The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1909-07-17
He FORCES
BANK To
CLOSE
Gigantic Theft Discovered d
When Teller Blows Out
Brains-Entiro Cap
| ital Missing

(By United Press Leased Wire.1
SAN FRANCISCO, July IT,
Discovery of a shortage in the
accounts of William Won Meyer
inck, until recently paying teller
of the Union State bank at Third
and Market streets, caused him to
commit suicide by blowing out
his brains with revolver at his
home In Larkspur last night, ac-
cording to a statement made to-
day by T. A. Bechtel, secretary
and general manager of the in
stitution.
Following the suicide OF Won
Meyerinck, State Bank Commis-
sioner Alden Anderson closed the
doors of the bank shortly after 10
O'Clock this morning.
The amount OF the alleged
shortage Is not known but 1t is
reported at Larkspur that Won
Meyerinck issued a check signing
over to the bank all of his prop
erty recently.
Couldn't Face Disgrace.
Won Meyerinck had not been
capacity for the past month. He
was discharged when suspicion at
tached to him and subsequent
investigation of his accounts,
Bechtel said, revealed a shortage.
He was summoned yesterday to
appear before the directors of the
bank today and It Is thought he
Tended his life rather than face
disgrace.
The dead teller was employed
/ for year as cashier of the State
Savings and Commercial bank and
when the bank consolidated with
the Union State bank two months
ago he was made paying teller of
the affiliated Institutions. He
worked in that capacity one month
and was then discharged
Entire Capital stolen.
II have ordered the bank clos
ed because / deem it unwise to
lallow the officials to continue do
ing business at present." was the
statement of Superintendent of
Banks Alden Anderson. ''It APP
pears from casual examination
of the affairs of the institution
that the entire capital will be
wiped out by the shortage.
"The depositors, whose claims
are $140,000. seem likely to be
paid in full when the assets shall
be disposed of. This is only a
surface view, however, and can
only say that the farther we have
gone with the investigation the
worse the banks affairs appear to
be tangled.
| No responsibility has yet been
fixed on either Mr.. Won Meyerinck
or any other individual. My opin-
ion is that all of the men who
have been in charge of the Union
State bank and the State Savings
and Commercial bank are incom-
petent to conduct such a business.
They have shown no fitness as
bankers.
A Bad TangIe.
"Fhe accounts of the Union
State bank have been hopelessly
interviewer with those of the pres
ent bank, the State Savings and
Commercial. The Union State
bank was never legally Iiquidated.
Some of its documents are now In
possession of the State Savings
land Commercial. Only O very
minute examination will enable us
to determine Just what the condi-
tion OF accounts may be"
my accountants went to the
bank yesterday morning and took
possession of the books and cash.
They found discrepancies at once.
The bank wrote up statement
for me, for the correctness OF
(which cannot vouch, showing IT.
i,self in possession OF $4,000 cap
lital stock. This is State SAYINGS
land Commercial stock. Its de-
posts are all in small amounts.
The bank officials say that Is per
cent of the depositors owe to the
bank. My assistants will work
lsteadily until the summary Is conn
lpleted- This will be done by Mon
day morning, | believes Until
lthen we will not know how serious
1.-THE mismanagement has been =