Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-10-20
Feared An Investigation.


nation that his bank would be ex-
amined by the government in the next
few days, and for that reason, it is
believed, he decided to take his life,
knowing that he would be called to
make good in certain matters per-
tanning to the disposition of the funds
of the depositors. He spent Sunday
out of town, returning during the
night.
The Culbertson home is one of the
most magnificent in this city and has
been the scene of many "a social func-
ton. Mrs. Culbertson is a very promi-
nent club woman and has taken a Lead
ing part in the Iowa Federation of
Women's clubs. She has been presi-
dent of the Carroll Women's club for
several years. She is Frustrated over
the tragedy which has entered her
life.
The Cause of the Suicide.
The causes which led up to Mr.. Gull
bertson's taking his life were the bad
investments which he had made DUR
ing the past five or six years and his
plunging disposition to control what
ever he undertook so that he might
IGtllA0 Stll lllO phohASo AOA AhAiAiSSiA
About five years ago Mr.. Culbertson
became interested in the Hanover
Canal company in the Big Horn val
ley out in Wyoming. This company
took up a lot of land under the Carey
act and proceeded to build canal,
which involved the expenditures of a
very large sum of money. The under
taking was a very extensive one and
involved many hundreds of thousands
of dollars. 1t is not known how much
Mr.. Culbertson invested, but several
local citizens declare that he had
placed fully a hundred thousand in the
past in the project. No returns have
been received since the inception of
the scheme and the constant drain
upon the resources of Mr.. Culbertson
led to his suicide and to the closing
of the bank. 1t has been understood
that he was involved in other matters
which took ready cash and that he had
stood off, the fatal day as long as he
could and that the intimation that he
received on Saturday that the bank ex-
aminer was on his way, led to the final
act in the tragedy so far as he was
concerned.
Derives III Legislature
Mr.. Culbertson had been a leading
citizen here for forty years, having
held several county offices and served
one session in the Iowa legislature.
He was born in Perry county, Penn
sylvania, in 1914, and moved to Iowa
in 1861. In 1852 he enlisted in Com
pany G, Iowa Volunteers, and was
taken prisoner at Tyler, Texas.
He was the father of three children,
one daughter and two sons. His young
est son, w. L. Jr., is in Honolulu, as
ensign on the cruiser South Dakota.
Mrs. Culbertson, who knows prob
ably as much as anyone as to the
banks financial condition, is firm in
the belief that no depositor will lose
a cent.
1t will take some time to adjust
affairs and in the meantime consider
able hardship will be suffered by many
as the closing of the bank will mater
tally affect business and a large
amount of money will be tied up.
The only theory advanced as to the
cause of the suicide, is that Culbert-
son feared for the future Of the in
stitution and, being very sensitive
man, could not bear to face those who
might have lost their money thru
trusting the concern.
The affairs of the bank will be
wound up and its charter surrendered.
Third Brother to Suicide.
This third dark tragedy among the
Culbertson brothers within the space
of a, short four years is generally at
tributed by Carroll people to some
evil mania in the blood of the family
The first of the brothers to end his
own life was r. Y. Culbertson, prom
iaent grain dealer in Carroll, who shot
himself four years ago. The second to
take the suicides way to eternity was
+. A. Culbertson of Glidden, a prom
inent grain dealer and business man,
who shot himself in his residence Feb.
s, 1907 In the case of these two broth
ers, there was no known cause for
suicide