The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1901-05-29
Its Scope Widening.

The scope OF inquiry into the wreck
ing of the Farmers national bank at
Vergennes now includes oiher persons
than the cashier, D. H. Lewis. Lieuten-
ant Governor Allen of Ferrisburg, and
d. w. Ketchum, Representative of the
city of Vergennes, according to cur
rent report, are within the drag net of
investigation, and it is intimated that
there are others whose names are not
yet disclosed.
The affairs of the bank have recent.
ly been before the United States grand
jury at Windsor, which adjourned on
Friday. As matter of course Lewis
was indicted, but the matter that pro-
ducod very intense feeling was the re-
port which became current on Satur-
day that Lieutenant Governor Allen,
vice president Of the bank, had also
been indicted, charged with irregular
tiles In the use of the banks funds.
The reports also connected j. w.
Ketchum of Vergennes, Represent
ative of the city in the present Legis-
lature, and formerly teller in the
bank, with the indictments, and in an
interview on Sunday, reported today,
he says the report in the Saturday ev-
ening papers was news to him, but that
on investigation he found that the facts
were as stated and that he was antic-
ipaling the arrival of the United States
marshal to arrest him,
The details of the charges against
Gov Allen and Representative Ketch-
UNI were given exclusively in the
DAILY JOURNAL on Saturday. Gov.
Aliens prompt assertion of his inno-
cence of criminal connection with the
affairs Of the unfortunate bank, his
challenge to the fullest Investigation,
and his declaration that if the banks
books showed Irregularities in his ac-
count it was because they had been
juggled by the defsulting cashier, were
also published exclusively in the JOUR,
NAL OF Saturday evening, with his pur-
pose to institute an examination, by an
expert accountant, into the details of
his account.
Gov. Allen, also, received the first
knowledge of his indictment on Sunday
morning, though he had knowledge APP
parently that charges had been made
against him and the grand jury had
these under investigation. He drove
Immediately to Burlington to consult
with his attorney, Hon. Senaca Haz'
elton, and to obtain official informa-
ton as to the fact of the indictment
and its charges, which he was unable
at that time to secure. He has been
granted the privilege he asked of max
ing an expert examination of his &C.
count and has selected Hon. F. s.
Platt of Poultney, State inspector Of
finance, to represent him in this ex-
animation.
Persons of competent judgment,
made acquainted with Gov. Aliens
story of his transactions at the bank,
express the highest confidence in his
integrity. If he has become entangled
in the debris of the wrecked institu-
ton, in their judgment he is the VIC
tim OF circumstances. And most I'M
fortunate among them is the circum-
stance reported that during all the
years Lewis was cashier of the bank
Allen had never kept q pass book; that
when the cashier told him his account
was overdrawn he had made it good
without any questioning. II this state
ment is substantially correct, the lieu
tenant governor is the unfortunate vic
tim of misplaced confidence as we'll as
circumstances Involved in direful
trouble by disregard of the commonest
precaution against not simply fraud but
the everyday errors to which even hon.
est humanity is ever liable, in banking
as we'll as the other affairs OF life.
Very great interest will be felt in the
further developments of this widening
drama OF financial Irregularities over
in the valley of the Otter Greek.