East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1908-10-27
La Grande Institution More
Nearly a Complete Wreck
Than al First Apparent.
DEPOSITORS MAY NOT
GET TWENTY FIVE CENTS.
Later Reports Show That Scriber's
Crooked Dealings Were Manifold
Committed Crimes Enough TO Keep
Him in Prison for the Remainder
of His Lifc-Fearcd He Burned
GOod Paper as Well as Bogus.

There is every indication that the
worst has never been told concerning
the failure of the Farmers & Traders
national bank Of this city, says the
La Grande Observer The defalca-
lions and unlawful acts Of Cashier j.
w scriber are manifold and it may
require weeks, if ever, to ascertain,
all of his financial contortions.
Those who were led to believe that
the statement first sent to the comp
troller of the currency, wherein it was
stated that the assets were $166,231,
and the liabilities $213,j35, would
prove under that amount instead of
over. are doomed to Disappointment.
1t is reported that the shortage is now
in the neighborhood of S125,000, and
il may exceed this a few thousand, or
it may reach an amount a few
thousand less. 1t Is rumored that the
Saturday night prior to the closing Of
the bank, Scriber has acknowledged
burning fraudulent paper to the
amount of $4,000, and it is feared in
some quarters that in his haste to
cover up his criminality he may have
burned up some good notes.
It Is also reported that there are
held a number Of certificates of de-
post of which there is no record in
the bank. These are said to have been
cleverly executed in the following
manner:
The Farmers & Traders National
bank blank certificates of deposit are
issued in tabs of 100 each, numbered
Scriber used those Of
which he made no record from pads
that in the natural order of business
would not have been reached for at
least five years. Thus this scheme,
like some others, was difficult to de-
tcct until a thorough overhauling was
undertaken.
/ - -clics Amazingly True.
Those who have seen the forged pa
per were amazed at the cleverness in
which the signatures were executed.
In some instances the men upon
whom the forgeries were committed
could not have told but what they
signed themselves had they had such
notes outstanding Other bad paper
is readily detected when compared
with the genuine signatures.
Not a few have maintained that,
all of the shJ.tage, !
forgeries and embezzlement, that no
serious punishment would follow. The
government is reported to have such |
conclusive evidence. and in addition /.
to this, Scriber has confessed to more |
Than one official, that there are !
enough known charges upon which /
could be obtained that /
would compel Scriber to remain in /,
prison the remainder of his life. The !
only thing for Scriber to remain in /
prison the remainder of his life. The .
only thing for Scriber to do is to !
make clean breast of the entire |
matter and throw himself on the mer-
cy of the court, which might pass sem /
.ence upon one or two counts and 7.
ilNliiSN lllt pti'lS' 1 AO WI l'o9N /
sentence that could be imposed is five |
years
There was some talk for a few days
hat Scribers relatives would pay up
he shortage and things would be
over. This is all street talk
With little, if any foundation.
II is rumored that Judge Wolverton
n Portland, has stated that when the
'oriber case comes before him he will
'ither call in a judge from California
~ from Montana. Those who are
'ersed in legal matters pertaining to
he United states district court, say
hat Scriber will be most fortunate to
lave any judge preside over his case
'ther than Judge Hunt of Montana
Judge Hunt is no stranger to the bar
'f oregon He presided in quite a
lumber of land fraud cases.
The depostors may as well face the
music one time as another. They will
'o fortunate, indeed, if they realize %
ents on the dollar. In proportion to
he capital involved and the business
transacted by this bank, it is said to
Ne one of the worst failures that has
occurred on the Pacific coast in many
ears.