The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1905-11-08
BANK CASHIER A SUICIDE
I. Lee Clarke, Of the Enterprise Ma
%tionaI, of Pittsburg, Pa, Dead.
AFFAIRS OF BANK IN A CLOUD

Politics Said to Hnve Been Mixed Up
With the Financial Dealings of the
Institution =. State Funds Alleged to
Have Been nIisu5ed For Private Gain
-Co1nptrolIer Closes the Doors.
P%ittsburg, Pa.-Cashier T. Lee Clarke,
of the Enterprise National Bank of Al
legheny, and an elder in the First
United Presbyterian Church, of Bel
levue, committed suicide by taking
laudanum and shooting himself. The
Enterprise Bank was closed by the Ma
tional Bank Examiner.
The Enterprise National Bank had al
most $750,O00 in State funds. That
the bank was carrying 100000 in
paper from Pennsylvania politicians
is also alleged. 1t is asserted that the
failure of the Santa Fe system to take
over an option On property in Arizona
promoted by Cashier Clarke and others
was the indirect of the crash.
How much Of the State money was
used up in this deal has not been made
public, but there is q record Of one loan
Of 100000 to 4 concern managed by
w. r. Andrews, Territorial representa-
tive of New Mexico, in connection. with
F. J. Torrance, a prominent Pennsyl-
vania Republican politician, ex-State
Senator Arthur Kennedy and Cashier
Clarke.
In the banks affairs all was chaos.
President Frederick Gwinner said:
81 have been only a dummy Presi-
dent. They used me, my name and
my money. 1t will kill the Republican
party in Pennsylvania. At least, L
hope so, for they have killed Clarke
and ruined me as we'll as many others.
We have been ruined by the accused
Republican machine in Pennsylvania
State Banking Commissioner John A.
Berkey, of Somerset, and John w.
Morrison, one Of his deputies, visited
the bank. State Treasurer Matthew
sent all additional deposit of State
funds amounting to $4,000, which
made the total amount of State funds
in the bank $7S2,000.
Torrance, who is head of the Stand
ard Manufacturing Company, and one
of the leading Republicans of Penn
sylvania. was seriously i'll. He has
been closely identified with the officials
of the bank now in the hands Of q re-
ceiver.
Cashier Clarke went to the bank,
where he remained over his books until
long after midnight. About 9 o'clock
President Gwinner dropped In to see
him. He asked if anything was wrong
OF, if he could do anything.
"I'll give you $100.00 Mr.. Clarke, If
you need it for a time," said the old
President. "I'm afraid all is not well
here"
THANK you, Mr.. Gwinner, but the
bank is all right, and I'm all right"
Clarke announced.
Two hours later Clarke went home,
and, rising early in the morning, took q
dose Of .laudanum, but it was not Suf-
fcient to kill him. He persuaded his
family that it had been a mistake, and,
drinking a cup Of coffee, ordered his
carriage brought to the door in order
that he might not be late at the bank.
He kissed his wife and four children
goodbye, and went out on the long
porch back Of his $500, 900 home. There
he shot himself through the head.
Homer l.. Castle, Prohibition candi-
date for State Superior Court Judge,
in public several weeks ago made the
declaration that United States Senator
Boies Penrose and others had obtained
a loan from the Turtle Creek Bank OF
Allegheny County, and that the note
for the loan had been turned over to
the Enterprise Bank. 1t was main
tanned that there was juggling with
funds Of the State, and United States
Senator Penrose came out with q bitter
attack on Castle, saying he was a
Later Castle made the declaration
that the Enterprise Bank carried $780,
600 of paper 1oated by Andrews and
others, that the loan had been made
without interest because Andrews and
his friends had obtained for the Enter
prise Bank a large deposit OF State
funds.
There were loud calls from the public
for affirmation or denial of this rumor,
but none was forthcoming. This crash
brought out the fact that the $2OO,OOO
loan was there, not in the name OF the
Territorial representative of New Mex
leo, but in the name Of the Pennsyl-
vania Development Company, which
Andrews controls.
Andrews, who is back from New
Mexico for a time, was asked about
his connection with the Enterprise
Bank.
Eyes, I've heard Clarke is dead; too
bad, amt it? Me? Oh, 1 don't know
anything about the banks affairs.
Clarke, Torrance and Kennedy took
care of the financial end of things. l
don't know anything about it"
President Gwinner made some in
vestigation when the first of Cashier
Clarke's bad work became known.
He had given a note for 100000 to the
Bank of Pittsburg. making the Enter
prise National Bank Of Allegheny Sc
curity for it.
This was without the knowledge of
the president or other directors Of the
bank. President Gwinner, to save
scandal, paid this note out Of his own
pocket. What has become of the
money has not been made known.
Within forty-eight hours of the time
he killed himself Cashier Clarke had
Gwinner indorse for him a note for
$4,000.