Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-09-07
q WAS NOT DRUNK
Bank Examiner Cunningham
Denies Financiers' Charges.
CONCERN CLOSED MAY SUE
Pittsburg Bankers Declare Cosmo.
politan Appears Solvent.
CASHIER DECLARES IT SOUND
Chief of Insolvency Division Of
Treasury, Judge T. F. Oldham,
May Make Investigation.
CONCERN CLOSED MAY SUE
CASHIER DECLARES IT SOUND

PITTSBURG- September 1.-Indignation
over the mysterious closing of the Cos
mopolitan National Bank of Pittsburg
Saturday. and over the attempt to close
the Mount Washington Savings and Trust
| Company. is expressed by thirty-one of
the leading bankers Of Pittsburg. who say
at the Cosmopolitan Bank. Most of them
had daily dealings with it.
The charge that Bank Examiner John
B. Cunningham was Intoxicated at the
time of his examination Of the banks
| books is mush discussed.
| That the controller of the currency,
who has been asked to investigate Cum
ningham, has taken official notice of the
matter was shown here last night when
Judge Francis F. Oldham, chief of the
insolvency division of the Treasury De-
partment. admitted that he had been or
dered to remain in Pittsburg indefinitely.
! Il was not drunk was all Cunning
ham would say yesterday when asked for
| a statement.
| Directors of the Cosmopolitan Bank will
| hold a meeting Tuesday. when an appeal
will be made to the controller of the cur
| rency for permission to reopen the bank
/. on the ground that. there was no cause
| for it's being closed.
| E. A. kitzmller vice president of the
| bank, one of those to charge Cunningham
with being intoxicated, is practically at
| the head of the institution, John McClurg
| the president. being seriously ill with
| tuberculosis.
Closed Bank May Bring Suit.
| James NJ Cover. the state banking ex-
aminer, who closed the Mount Wash
| ington Savings and Trust Company. is
not to be found. 1t is alleged that he
! left the city. E. Weller. vice president
said yesterday that the bank will make
an attempt to open Tuesday. but If it is
| apparent that a run will follow. which
| will cripple the institution, the doors will
| be closed and action will be begun against
| the state authorities for damages.
| Robert Lyons, receiver of the Cosmo-
| politan Bank. was asked IL he had read
the charge that Cunningham was intoxi-
| Gated.
Il am sorry that this matter has become
| public he replied. "Cunninghan1 is an
| excellent fellow
| The thirty-one prominent bankers seen
yesterday expressed their surprise at the
| closing Of the banks. The consensus OF
| opinion was that the Cosmopolitan was
! in good condition financially and that
| they would have known 1t had there been
| any trouble.
Opinions Of Bankers.
Robert Wardrop, one of them. said:
| 1T is the custom, in cases Of this kind,
| for a bank. if it is in trouble, to appeal
| to the other banks. Invariably assist
| ance is given, as far as possible. know
OF no such appeal having been made by
the Cosmopolitan.
Statements of a similar nature were
made by the other bankers seen.
D. J. Richardson. cashier OF the Cos
mopoIitan. still refuses to make any ac-
| cusation against Cunningham.
He is a United states Official. for
whom We must have respect" he said.
There are scores Of persons who saw
Mr.. Cunningham Saturday. I must refer
you to them"
Cashier Richardson. reiterated that Of
the securities carried In the bank all are
gilt-edged. including the Santa Fe stock
OF this there Is trif1e over $60.OOO which
has been accepted at 80 cents on the
dollar.
According 10 Richardson. even admit
ting this stock to be worthless land this,
he claims. Is the only stock that has been
questionedl, the bank would stiil have
ample securities and be In as good con-
dition as 1t has been at any time for
many months.
Club Discusses Cunningham.
There is much discussion about the
fashionable Duquesne Club regarding
Cunninghams condition during the past
few months. Bankers, who are members
Of the club, protested against his talking
too much 1t is alleged that prior to
the closing Of the Enterprise National
and other banks which Cunningham had
investigated he talked about the ap-
proachulg closing around the club.
The Cosmopolitan National Bank Is in
the same building as was the famous
Pennsylvania Bank. which quarter Of a
century ago failed and which. until re-
cent years. has been referred to as the