Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-12-31
FELL AFTER LONG TOLL
Bank Cashier Spent Too Much
Money on His Home.
ADMITS SHORTAGE OF SIS, 800
President Says He Was About to
Raise officials Salary.
ATTORNEYS OFFER SERVICES
William 81. White Was Very Popular
and is Prominently Connected
in Baltimore.
ATTORNEYS OFFER SERVICES

BALTIMORE December 31-After striv-
| ing for almost half his life to reach a posi-
ton of trust and influence in the banking
world William H. White. paying teller of
| the Canton National Bank. admitted yes
| terday in his cell at the eastern police sta
! ton that he had robbed the bank. short
age Of more than $500 was discovered in
the banks accounts, and the police were
| asked to arrest the paying teller, who Is
| scarcely more than thirty years old
Although the police feared that White
| would try to get away, Detectives Weaver
| and Bradley had no trouble in arresting
| him yesterday morning at his home at
| Halethorpe. From the time of his arrival
| in the city his relatives and friends have
been doing everything possible to straighten
/ out the difficulty. but under the national
banking law this is not easy Capt Thomas
| Moore. the well-known oysterman is
Whites grandfather. and other relatives
are equally prominent and well-to-do.
Says BE Spent To Much on Home.
| The only excuse that White gives for his
1 shortage is that he probably spent too much
| money on his home. His friends declare
that he did not dissipate, and the teller
| says he did not speculate on he stock
| market. He has beautiful home in Hale
| thorpe. where his wife. fine-lookng young
woman. and his four children live
While several lawyers have offered their
services free of charge, White accepted
| none, and declared he had made a clean
| breast of the whole affair. His only hope
seems to lie in the possibility of his rela-
| tives making up the shortage which they
| are perfectly willing to do if money can
| settle the case White will be arraigned
| before United States Commissioner Rogers
| today, as United States District Attorney
| John c.. Rose is already familiar with the
| details.
Despite the fact that White is said to
| have been using the banks money for
| nearly two years. no one entertained the
| slightest suspicion until Friday, when
| United States Bank Examiner Samuel NJ
| Ham began to look into the accounts
| Then. White declared, he frankly admitted
to Mr. Ham that there was a shortage in
| his accounts. An investigation followed at
| once, and in the savings accounts book a
| shortage of about $500 was found.
President McGrath Surprised.
Mr.. H. J. McGrath, president of the bank,
when seen at his home, 1923 st. Paul street
declared he was greatly surprised when
I Mr.. Ham told him of the shortage He
| said White had enjoyed the confidence of
| all of the directors and every one connect
ed with the institution. Because the young
| teller was so backward in his manner as
| well as unpretentious in his dress Mr.. Nc
Grath said he was the last man he would
| have suspected of doing such thing
The shortage is not looked upon as seri-
tous, so far as the bank Is concerned. Mr.
| McGrath declares White Is bonded for 500
600, almost four times the amount involved.
There are two companies on the bond
| the Fidelity and the American Bonding
Company Of Baltimore-so the bank is
| doubly secured against loss
| The directors of the bank met the same
| day they heard Of the shortage and de-
| clared a semi-annuaf dividend of per cent,
| clear of taxes payable and after We'd
| nesday
Salary Would Have Been Raised.
| Resuming his remarks about the person.
atty of White, Mr.. McGrath said:
''He is splendid teller and is as smart
| as can be. During the years he has been
| with us he has worked himself up from
| runner earning $50 or $50 month His
salary has been $3.50 year. but we ex-
pected to increase it at the first of the year.
| when l talked with him about his con-
fession he said:
| 81 could have kept it longer, but inst
| made up my mind not to carry that load
any longer 1t was simply driving me
| crazy SO l made clean breast of the whole
Pthing.'
| White is far from being a "swell' in an
pearance His clothes are of good quality
but modest and conservative in style and
color. He is short and smooth-shaven and
l Oh the Whole. LOOKS exactly ike any clerk
| in the average business house. The only
| mark of distinction about his makeup is a
Masonic charm which bangles from his
watch chain. While his eyes filled up &C.
casionally as he talked, he did not seem to
be Respondent.
! His wife, his grandfather and other rel
atives wept they left his cell but when
| he was asked what he had to say regarding
| the charge declared he had Us I'd the banks
| money in maintaining his establishment.
but that he hoped everything could be paid
| back. He declared all his years of hard
work had now crumbled to nothing beneath
his first false STEP
ct Have Told the Truth"
| White declared when he told Mr.. Hahn
| about the shortage he did not try to hide
! the amount, but wanted to tell everything
and that he had never thought of running
| away. He said he remained at the bank
! after every one else had left Saturday even
ing waiting to learn what had been the re-
suit of the conference with Mr.. Rose Then
he said, he attended to some business and
caught the II o'clock train home
| Having met friend on the train who
was ill, he said; he walked home with him
| before going to his own home. That he
had admitted everything at the bank, he
said, was known to his wife Friday and
| stin he made no attempt to leave Hale
| thorpe. .,
From the very start" he said in con-
l right. Perhaps 1 should have told the
/ directors first and made the money good
| for there would probably have been moth,
| ing. more to. it. However, l have not denied
anything and have told the truth" i
1