The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-01-09

BOLD SWINDLER
Operations Of Highland Bank
Cashier Were Smooth.
His Work Was Audacious Until
the Last.
MEMBER OF CHURCH.
Had Record Aside from His
Banking Methods.
Often Tangled Up In I. "Soial
Often Tangled Up In . "soial
Scrapes I" in Home Town.

Highland, Kas., Jan. eff evidence
which has developed during the past
few days is not misleading, J. E. Mar
cell, cashier of the Bank of Highland,
is one of the smoothest swindlers that
ever operated in Kansas. He was no
respecter of persons in his operations.
He seems to have caught everybody he
could, both at home and abroad. The
returns from outside precincts are not
all in, but enough forged paper from
other towns has turned up to show that
the loss to outsiders will be even great
er than to local people.
How long the operations have been
going on no one can tell excepting
MARCEL, and he won't
MARCEL has record aside from his
banking operations. Twice he has been
tangled up i'll social serapes here. He
WIg31ed OUT each time, however. He is
known here as Everett MARCEL.
Everett is his middle name. He is
about IS years old. He was born and
reared On a farm in Doniphan county
four miles south of here. His parents
still live on the farm and are among
the most respected citizens of the coun-
ty: They are honest and frugal and
fairly good farmers. After acquiring a
country school education, Everett went
/ to the Holton college one term and
took business course. He was a
DItSHt cldp ana showed a hiking Tor
feenance." He was fine at mathe-
mates. After quitting business col
tege he came to Highland and got a
job in Beeler's bank. This bank went
to smash shortly after and Beeler left.
Young MARCEL had, by close attention
learned the banking business we'll. He
had also, by frugal living, saved up a
little money.
After the Beeler bank closed he took
| hold and reorganized the institution
| He got
interested. Among them was Harrison
/ Dillon, who was made president. Mar
cell was chosen cashier. By some ar
rangement the depositors of the Bee
| Ter bank were paid by the reorganized
bank. To reimburse it the bank took
1 over the home of BeeIer at Highland
and Beeler's ranch of 1,120 acres in
Barber county, Kansas. Later on the
| state bank commissioner required the
bank to get rid of the home and ranch,
claiming they were not good assets.
MARCEL bought the ranch of the bank.
Where he got the money has always
| been a mystery.
About this time he began to f1aunt
his wealth. TO his friends he said he
made his big money! out of his ranch
and in commissions on eastern money
| he was loaning as a side issue. In
| due time he acquired a fine 160-acre
farm near Highland and several pieces
| of town property, which still stand in
his name. He now resides in the best
| home in town.
About eight years ago he married
/ Miss Matte Dillon, daughter of the
| president of the bank. They have three
children, two girls and a. boy. Mrs,
| MARCEL was kept in Ignorance of his
deeds until yesterday. When the news
was broken to her she collapsed and
| is now sick in bed.
1 Among the Highland men MARCEL is
known as a high roller. He drove a
| 81 600 team of blacks, had a coachman,
dressed we'll and was a swell. He
made frequent trips to St.Joseph, Kan
sas City, ST. Louis and Chicago. In re-
cent months he has been gadding most
of the time. He fairly burned up
| money on these trips
! He belonged to the Christian church
here and was the most liberal contrib
utor to the preachers salary. Quietly
he let the public know he was a church
man. He didn't f1aunt it, though. He
| was too smooth for that. He simply
worked it just enough to give him good
standing. He was also very affable.
He was not stuck up. He spoke to the
laborer as quickly as to the richest
man in town. For this reason he had
many friends.
Strange to say the women of High
/ land suspected him first. Several told
their husbands to watch out for him.
But the husbands didn't heed the ad-
vice.
Common report here is to the effect
that he was a. lady man. Iney tell
of one scrape with the hired girl. After
the scandal was well developed MARCEL
hushed it up. Not long ago. it is said,
he tried to force his attentions on the
daughter of a fine family here. A
brother of the girl threatened to kill
him and tried to get some cartridges
This was hushed up, too. To his close
friends he never pretended to be much
of a Christian. He worked it for the
good influence it would have on his bus
oIo aa1 To 17o ri 0H6
Last spring he was elected mayor OF
Highland. He wanted that position, hs
said, so he could get railroad into
town. There is none here now. High
nLH ell IA I'll NM