The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-07-07

and then Mrs. Parker sets forth wine.
He occasionally takes a whisky high
ball with his meal Altogether he is
a strongly abstemious man. He
smokes after dinner. but never before.
Sleeps Only Six to Seven Hours
Notwithstanding the early hour at
which he rises and the steady vigor
with which he works. Judge Parker
does not retire before II o'clock or
midnight He sleeps soundly and is
up again, clear eyed and smiling, at
$50 O'Clock. He averages less than
seven hours in bed.
To understand the judges business
capacity and his common sense way
of dealing with difficult situations 1t
is necessary to know how he saved
the Ulster County Savings institution
In September 1891, this important
600, closed its doors in consequence
of embezzlements by the treasurer and
assistant treasurer of sums which, with
the dividends due, amounted to $780,
000- This wiped out the supposed sur
plus and left the institution with a
deficiency. The usual action was
taken by the attorney general to wind
up the business and distribute the
assets, and a temporary receiver was
appointed.
1t was found that it was impossible
to wind uD the affairs of the bank in
the ordinary way without substantially
real estate of the bank. This was so
because the institution had invested
about $1,500, 600 in real estate mort
cages, one-haIf of which were on
farms. To throw so many farms on
the market would have caused a crash
in their values.
Among the trustees of the bank
were Judge Parker, General Sharpe
was on his farm at Accord when he
got a hint that there was something
wrong. He left his fields, hurried to
Kingston. made a quick investigation
and had the assistant treasurer lodged
in Jail that night.
Worked Night and Day.
Judge Parker began to look about
for an honorable and wise way to save
the institution and its depositors. He
got a number of the old trustees to
assist him.
His scheme was a new one in New
York state. The idea was to ask the
equity court to substitute in place of
the temporary receiver twenty-five
The judge worked day and night urg-
ing the strongest men in the county
to his aid in saving the bank. He
got presidents and cashiers of banks
and other business men enlisted. E,v-
erything else was thrown aside until
the twenty-five trustees were secured
Fortunately for the institution
Charles NJ. Preston, the state superin-
Kingston, gave Judge Parker's bold
plan his official support. The legal
battle was before Justice Fursman in
the special term of the supreme court
at Troy. 1t resulted in a decree sub
shutting the twenty-five trustees for
the temporary receiver and scaling
down the amount due to each depos-
itor to his pro rata share of the as
sets. The court also enjoined the de-
poSitorS from drawing out more than
% per cent of their deposits till fur
Their judicial orders were made.
Stopping Panic.
And now tremendous excitement
was stirred up in consequence of local
political disturbances. The leading
newspapers of Ulster county, to en-
barrass the bank and thus injure some
of the original trustees. advised the
depositors to draw out their allowable
25 per cent as sooT. as the banks
doors opened. as it would probably
be all they. would ever get,
frantic crowd of depositors
stormed the bank. The run meant
ruin. But when the doors opened
there was Judge Parker, with a bag
of money which he mad obtained in
New York. He was determined to
prevent a panic. Leaping upon the
treasurer's desk, with flashing eyes
he faced the white faced. excited
crowd, and. fiinging a roll of money
down, he cried: Come on! We are
ready to pay. Come on! Do you
broken bank?''
Instantly the panic ceased. Judge
Parker had saved the day. The de-
positors departed, and only / per cent
of them drew out their money. That
saved the Ulster County Savings in
stitution, which has since worked out
of its difficulties.
The general term of the supreme
court and the court of appeals both
sustained Judge Parker's novel plan
as sound in law. The judge never
rested till the thieving treasurer and
assistant treasurer were sent to the
state prison, where they both died.
After awhile Judge Parker was ask
ed to become president of the bank.
He declared that he would only ac-
cept the position on condition that
the salary should be abolished This
was agreed to, and he was elected
president. He did not retire until the
deposits of the bank were several hun
dred thousand dollars greater than
they were before its doors were closed.
The rescue of the savings bank and
its deDositors is the achievement of
which Judge Parker is proudest. 1t is
the most stirring incident of his pri-
vate life.
Brutality Tortured.
A case came to light that for persistent |