The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1908-01-14
YOUNG ASTORIAN IN
TROUBLE
SAD NEWS OF TURIE c. N0RDSTR0M
RECEIVED HERE YESTERDAY
COMMUNITY FINDS 1T DIFFICULT
TO CREDIT THE STORY.

The family and friends Of Turie C
Nordstrom, Of this city. were smitten
with establishment and sorrow yesterday
morning, when the information was Civ
en- out, from unimpeachable sources. that
be had deliberately committed a gross
frogery in Chicago the sum of the bad
deal being put at $4,000.
The story was so unusual that none
who heard were able to credit it, and
in the hope that it might be susceptible
OF denial or explanation or at least, Of
/. qualification. an Astorian reporter was
sent at once to interview Cashier s. s.
Gordon, of the First National Bank, as
well as to Assistant Cashier John Nori-
strom. OF the Scandinavian American
Bank, the father of the young man. The
interviews resulted in unqualified con-
frmation Of the news, but neither gen.
tleman had any possible suggestion to
offer as to the reason that actuated the
offense.
Mr.. Gordon said. among other things,
that young Nordstrom had sought few
days leave from the bank on the day
before Thanksgiving, but owing to bust
ness pressure at the bank it was not
granted; and day or two later he re-
eeived letter from the draft clerk, then
in Pendleton, saying he had had to 60
without permission and would be
back in a few days. Since then
nothing has been heard of Nordstrom at
the bank until yesterday morning, when
the bank opened its morning mail, the
discovery was made Of forged draft,
in favor OF one C. A. Cole, that had been
paid On December 3rd, by the First
National Bank, of Chicago The draft
was, upon its face, glaring forgery,
and Cashier Gordon at once apprised the
Chicago house of the fact, and then be-
gan a search of the books for anything
that might throw light upon the situa-
ton. 1t was ascertained that on the
10th of Noevmber, young Nordstrom had
purchased and paid for a draft, in the
sum of So, on the First National Bank
of Chicago and payable to G. A. Cole, or,
at least that was what the stub here
indicated; the presumption being that
he had filed in the face of the draft af-
terward including Mr.. BENEFITS sigma
ture, and presented it. II days LATER at
the Chicago bank. The signature OF
Assistant Cashier J. R. A. Bennett, OF
the First National Bank of this city
had been carefully exploited in the mat
ter. This was further supplemented by
the use Of Mr.. Benefits signature,
which is alleged to have been attached
to letter of introduction, or credit,
which Nordstlom presented, in further
ance of his plans, at the Chicago house.
simultaneously with the receipt of the
cancelled draft for $4,000, the bank
here received letter from the Chicago
bank advising it that referring to your
letter OF Introduction of November l6,
our London correspondent desires more
explicit information concerning G. A.
Cole" ETC., etc. This would indicate
that Nordstrom had presented the draft
at the foreign exchange window of the
Chicago institution, had taken letters of
credit abroad for the face Of it, and had
gone directly to England and cashed it
there, for its exchange value.
To date this is all the information
possessed by the local bank, with the
conjectures inseparable from the known
facts. Mr. Gordon said further that he
knew of nothing to urge the young
man to such a course; that he was quiet,
orderly, and correct in all his work
about the bank, and was counted fair
" valuable subordinate and that up to