River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1909-05-06
TELLER SAID TO
Be SHORT $4,000
ELLIS w. NILES OF FIRST MA
TiONAL BANK UNDER GUARD.
Reported to Have Tried to Kill Self
When Taken by Detective
Speculation Alleged to
Be His Downfall.

Minneapolis, April 3.-Women, love
for horses, and mania to play the
stock market, combined, are said to
have brought about the downfall of
Ellis w. Niles, receiving teller in the
First National bank, who is being de-
tanned on the charge Of embezzling
S37,876 of the funds of the bank.
Caught as he was enterink the bank
Friday forenoon, Niles, it is said made
desperate effort to draw revolver,
presumably, the police say, with the
intention of blowing out his brains,
but was overpowered by Detective
Frank l.. COlwell, who is employed by
the bank, and City Detective Andrew
Grumpy
Since that time he has been kept
under guard in the home of Detective
Colwell, and, it is said, has made a
complete confession of the whole af-
fair. Further he is now making every
effort to refund the money he is
charged with having taken. Up to
date it is claimed he has returned in
the neighborhood of $4,000 to the bank
officials. His brother, wealthy resi-
dent of Toronto, Canada, is in the
city to aid him and incidentally, it is
said, intends to make up the short
age if the bank officials will allow this
to be done and drop prosecution
The discovery of Niles alleged
shortage was made after two months
work on the part of Detective Colwell
The latter was advised early in March
that Niles was suspected, but it was
not until last Thursday that the de-
tectiVe secured the necessary evil
dence. Then came the sensational
scene in the lobby Of the bank Fri
day morning when Niles is said to
have tried to kill himself. Since then
he has been carefully guarded at Mr.
Colwelps home.
An officer sits by his side day and
night and every precaution is being
taken to prevent an attempt at sui
eide. Just what has transpired there
cannot be ascertained positively as eff
forts to gain entrance to the Colwell
home have been in vain. furthermore
efforts to get the house over the tele-
phone have been useless. Detectives
Grumpy and Derrick Of the city police
department have been seen going into
the Colwell home from time to time
and it is assumed that they are as
sisting Detective ColWell in guarding
and sweating the prisoner.
In the meantime the bank officials
are undecided what action to take. 1t
is not known yet whether the prisoner
will be placed in the Central station
and formally charged with embezzle-
ment.
Niles started in modest way to en-
joy himself. First he QUILTED him
self with the best clothes money could
buy Then came associations with
women upon whom, it is stated, he
lavished his money. Then came love
of horses and the desire to own
"speeders" resulted in the purchase
Of three fine blooded animals. These
horses have been kept in a barn at
Sixteenth street and Second avenue
south for several months. Niles was
frequently seen out speeding upon the
prominent thoroughfares.
Finally the story goes, Niles start
ed to play the stock market, and al
most from the start he was a consist
ent loser The more he put in the
worse seemed to be his luck 1t is
said thousands of dollars went to en-
rich the stock brokers.