The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-12-25
SERIOUS CHARGE
AGAINST WOMEN
Members OF Prominent Families
Said to Face Arrest AS Bank
FOrgerS.
ENDLESS CHAIN OF NOTES
Remarkable Rise OF Rinehart
From Obscurity to Millionaire
Philanthropist

PITTSBURG. December 2L-seyen wo-
men. members Of prominent families Of
Wayneshurg await ia fear the coming
OF Special Agent owen T. Reed. OF the
Department of Justice. who on next
/ Wednesday VIII begin his Investigation
Of the criminal features Of the failure
Of the Farmers and Drovers' National
| Bank, OF Waynesburg
These women were clerks in the bank
One is a close relative Of bank official.
and all are said TO have been the tools of
| J. = r. Rinehart. former cashier and
| vice-president. who. I'm his desire for
social. political and financial supremacy
| in the affairs OF Greene county. is ac-
cused of sacrificing friends and relatives
alike.
II is said on good authority that each
i OF the seven women viii be arrested.
charged with forgery and making false
/ entries It is not believed they are
I guilty OF criminal intent, but OF con-
structive forgery.
Remarkable System of Books.
The systsm Of bookkeeping introduced
| by Rinehart is responsible. it is said. He
discharged many OF the men employees and
| engaged women, choosing those whose
| family connections would strengthen the
| bank. In his bookkeeping there were
seven separate sets OF books each set I'm
charge OF a woman. Every month Rine-
/ hart would take the seven sets to his
private Office and balance them. Then. il
is said. he would lock up the books. and
not an employo or officer except himself
had any real knowledge or the condition
OF the bank.
The women clerks knew nothing of
| banking laws or practices. and had ina
phcit confidence ia Rinehart. He would
instruct one OF them, IL U.s. said. TO credit
to the account Of some prominent citizen
OF Waynesburg an amount usually about
IN a.
70 the same clerk, according to report.
and handing her q blank note, tell her
TO MI il out for $4,000 and sign the
prominent citizens name. explaining that
the bank held a similar note, which was
about to mature, and which the signer
wished renewed
Using his position as ce-president OF
the Farmers and Drovers' and director
la the strong Colonial Trust Company OF
Pittsburg, Rnehart would then have the
note rediscounted. IL is said through some
bank in another city. realizing between
$4,000 and SO. 600 and would instruct
the woman clerk TO make entries showing
the $4,000 had been Withdrawn by the
Waynesourg man and the account closed.
Endless Chain of Notes.
Rinehart. ii is charged. would pocket
the money. and when the note matured
would renew 1t or draw another. work
ing on the endless chain principle
During the past year IL is charged that
close to 81 900. 600 was realized bv Rine-
hart and spent in getting control OF coal
lands in Green and Washington counties.
in political campaigns and in donations
to Waynesburg churches several OF which
were built almost entirely with funds he
contributed.
United states Examiner Joun T. cum
| ninsham discovered early last summer
that an was not right. caused RInehart
20 resign as cashier and named i'm his
place Harry George. nephew of the ex-
amincr
Rinehart moved into the office Of STAT.
Senator u. :. Walton. adjoining the bank
Walton IS president Of the bank. and a
secret Passage connects his office with
the banking rooms. Rinehart had him
self secretly elected Weep president; then
sent word 20 his friends that he would
transact their financial business at the
office Of Walton Many persons took
their funds to him
After the bank closed Cor the dav. it
IS charged. Rinehart would go by the
secret passage into the bank get posses
sion of the books and papers, and do
whit them as he pleased. his business
ability and banking knowledge making IL
possible for him 20 carry out his plans
The seven women remained loyal 90 h.n
and never hesitated to do his bidding
From Obscurity to Prominence.
An old resident Of Waynesburg to-day
told of the rise OF Rinehart from country
school teacher TO the leading citizen.
worth 100000. Rinehart gave up his
school twelve years ago and became as
sistant cashier in the bank. The cashier
went wrong for $4,000. az had Dis pre-
decessor.
Rinehart became cashier and promi-
nent man. He was pointed out as the
example for young men.