Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-12-23
A GIGANTIC SN|ND[[
Hundreds of People Victimized
Thru the Workings of a
Bank
WORTHLESS CHECKS ISSUED
Commercial Bank of Illinois Is the En-.
bodiment Of One of the CIeverest
Swindline Schemes Ever FIoated in
chicaso-W. w. Bristol, Who SWIM
died Gen. Prime, Sentenced.

Chicago Dec. ga gigantic swindle,
thru which hundreds of merchants and
residents of the country districts have
been mulcted, was brought to light yes
terday, when search was made by VIC
tins for the Commercial Bank of Illi-
nois."
The victims found that the "banlS''
had existed in the building at 356 Dear
born street just long enough to permit
the swindlers to circulate hundreds of
checks upon it. All that now remains
of the institution is pile of worthless
paper, two desks, some wrecked coun-
ters, and some fine lettering on the
windows and doors of the banking
room. The men who operated the bank
have fled, with the exception of w. w.
Bristol, who is held in the county Jail
on previous charge-that OF using
the mails to defraud.
The Commercial Bank of Illinois is
the embodiment of one of the cleverest
swindling schemes ever hoated in Chi
cage, and within a day or two the whole
story of the institution will be related
to the grand jury by the victims. At
torney Samuel A. De Bolt, who has Of
fees in room 1o11, Ashland block, will
appear before the inquisitors, not only
as legal representative of the victims,
but also in the role of victim. w. w.
Bristol, who appears to have been the
head and front of the sWindling scheme,
gave Mr.. De Bolt check for $50 on the
bank. This check went thru the Amer
lean Trust and Savings bank, and to
the Chicago clearing house. 1t was re-
turned, and the fraud was discovered.
From the stories related by Mr.. De
Bolt, other victims, and Chicago bank
ers, it appeals that the Commercial
Bank OF Illinois was established by
Bristol and others merely to enable
them to issue checks. The bank took In
money offered for deposit. but paid
nothing out. "A wealthy horseshoe nall
manufactures was induced to allow the
use of his name as an officer of the
bank, and he is said to be much inter-
ested just now in trying to discover
the whereabouts of those who fleeced
him.
AT the Commercial National bank
yesterday the paying teller said that
victims of the Commercial Bank of Il
linois had caused him much annoyance
by presenting the worthless checks to
him and demanding payment, under the
belief that the checks We're on his bank.
The cashier of the same bank said that
his mail had been burdened recently
with letters of inquiry from the country
districts concerning the Commercial
Bank of Illinois.
Other bankers state that the checks
on the Bristol institution have caused
them much trouble. The bankers have
received many of these worthless
checks for deposit and have failed tot
collect them This necessitates return
ing the bogus paper to the depositor
and his tracing it back to the victim
of the swindlers to get a good check
or currency in it's stead.
Bristol was taken before Judge Kohl
saat yesterday charged with having
used the mails in swindling John r.
Prime, of Des Moines, Iowa. In this
alleged swindle Bristol used the Surety
Guarantee and Trust company, said to
be another of his creations. Judge
Kohlsaat sentenced Bristol to years
Imprisonment in Jail. 1t is now con-
sidered likely that Bristol, thru the
Commercial Bank of Illinois swindle,
will have to meet charges of sWindling
in the criminal court.