The daily morning journal and courier., 1905-12-04

changeS uurlng the past lew years nav
 ing introduced new blood in most of
 the banks. The noted managers of
 finance, John L. Bunce of the Phoenix
 and James Bolter of the Hartford,
 passed in their cheeks" years ago.
 but the maxims which guided their
 conduct in the banking world still hold
 good in Hartford. Roland Swift, who
 was an old president of the American
 National, died few years ago and was
 succeeded by Joseph H. King, who had
 received a superb training under Pres
 ident Swift. Henry 4. Redheld, who
 retired from the Phoenix last year, has
 been a distinguished figure in the Ma
 tional bank life in Hartford since the
 days of the civil war. He is the broth
 CT of President John R. Redfeld, of the
 National Exchange. The two men
 came here from the town of Essex and
 have made a lasting impression on the
 financial history of Hartford. Presi-
 dent John R. Redfeld enjoys with ex-
 Mayor John G. Root, president of the Farmers and Mechanics National bank, seniority in National bank man. agement at the present time. In fact
 Presidents Redfeld and Root are the only active opponents now surviving of
 Hartford's distinction as a banking center forty years ago. Back in the days when the Hon. W. W. Crapo, of
 Massachusetts, was guiding financial and national bank legislation in the
 House of Representatives in Washing
 ton. he selected Hartford as the spokes- man for sound financial views The
 Hon. John R. Buck was in Congress from the First district at the time and
 was assigned the honor of special dis
 cussion in the great debate that was ln
 progress. New National bank men
 have come to the front since then in the city, including Frederick L. Bunce of the Phoenix, who now occupies the
 old office of his father, John L.Bunce,
 showing that heredity has q good deal to do in banking as well as other
 spheres in life. Harold W. Stevens, of the Hartford bank, who sways the
 scepter that James Bolter left untar-
 nished, Alfred Spencer, Jr., who is at
 the head of United States Senator
 Bulkeley's bank, the Aetna, and James H. Knight of the First National, are
 among the younger presidents Of the National banks in the state capital. l James P. Taylor, of the Charter Oak
 National, was in the newspaper world i before he took the presidency Of that bank. President Root has identified 1 with him men who have grown grey III ! bank management. William w. Smith, 1 the cashier, is an able bank man 1 Charles r. Sedgwick, the assistant l cashier, Is son of & high sheriff Of
 Litchfield county and nephew of that | illustrious Connecticut general in the
 civil war, General John SedgWick, or
 ganizer of the old Sixth corps of the
 Army of the Potomac. The oldest
 member on President Roots board Of
 directors, the Hon. Franklin Clark, is the Nestor of bank directors in Hart
 ford and man of the most exemplary
 integrity. It is an interesting fact that
 Massachusetts Is the birth place of
 four at least of these captains of l finance. President Stevens of the
 Hartford bank, his cashier, W. S.
 Bridgeman, and President Knight of the First National, are natives of
 Northampton. Ex-Mayor Root is a na- tive of Westfield. General Henry c. Dwight, president of the Mechanics Savings bank, it may be said in pass ing, is also a native of Northampton. Henry l.. Bunce, president of the Uni ted States band, also Senator Bulke- ley's, should be spoken of in this sur vey of bank men as being the twin
 brother of President Bunce of the
 Phoenix National. It is not in the
 least likely that a similar coincidence
 can be given in the state. Brothers
 have been presidents of banks at the
 same time, as in the case of the Red
 fields, but twin brothers have not often
 fallen heirs to such favors of fortune.
 The Messrs. Bunce were trained to the
 banking business from infancy by their father, President John L. Bunce. Of the National bank presidents in Hart ford only one, Mayor JohnG. Root, was a volunteer from Connecticut in the war for the Union. He was a captain in the Twenty-sec0nd regiment and has been the commando of Robert o. Tyler Post of the Grand Army May or Root is also the only one of the Ma tional bank presidents who has held the chief magistracy of the city. He stands high in Knights Templarism, having been commander of the Grand Commandery of Connecticut, and is g. thirty-third degree Mason. Vice-Presi- ] dent Frank P. Furlong, of the Hartford | bank, has been, postmaster and has served in the Board of Aldermen. The | office ofMayor came to President Root l unsought, carrying him into the polit- ical arena temporarily. For years he | has been a member of the Connecticut | Bridge district commission But that | office is not a political one. It has seV- eral noted banking men on it, includ- ing President Meigs H. Whapples and Frank c. Sumner, the latter treasurer of the Hartford Trust company. Tak- ing it all in all, Hartford bankers are entitled to high degree of credit. Many are public spirited men and have borne a fair shore of public service.
 The centennial of the birth of Will liam Lloyd Garrison, the great advo- cate of negro freedom in this country, will be celebrated in Hartford Sunday, | December 1O The Rev. Robert F. pastor of the colored Congre- sational church in this city, will deliv- CT a. suitable address in his church. The work of Garrison as a pioneer for the abolition of negro, slavery in the United States and as leader in the