Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1909-10-28
FELLOW TOWNSMEN
ARE STARTLED
BANKER AND TREASURES ONCE,
AN ALLEGED FUGITIVE
FORGERY CHARGE MADE
Mr.. HaaIe, Village Treasurer Of OK
ford, 10 Missing, and Accounts Are
Being Investigated.

Mark l.. Hagle, village treasurer of
Oxford and part owner OF three pri-
vate banks in Leonard, Hadley and
with his disappearance comes the an
nouncement that he is short in his &C.
counts with two of the banks and with
the village to an amount totalling be-
tween $4,000 and $4,000
The village authorities are auditing
the village books, and it is estimated
that the shortage will reach between
$4,000 and $4,000. President A. O.
Stoll is personally in charge OF the
audit All the largest taxes of the
village were not collected until the
last week allowed by the village
council, which expired Oct 8. and dur
ing that week nearly $4,000 was col
lected, none OF which has yet been
accounted for
Hagle is also said to be short in his
accounts at the Leonard and Hadley
banks, both private institutions, the
Leonard bank owned entirely by
Hagle and the institution at Hadley in
partnership with Mrs. Ethel Varan OF
at Leonard states that the shortage
there is between $4,000 and $4,000,
and reports from Hadley give the
shortage in that bank as about $4,000.
1t was at first reported that the
bank at Lum, in Lapeer county, was
also sufferer from Hagle's alleged
defalcations, but later investigation
discloses that the Lum institution is
an incorporated state bank, and there.
fore not loser to any amount, If
at all.
Hagle's reputation both as banker
end as a public official has always
been excellent, and much surprise and
CONSERVATION was awakened in the
village by the news of his disappear.
ance and shortage.
The first suspicion OF the alleged
shortage came Friday when 1t was
learned that the Hadley bank had
closed it's doors. Hagle came to Ok.
ford Thursday night from Hadley and
left Friday morning for Detroit, since
when he has not been seen here. His
books could not be investigated until
Sunday morning, when an all-day's in.
vestigation took place, and the short.
age was announced
The closing of the bank at Hadley
is alleged TO have been a direct re.
suit of the discovery that Hagle had
forged notes for $4,000 in an effort to
cover up his defalcations. A party OF
eight citizens of Haley planned to
form a stock company to purchase
the bank when Hagle made known his
intention of selling, and at the insti'
cation OF Bank Examiner j. r. John
son, of Lapeer, the notes representing
money due the bank were investi.
gated.
With the exception of two notes
for $1,000 each, all the securities were
found to be safe, it is said, and
Thursday morning Frank I. Hadley
one of the men who was interested
in the proposed stock company, took
them TO the men whose names ap.
peared as indorsers The men were
James Thomas and Henry Vinegar
wealthy farmers of Metamora. Both
men, it is alleged, pronounced the
signatures forgeries.
Hadley went to Hagle. IL is said
and told him that the men whose
names were signed to the notes had
declared them forgeries. 1t is charged
that Hagle broke down then and con
fessed. after which he closed up the
bank and left Hadley in his automo
bile.