The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-07-04
TELLER PLAYED THE MARKET
LOST $4,000; THEN TOOK $50 400
MORE WINDSOR Trust CASH.
Runyan Pack cl ~ In suit case ami walk ed
out After shaking Han wanted
Money for Health Seeking Trip.
Friends Believe. and Made One Plunge.

street branch, who got away with 500 ,3i7.75
Of the oompany's money, had been playing
the stock market. The investigation which
officials Of the company have made indicates
that he took $40 900 ten days ago. This,
they believe, was his first touch, and he
plunged the entire amount on q market
tip which he thought was a sure thing.
He had never tried his hand in the market
before. His life had been free from gam
bling and fast living Of every sort. He took
the chance this time, 80 his friends believe,
in the hope OF getting enough money ahead
to take a long vacation and thus build up
his failing health. He was threatened with
consumption and physicians had advised
him that he would have to seek another
climate.
The 10000 plunge went wrong, every
cent OF il was wiped out, and last Saturday
morning when Runyan took his place in
the ~teller's cage he knew that the amount
would have TO be made good on that day
or he would face exposure when the regular
first OF the month balances were struck on
Monday morning.
1t 10 practically certain that the teller had
decided what he would do even before he
left his home at 800 West nth street or
Saturday morning. The entire plan OF the
defalcation was undoubtedly in his mind
when on that morning he handed his wife
a 80 bill for the expenses Of the house and.
taking his dress suit case, told her that he
was going TO spend Sunday in Rochester
with his mother. II il the first time that he
had proposed remaining away from home
since they were married, five years go,
but Mrs. Runyan became reconciled TO the
suggestion after he had recalled TO her mind
that his mother was i'll and that he had not
seen her In a long time.
How the teller got away with more than
$50, 900 In cash on Saturday was told yester-
day in detail by President John A. Young
" the trust company. The trust company,
not being a clearing house institution. is
obliged to keep 8 per cent. Of its deposits
on hand in cash. The larger part Of this
cash il kept in the treasurer's vault, but
about 800. 900 is in the hands Of the teller,
who has a small vault in his department.
The teller has the absolute handling Of this
money, but il, Of course, checked mp by the
regular monthly balances.
Runyan entered the Cedar street Office
oil Saturday morning apparently in the best
Of spirits. He had IA pleasant word for
every one. and in reply 10 questions in
regard TO his health said that he was feel
ing better. Pointing to his suit case. he
remarked that he was going TO run ont
Of town over Sunday and he thought the
rest would do him a lot Of good He stored
the suit case away under a table in one
corner Of his cage. The box in which the
paying ~teller's money was kept was always
placed on this table OF under il. Az near
as the other employees have been able Il
recall on Saturday the box was alongside
the leather case unde the table.
The paying t%eller's cage il about six feet
square and is fianked on one side by the
loan clerk cage and IN the other by the
receiving teller's cage. Wire screens
separate the paying teller's cage from the
other departments. There was an assistant
with Runyan in his cage all the time he was.
there on Saturday. Also there were men
in the departments on either side Of him.
The assistant recalls now that he saw
Runyan open his dress suit case several
times. but he did not pay any particular
attention to him. At 1880 O'Clock Runyan
went out to lunch as usual. leaving his case
in the cage The Offices of the bank are
inclined to believe that he had been storing
the money away in his bag whenever the
opportunity presented itself in the morn
ing and then calmly walked out. leaving
his bag, with the booty, while he got lunch.
INV oho OtNiNN
men, however. say that is incredible. They
believe that he loaded up the suit case after
he had returned from lunch and probably
when the assistant had stepped out of the
cage.
He returned at 1 O'Clock and almost i'm
mediately began to make preparations to
close the vault set the time lock for
Monday morning: II was 1880 O'Clock
when he left the Office with his leather case.
Before going, though. he dropped il down
near the door and made the rounds of the
departments shaking hands with his friends.
Nobody thought anything of that at the
time, for they all knew he was going up the
State To spend Sunday.
About fifteen minutes later, however,
Runyan appeared in the Office again. This
time also he set the bag down near the door
and then went around 10 his cage. He was
in the cage three or four times and in re-
Spouse TO questions as TO why he was staying
so late he replied:
'Oh, | forgot a package OF cigarettes and
came back after them"
Picking up his case again. he sauntered
out into the street. That IL the last that is
known Of him. The trust company officers
discovered the theft on Monday morning
and notified both the Pinkertons and the
Central Office.
Runyan took practically every cent that
was left in his department az the close of
the days business. There was a little
change left in one of the drawers. He took
also the trust company's big revolver. This
was loaded and the detectives believe tina
il was his purpose to shoot himself il he was
nabbed The $50, 900 which he took on
Saturday was e'most entirely in bills rang
ing from 81 900 down. Most of il, however,
was il bills q" small denominations.
The trustlC mpany officers. as soon as the
defalcation vas discovered, called in a firm
of expert accountants. and they are now
at work on the books. The examination
had progressed far enough yesterday,
however. TO show that hone Of the securi-
lies in any OF the departments had been
touched. The company will call in all the
depositors' passbooks and verify them,
but this will be lone merely az a precau-
t~ionary measure and not because the com
pany thinks there has been any tampering
witt accounts. The officers say that they
aresatisfied that all Of Runyan's REGULATIONS
were confined to- his own department.
Runyan is about IS years old. he en-
tered the employ Of the Windsor Trust
Oempany in 1905 with good recommenda-
tians. He had been employed for several
years AZ cashier in the American Tin Plate
Company. and before tina he had worked
in the Traders and the Alliance banks in
Rochester. He had a good reputation with
all his former employers.
His wife was Frustrated when she heard
Of the theft on Monday. She agreed 10