Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1908-06-30
NELSON ARRESTED
FOR BANK ROBBERY
5continued from page one

procedure. The opinion is general
among the close students OF the situa-
ton that Nelson could not have oper-
ated without inside assistance and 70
| develop the exact nature and source
| of this assistance Is one OF the prob
lens the grand jury leaves to future
| investigation.
That the bank was looted by gang,
| and that one Of them, the author of
the note to w. F.. Adams, reading TO
the effect that the signer, TT was safe
in San Francisco, sought in this man
ner to set trap that would throw
suspicion on Adams. is one of the con-
illusions generally reached
NELSON'S RECORD.
Young Nelson to the public at large is
A. w. Nelson, cashier of the Jordan
State bank. of which institution Joseph
Nelson. his uncle, Is owner OF the larg-
est block OF shares. To the men OF
the Utah National. he is Bill Nelson,
and thereby hangs his very opportunity
TO do the thing for which an indictment
| mas been returned
| lSOChs, COInDindllOls anu
| were there In plenty to protect tho
bank from its enemies, hut for its
| friends the appliances are recorded by
| the indictment to have been apparently
| Insufficient
"Bil" Nelson It was when he was a
| youngster employed at the bank. and
| "Bill'' II continues to be while he went
| to other occupations. For him the
| latch string was always hanging out.
| Nobody thought OF watching Bill" or
| suspecting him. even, after the robbery
| was discovered.
A privileged character about the bank
| always, he had a key to the First South
| street entrance. He could come IN
| when he chose, wander about at VIII,
| and by appointment with one of the
| paying tellers could call after banking
hours to have money counted out TO
| him and placed in safety deposit box.
| rented by the Jordan State bank,
| to be taken away by Bill next morn
ing before banking hours, Bill Sc
curing it as regular practise by let
| ting himself In with his key to the
| FIRST South street entrance, working
| the combination to the vault where
| the safety deposit boxes We're kept,
which combination he knew in a regu-
| lar way, and then taking the money
out to Bingham. to arrive with it there
| in time to meet the days banking de-
mands.
REGULAR VISITS.
And in this way. through collision
with someone In the bank the grand
jury has concluded that Nelson's piles
grew larger than they should have,
and that the money he took away
weighed more than he said II did. This
explains the reason for Londoner's ap
pearance before the jury with satchels
and packages of notes, to have the
bulk OF them tested.
A similar test, IL will be recalled,
helped much to undo Peter Mortensen
in his murder trial in 1902, for he
testified that he kept money to pay
the Hays lumber bill in a glass jar in
the cellar, and when money enough
to pay the bill was counted into the
jar In which he said it was kept, 1t
actually filled several jars that size. On
such a counting the amount of money
shown on the books to have gone to
the Jordan state bank failed to tally
with the bulklness of the satchels and
grips used In transporting it, in the
grand jury evidence.
A YOUNG MAN.
A. w. Nelson is 81 years old He is
at the Jordan State bank, as the re-
suit of the purchase of its control by
Joseph Nelson, this transaction having
angered a number OF other directors,
who now have decidedly unfriendly
feelings on account of 1t.
Before going to the Jordan bank
young Nelson was a stenographer in
the Utah National, and at times as
sisted In the paying telIer's cage. He
Is slightly built, and well appearing.
Shortly after the Jordan State hank
was started Joseph Nelson and A. w.
Nelson began buying up the stock, and
some of II was bid In ut a fancy price
In order to secure control. j. w. Fitz-
gerald Is president of the bank, and
also director of the Utah National.
Young Nelson Is married, has a wife
and one child. and has father living
at Riohfield, SEWER county. While his
parents are affiliated with the Church
he has never become a member
CAUSE OF THE TRIPS.
Among the customers of the Jordan
state bank we're the Bingham Junction
shelters. Their immense monthly pay
roll was met regularly at the Jordan
bank and this bank kept its account at
the Utah National In Salt Lake. 1t was
the fact that large sums-up to $50, 600
were needed monthly at Bingham june
Ilon that led to the regular trips to Salt
Lake the giving to Nelson of a kew
TO the First South street entrance. and
the combination TO the safety deposit
department While an employe of the
bank he had previously secured the
combination to the working fund and
note chest, and also to the money vault
doors. This was his stock I'm trade.
and nothing was thought of his know
ing these facts because "Bill" was one
of the bank family and no more TO be
suspected than a child in It's mothers
home.
Before pay day at Bingham June
tion ne would sometimes call at tho
bank IN the evening. II would be had
policy 10 Keep the money at Bina-
Ton over night so OH the evening visit
II would be counted out to him ana
put In safety deposit box SO that he
could get II early In the morning.
TRANSPORTING SYSTEM
Inc precautlon was good one 80
lar as the bingham Junction banks
satetN was concerned. and whom the
llme LOCK on the door had been SET
Tor early the next morning, the em-
ployos would go their way, leaving
Nelson To let himself In, open that part
of the vault, and take his money.
which would occur about O'Clock
next morning.
Many times "Bll" Nelson would not
call AT tho bank In the evening before
he got his money, but would merey
telephone, stating the amount he neod-
| Cd II would then be put IN his safety
deposit box, the time lock set for early
next morning, and Nelson would come
| 10 the bank 10 find II waiting and
ready for him.
on arriving at tho bank IN the
morning, Nelson would open the time
lock OF the vault and also the inner
doors and lat hinnaaie info the IA fgty-