth-Ths Bank Over $50, 900
| Short-Loss Widespread.
A Vancouver (Wash.) dispatch of
Monday gives the following narrowing
details of the bank failure in that CITY
last week:
AS result of the closing of the
First National bank of Vancouver
Saturday, comes the double suicide of
Charles Brown, President OF the bank,
and Cashier E. L. Candy. When Ex-
aminer Maxwell announced to the Of
ficials Friday evening that the bank
would not open for business on Satur-
day morning and accused them of pee
ulation of the bank funds both men
admitted their guilt. Candy at that
time attempted to commit suicide,
but the cartridges of his revolver failed
TO explode. When he and Brown
left the bank at $50 aclock the
latter took his revolver with him,
and, accompanied by Candy, followed
a course towards the northern out
skirts OF the city. When they reached
the grove near the Columbian school
they left bicycle owned by Brown,
and a short distance away Candy left
his umbrella. These were found later
Saturday evening, and their families
and friends, suspecting suicide, a
search party took up their tracks
early Sunday morning, and following
them about half a mile found the
bodies at 3 o'clock in a clump of
bushes about three hundred yards
north of the track of the p. V. & V. |
railroad. The suicides were deliber.
ately and coolly planned.
Friday, after attempting to commit
suicide, Candy came back into the |
bank, and he and President Brown
left together, the latter taking his re-
volver. When Bank Examiner Max
well confronted the bank officials
with the shortage of $Sl 600 which he
had discovered, both officials admitted
their guilt. 1t is said that both
Brown and Candy had been speculat-
ing in stocks. Beside Browns BODY
there was found package containing
$25 and note saying that the money
belonged to his daughter.
Upon Cauby's body the following
brief note was found:
"My dear wife: l feel what I am
about to do is for the best Forgive me
If you can and try to live for our dear
children. God bless you all. Good
bye.
april 10. 1901. NED"
After writing the note Candy ap-
parently took Browns revolver and
placing the muzzle in his mouth fred.
Brown then took the revolver from
the hand of his dead companion and
ended his life in an exactly similar
manner. As the gun was found in
Browns hand it was evident that
Candy died first. The bodies were
taken to town and placed in the
morgue, where they were viewed by
thousands. Both men left heavy life
insurance, Candy having recently
taken policy of ten thousand dollars.
1t is generally believed that the dead
officials had been specializing in min
ing stocks or gambling in stocks and
bonds through the bucket shops in
Portland.
Brown, who was 81 years old, has
lived in Vancouver since 1862. His
father was the first receiver of the
Vancouver land Office. He has served
as Auditor of Clark county, is married
and has family. His connection
with the bank AZ its president dates
back ten years.
Candy was 50 years of age, and was
well connected and had three children.
His wife was Miss Frances Burnside,
daughter of an Oregon Pioneer. He
has brother who is a paymaster in
the United States army. Another
brother committed suicide by jumping
OIL the wharf at Vancouver several
years ago.
While Bank Examiner Maxwell
now in charge as receiver has made no
official statement, it is known that the
bank has loaned a large sum of money
on insufficient securities. According
to bis report to the controller of the
currency there is shortage of ISL, 900
in the banks accounts, and it il
understood that a considerable portion
OF this amount was loaned to Brown
and Candy on their personal notes.
The heaviest individual loser is
County Clerk s. p. Gather. He re-
Gently deposited $11 300, which had
been paid into court by the Oregon &
Washington Railway company for
right OF way purposes. Skamania
county loses $4,000. Clarke county
has . balance of less than $l,4OO,
most of its money being deposited in
Portland banks. Other heavy losers
are: The city OF Vancouver, $4,000;
d. A. B. Eastman, 5000; Portland,
Vancouver & Yakima Railway com.
pany, $4,000; David Gary, admins
traitor OF the Herzig estate, 81 800; G..
D. Bowles, attorney, SLIGO; James P.
Stapleton, administrator of the Abra-
ham estate, $1,000. In addition,
scores OF people, business and profess
sional men. carried deposits, some of
them running into the thousands.
Several secret societies, including the
Red Men, the Masons and the Knights
OF Pythias, deposited with the bank.
There is some censure at Vancouver
OF Bank Examiner Maxwell that he
did not take steps to protect these
men against their rash act, knowing
as he did from their agitation that
they were in desperate frame of
mind. That his was an unpleasant
duty is evident, and that he acted
with discretion for his own safety
when ne ordered the cashier to place
the bank funds in the vault, rather
than to risk closed door had he en-.