The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-05-03
ABOUT HARDING
 HEARD AT FORT PAYNE
BY cAssIus M. STANLEY.

Fort Payne, May 2.-Cspecial. )-Leroy C. Hardings abrupt and unceremonious departure from this place after a four months sojourn, related in Press dis patches and In local papers two weeks or more ago, caused more comment and eommotion in North Alabama, perhaps, than any thing that has taken place for years. And it is a matter that deserves comment.
 There is something in man worthy ot passing attention who could come into a town. start a bank capitalized at slOO,- 900, with two smaller auxiliary banks, es- tablish the confidence of the people put industries on boom. live in high style and then suddenly leave sl6O00 or $2O 0OU ahead of the game
 This is what Mir Harding has done and much more.
 Shades are now pulled down over the ] windows of the handsome Peoples Bank & Trust Co.,, at this place. and a sign reading, Bank closed,' brazenly stares the passing visitor in the face, and de- tectiyes are searching throughout the land for one Leroy c. Harding alias Ed Blazer, alias numerous other names.
 Fort Payne was the seat of his opera tons, and to the credit of her people be 1t said that they were the smallest losers among those who trusted and believed in MT. Harding. It is no more than na- tural that people should have certain amount of confidence In man who showed such business capabilities.
 Harding wasa adistinguished-l looking man of about forty-five. was a fine talker and fairly dazzled every one with alleged securities that he held and certificates of deposit from big banks in the north When he came last December, he talked to prospective customers something like this:
 How He Talked.
 Now, my friend, 1 am going to start bank in Fort Payne and would appre- ciate your patronage. l don't care for deposits so much. but l have large amount of money. I want to lend in this community, providing, of course, l can get proper security. All you need here in Fort Payne to make a glorious city is little influx of capital to get things started Anything you can do for me will be appreciated"
 Of course, no one had any objection to his coming here to lend his money. That was his own lookout. And. so the Peo- ple's Bank X Trust company was launch ed. fireman on the Alabama Great Southern railroad was picked out and made cashier. Fine fixtures, fine wall paper. fine linoleum and large conspicue ous piles eff greenbacks and gold and sil- yer coins assisted MT. Harding In con | vincing the people that he was there to lend money. And he did lend it. As con fdenee increased. depositors began to drop in and grew in number up to a short 1 time before the proprietor took French l leave
 Revivine Industries.
 The establishment of banks at Collins i vile and Attalla the starting up of the flour mills, the rehabilitation of the china factory the proposal to build fire brick l plant and his marriage to Miss Edith 1 Hodges of Hale county followed in rapid succession. all seemingly parts of the one great desire to establish perfect conn- dence in the minds of the people that he | was here to stay. He succeeded well, too. | Some people said he was putting on too many airs and was trying to do too much. but not many talked that way. Most of them believed he was a new Moses that was to lead Fort Payne from