New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-03-29
BANK ROBBED BY A TELLER
SHORTAGE OF $4,000 IN THE RIVER
SIDE INSTITUTION.

SIDE INSTITUTION.
The fact that the Riverside Bank at Fifty
seveuth-st and Eighth-ave., had been robbed of
$4,000 became known yesterday. when the bank
officials put the matter into the hands of the
7coIice. The defalcation is laid at the door Of
II G. BELL the receiving teller, who disappeared
Monday morning.
II was discovered before Bell arrived Monday
morning that an account which appeared to be
overdrayn had a deposit to its credit more than
=uffcieut 10 cover the checks drawn against it,
hut that the sum had not been turned In The
cashier II II. BizaIion. spoke to Bell of the
matter. though with idea that Bell was irreg
,Ilar in his accounts. Bell seemed disturbed. At
the same moment the cashier told the book
keeper that the passbooks had better all be gone
over Al this Bell hared up and grew indig
naut saving he resented such treatment Mr.
Bizallion tried 10 make him understand that no
offence was meant The teller said he would re
sign. and 10 an appeal 20 be cool declared he
would resign first and cool off afterward. He
then went to the president, II. c. Copeland, in
the same indignant frame Of mind and told him
he had an offer Of another place, which he in
tended Immediately to accept He would not be
soothed but strobe out of the bank and has not
been seen since.
This was the first time any suspicion had ever
fallen on Bell. as he had always had the con
fdence and good will Of his employers and all
the men i'm the bank. An examination was In
sttuted and a shortage in the deposit accounts
soon became evident. The method Bell had
pursued to withhold parts of large deposits
and destroy the deposit slips. If the deposited
money was drawn against and the account
seemed low TO the paying teller Bell would call
out that the matter was all right. as he had
money in that account to cover it, Then, when
he had deposited the money TO such account,
he would, it is thought devote some Of the next
large deposit to covering the deficiency. The
fact that the passbooks are examined every
three months viii probably limit the shortage
10 the period since the first of the year though
II was said that the process may have been go
ing on for a year
The surety company which had gone on Bells
bond for $1,000 was informed Monday, but
the bank officials thought insufficient steps were
being taken 10 track down the defauter, they
put the matter into the hands Of the police yes
terday.
II was recalled with significance yesterday
that Bell had waived his vacation last summer,
saying he enjoyed his work, and preferred to re-
main at II.
He did not appear TO be spending an inor-
di1ate amount Of money He used to drive fire.
quently but he was understood 10 have in
herited about $4,000 from his father two years
ago. Mr.. BizaIlion said yesterday that he had
kept The safe open late one afternoon some time
ago for Bell to put in $500 for safe keeping.
He also had $240O invested in a house"
said Mr. Bizalon. He was one Of the most
popular men in the bank and even now l
hardly realize that he did it, complete was
our confidence in him and our esteem for him"
The missing teller lived with his grandmother.
Mrs. Eliza c. Robbins. and his uncle Charles
Robbins at No. 30 West Fifty-seventh-st., a
boarding house kept by Mrs. Cranz. His mother
and father both dead. but he has sister.
Mrs Weeks. He was only twenty-Jhree years
old and entered the bank nine years ago as a
messenger. working his way up by faithfulness
and efficiency.
II said yesterday that he engaged TO
be married 70 a young woman on the West
Side but the story denied her home.
Mr.. Robbins, when seen by Tribune
porter yesterday. said he might have some
statement TO make al q later day but for the
present he would say nothing whatever.
Mr. Copeland said yesterday that the bank
would not suffer by the defaIcation. as the sur
plus was $4,000
A meeting Of the board of directors considered
the matter yesterday afternoon. After the
meeting Warner Van Norden, one Of the board,
gave out the following statement:
One of the receiving tellers has defaulted. re
sultng in q loss 10 the bank Of $4,000, which
amount has been charged TO the undivided
profits The bank has q surplus left of $1140OO
in addition 10 the capital Of 100000. The State
Bank Examiner has been asked to examine the
H. {. COPELAND. President
BY order of the Board Of Directors.
The Riverside Bank was organized in 1887,
with a capital Of 100000.
The directors are Augustus Z. Hiny, State
Senator George ". PlunlliJt, Daniel Seymour,