The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1907-11-20
OF Thousands to Hide a
Shortage of 500.
WAS VICTIM OF SPECULATION
Young Kentucky Cashier In
the Tolls After a Short
Financial Career.


verge of complete collapse, Dan
lei c. Mcknight, Cashier of the Eos
ter State Bank, of this town, stag
gered into the chamber of County
Judge Bradford, at Brooksville, to-
day and pleaded that he be placed
under arrest.
"For what reason?" asked Judge
Bradford.
81 have ruined the bank, and III
90 mad and kill myself if l am not
locked up" replied the wretched man.
Then he sank into a chair.
The Judge called the Sheriff, and
a few minutes later the trusted bank
cashier, who admits that he took &c.,
600 from the Foster State Bank, was
sobbing pitifully in a cell in the
County Jail. He will be arraigned
tomorrow
It's a tragic story this narrative
OF Meningitis speculations. 1t be-
gins with the discovery six months
aso of n shortage of 800 in his &C
counts. He declares that it was due
to an error which he was unable to
detect, though for nights he worked
over his books, seeking a solution.
Married, a lover of luxurious living
and occasionally a surreptitious del
yer in speculation, he had less than
$50 to his name, he says.
Ratified in his efforts to explain
TO himself the error of 800, and fear
ing that it would be discovered by
his superiors, Mcknight decided, af-
ter a night of mental torture, to use
"iust a little of the banks funds in
an effort through speculation to OBJ
tain sufficient cash TO make good the
missing sum. That was the begin
ming OF the end. The investment was
a loser.
Desperate, Mcknight borrowed
more Of the banks cash, and it went
the way of the other-into the csffers
of a Cincinnati brokerage firm.
More desperate, the cashier became
Calls by long distance telephone
reckless. This time he took a bun
die" as he describes it. 1t was a
fearful chance he said, but he felt
that the markets fluctuations would
favor him. But they didn't.
were made upon him by the Cincin'
natl brokerage firm to protect his
stock. Mcknight then took another
bundle" and still another, and ther
there followed numerous thefts in rap
id succession. The panic in NewforF
City was the final blow and when Nc
Knight awoke the 800 error hat
grown into a defalcation of Sl6,6OO
He determined to let his holdings
go by default. But still there nigh
be turn for the better, and h
would take Just one more chance
He would protect his stock
Mr.. Mcknight is wanted by loni
distance" a clerk in the bank an
nounced the following morning. On
of the bank directors looked up. II
had noticed that his cashier had bee
receiving a number of similar sum
monses. He made it a point to lis
ten. He heard enough to satisfy hi
that Mcknight was specializing.
His suspicious Immediately ARGUS
ed, the director enlisted the aid OF /
NJ. Fulkerson, cashier of the August
German Bank. Fulkerson was il
strueted to examine Meningitis book
First was discovered the 800 erro
then came revelation. Fulkerso
SAYS the series of defalcations was e
fected in one of the crudest manner
that even a cursory inspection
the books would have meant imme(
iats cognizance of Meningitis al
preparations.
A meeting of the directors was cal
ed at once, and the Foster StateBal
closed its doors last night, certain
not to be reopened, it is said,unl
the history of Meningitis connectic
with the institution is known to Il
last detail
There was rush to the bank wh'
it became known this morning that
had not opened for business. But a
nouncement by its officials that e
cry cent owing to depositors won
be paid served to reassure them, al
they departed.
Mcknight was bonded to the e
tent of $4,000 by the Fidelity Bon
ing Company, of Maryland. r.
bank directors say that they will az
$4,000 to that sum and meet Il
shortage.
The Foster State Bank began bus
ness here about three years ago |
President is John :. Jet. one of &
most prominent capitalists in Ke
lucky. He is known as Oa2 of |
largest tobacco dealers a. w,
To-day he is critically i'll Of typhC
HI h,p,a Aft.-~f1i+se f1i1t-r