Arizona republican., 1908-01-26

the street Neal, on being notified
 that relatives were desirous of his re-
 turn home, said that he would remain here but intimated that he did not care
 to return and face the music. He had
 gone here under the name of Max.
 MT. Neal was not detained by the
 officers as no charge had been made
 against him and there was offered a
 reward of only $50 for information
 The old man was terribly broken ul
 over his affairs and his sorrow was
 almost pitiable. The Republican learn
 ed of the matter at the time but in
 view of the circumstances the story was left to be printed after the arrival Of Neals friends and relatives in this city when full particulars were learned D. s. Fitzgerell, cashier of the Ew- ing bank of which Neal is the vice president, pr. Phillips. his son-in-law,
 both of Ewing. and Frank Neal. a son engaged in the hardware business with his father at Kansas, Illinois, arrived yesterday. They made the trip for the express purpose of inducing Neal to return home to his wife and family. who have been caused untold grief and suspense by his Hl-advised action.
 Full particulars were given the re- porter yesterday by MT. Fitzgerell who stood closer to Neal than any man in the state, and who says that he always 1 has and still does, place absolute con- 1 fidence in Nears honesty and integ- rity Of purpose. That, though he is involved to the extent of some $3O,0OO ! va1 In1 stayed there and faced his creditors, he would have come out all right. It is thought that his estate will pay out the loss and have some left.
 Mr Neal is one of the oldest settlers i in that part of Illinois and is univer- | sally respected. He has a wife and three children, is interested in the Ew- i ing bank, which is rated at about | three-quarters of a million. in the Ben | ton state bank, and the Assessor bank in the town of the same name. He has | besides, 200 acres of land worth about $150 per acre.
 1 The confidence which ths people had in him is shown by the fact that they ! entrusted money to him to invest. and | he could borrow almost any ordinary sum on his own note He also dealt in stocks and grain extensively and some time ago opened a hardware store in Kansas, Illinois, under the name of Thomas Neal & Son, and his son managed it. For some reason this | business venture failed and it was placed in the hands of a receiver, After this blow. Nears fine residence was burned to the ground without a dollar of insurance covering the loss He appeared considerably broken over | these disasters and MT. F'itzgereli sometime before his leaving, noticed that something was preying on the aged bankers mind, and that he seem ed repeatedly on the point of opening up and telling the trouble but never did SO The financial stringency was on at the time and that worried him. He told Mir. Fitzgerell that he had bet ter go to Chicago and consult the lat | ter's uncle, L. A. Goddard president of the Fort Dearborn National bank, to see if they could get funds in the event a run was started on the bank. He seemed to fear something would happen and they might not weather the storm, though the bank was solid as rock and had ample backing. Mir. Fitzgerell went to Chicago and received assurances which were en- couraging. though the Chicago banks were paying out cash only in small quantities at the time.
 Finally when the panic was at it's worst. Neal disappeared. Through the publicity given the matter he was To- cated in the manner heretofore related In the interim, however, of over month. his wife was prostrated by the anxiety and his family and friends en- tertained the gravest doubts of his be- ing alive. Wild and scandalously false reports were circulated regarding the reason for his leaving, and it was va riously intimated that he had skipped out with the banks money. How crash was averted in the affairs of the Ewing bank, MT. Fitzgerell will hardly be able to recount, for the ordeal he underwent nearly drove him to dis traction.
 Day after day for four weeks there was an endless procession of depOsitors coming into the bank. calling him aside and asking an equally endless chain of questions. Everybody wanted to know all about Neal, which was the very thing about which the frantic cashier knew the least, though to con- vince the people was not always the easiest matter. Long distance phones rang necessarily from all parts of the section. from business men, banks and daily papers. Even Mir E'itzgerell's night was invaded with the eternal question. Where is Neal?" One incl dent which was not funny at the time is related of those strenuous days.
 One of MT. Fitzgerells brothers was ill in Benton, Illinois, and he had a few days before driven through theI snow to see him. One night he had gone home, settled himself in a chair. lighted a cigar, opened magazine and resolved to forget there ever was such a thing as banks. Just at that moment the telephone rang. It was call from Benton. Finding he could not hear over his house phone he dressed and went out into the dismal night to the bank office where a Bell phone was in service. He was fearful that the news of the death of his brother would be the message. Taking down the receiver, his brothers voice called over the line, Say, where is Neal?" That was the limit. When the news of Nears whereabouts was received. much relief was felt, and the parties came on to Phoenix. To
 -T--..