Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-10-21
ACCOUNTS
FAR SHORT
BANK NAPOLEON Ac-
cusED OF THEFT OF
100000
FLEEs TO PORTO RICO
Was Former President Of the Louis
Vile Western National Bank lndlct-
ed on Ten Counts - Was Sunday
School Teacher and Financial Prod
lsN 81. .ll.,i;.l

Louisville, KY, Oct. GOV. B.
Smith, former president of the West
ern National bank of this city, known
as the Napoleon of finance of Ken
tucky and a Sunday school teacher of
charged in the indictment found yes
terday with peculations aggregating
$19S, ,013.92.
His methods, 1t is alleged, were out
right embezzlement, the making of
false entries, and the misappropria-
tion of funds, the steals having been di-
vided by these processes respectively
as follows: $4,000, $135,966.65 and
$12,047.27.
Mr.. Smith is said to be In Porto
Rico, and it is claimed a cablegram has
been received from him saying he will
return to Louisville on October 20.
He went to New York from Louis
vile last week, and was at the Fifth
Avenue hotel. Last Saturday he wired
President Jefferson his resignation as
director of the Western National.
A Prodigy and Paragon.
He bought controlling interest in
the Western National two years ago
and became its president. But, owing
to dissatisfaction among directors over
his administration, he was forced to
resign on July 10 last. He was sue
ceeded by T. L. Jefferson, the present
president of the bank.
Mr.. Jefferson and the other men,
bers of the directorate exerted all their
energies to hold the bank up, but Aug.
21 the controller Of the currency Or
dered it closed. The bank has since re-
opened under favorable conditions.
Smith is 80 years old. He came here
from Paducah, where he was interest
ed In several enterprises. AT the age
of 21 he was cashier Of the Lewisburg
banking company at Lewisburg, KY.
and two years later held a similar po-
sition in Slaughterville, KY.
In 1902 Mr.. Smith helped to organize
the Globe Bank and Trust company
in Paducah and became its president.
He remained in this position for two
years, going to Louisville a year lat
er.
While in Paducah Mr.. Smith took a
prominent part In church affairs and
taught a class in the Broadway Meth
odist Sunday school. He owned an In
terest in the Ledger. He also had
stock in the Jackson Whig, a newspa-
per published at Jackson, Tenn.
Former Company Also Falls.
He was formerly president Of the
Home Purchasing company, Paducah,
which is now in the hands Of receiv-
er, fraud order having been issued
against it by the government several
months ago.
The first count in the Indictment
charges that on May 1, 1905, Smith
caused false entry for $4,000 in IA
yor of the Citizens bank of Carrs.
vile, KY, on the general blotter of
the Western National. On the same
day he is charged with making two
false entries in favor Of George c.
Wallace Of Paducah. One of these is
for $39,966 and the other is for $40,
900.
The fourth charge recites that or
May 20. Smith made false entry II
favor of himself. The fifth count
charges that on June IL Smith debit
ed the account of the White Oak Can
mel Coal company, $4,000, this sun
purporting to have been paid by the
direction of the Queen City Savings
Bank and Trust company of Cincin
natl.
Chicago Bank Mentioned.
The sixth count charges Smith with
having made false entry for $4,000
in favor of the Continental Nationa
bank Of Chicago. The date of this en-
try is June 13. The seventh, eighth
and ninth counts charge misappropri
alton of the funds Of the Western Ma
tional bank by small notes made an6
Endorsed by F. P. Toof and L. G. Gar
lett it being alleged that Toof was in
solvent at the time.
The tenth and last count Of the in
dictment charges that on July 8
while president of the Western Ma
tional bank, Smith embezzled $4,000
Of the banks money which was in his
custody.