Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1905-08-18
Missing Iowa Banker Writes
County Attorney at Denni-
son Asking For Leniency
is A FUGITIVE FROM JUSTICE
Prefers. to Have the Law Kill Him
Rather Than Hound Him--Wants
Chance to Pay All His Creditors
Has Had All the Punishment He
Can Bear.
pecial to Times Republican

Special to Times Republican.
Denison, Aug. 18Th. S. Green, the
missing banker, wanted at Dow City
on a charge Of fraudulent barking, has
written a letter to the county attorney
of Crawford county from Vancouver,
British Columbia, in which he declares
that he will endeavor to repay his de-
positors If not placed in Jail. Green
gloomiy declares that the law should
be changed so chat when man failed
he would be snot or killed by officers
of the law"
Green, who had been missing since
his bank, the Exchange bank of Dow
City. was closed April 4, 1904, was APP
pretended and arrested at Winters,
Cal, in July. He had been engaged
in the hotel business there for eight
months and had secured such a good
standing in the community that he
was released ON his own recognizance
pending the arrival of an Iowa officer.
Before the officer could get to Winters
Green had disappeared again. He was
thought to have gone to Portland, but
no trace could be found until this let
ter was received by County Attorney
Klinker at Dennison. Green dates it
at Portland, August 5. but says he
mails the letter from Vancouver, Brit
ish Columbia, and intimates that he is
on his road to Alaska.
The letter is in full as follows:
Portland, Ore, Aug. 5. Dear Sid
You will no doubt be surprised to hear
from me, but wished to write you a
few lines. First in regard to the of
ficer at Winters that let me go; it was
no fault OF his, it was all of the best
people of the town that insisted that
Should have liberty to go where 1
pleased, and no compensation of any
kind was ever offered him.
Second had about come to the
conclusion that there were no indict-
ments against me and / was getting
started in hotel and was making no
secret of where I was and thought
with hard work of myself and family
] would be able in time at least to pay
all the poorer depositors and one Of
the objects of living is that / may
sometime get enough money together
that can pay every cent that l justly
owe; and how can l possibly do any
thing. in that line if 1 am on trial and
locked up?' God only knows what the
verdict of jury would be, but l know
that did all mortal man could do, as
l thought to protect everyone that l
was indebted to and l thought in any
case of failure, my assets would more
than pay all liabilities, but had no
idea of how things would shrink in
value in a receivers hands. For in
stance a. thousand acres Of land in
western Nebraska that Il could have
sold for twenty-five thousand dollars.
and do not think could be bought for
that today, sold by the receiver for fif-
teen Thousand dollars, and other pieces
of property in proportion, only worse.
suppose the receiver did as well as
he could for everybody tries to buy
property forced on the market at half
price.
Zone more thought and am thru:
do not see any reason III justice why
the law should pursue me. (Remem-
Der am not finding any fault With
your actions to have me arrested as
you are only fulfilling the duties of
your office in accordance with the
law The only thing I contend is
why anyone should want me locked up
if they could have me. DO they think
am dangerous, or do they want to
punish me?
Il have had all the punishment that
mortal man could bear without COM
uniting. suicide and my wife and fam
lily have gone thru untold mental ag-
ony. Now I am separated from my
wife and family and no one knows
when I will see them again. I would
not care for myself, but all efforts to
punish me react on my wife and chill
dren. have often wished that the law
was changed so that when a man failed
he would be shot or killed by the Off
GERS of the law. For that is one thing
am not afraid of and that is to die
for then a person will go before the
Supreme God who will judge our acts
in accordance with the spirit in which
they were done.
81 suppose the best thing for me to
do now is to go to some country like
Alaska and see If I can retrieve my
financial strength SO thai will be able
to support my family and If possible
make enough so that can commence
paying up on my old Indebtedness to
depositors.
st have no doubt VITA the Lord on
my side that in a few years I will at
least be able to send some money to
some widow depositors like Mrs. Jen-'
kins and Mrs. Hammond.
with regards to all and enmity
against no one in this world, I remain
"Yours truly
"SlD GREEN"
'I mail this from Vancouver, British
Columbia, August 9th.''
Green's bank was the Exchange bank
of Dow City, private institution. He
was also interested in bank at Buck
Grove. The Dow City bank closed its
doors on April g. 1904 when it was
found that Green's liabilities were over
100000. His losses We're mostly oc
casioned by unfortunate investments
in western land, and by the failure of
the Green Cattle Company Green is
a brother OF Judge Green OF the Fiji
teenth district, who has had to file a
petition ir bankruptcy owing to losses
in his brothers bank.
WINNERS OF THE SHOOT.