The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1910-12-30
Bic BANK CLOSED.
Head of the Northern Is In
a MadhOuSe.
"DEPOSITORS WON'T LOSE.
Attorney For Institution and Its Nine
Branches Says 1t Will Pay Out
Joseph G. Robin, Now Insane,
Said to Have Used Its Money.

New York, Dec. 2S-Joseph G.. Ro.
bin, described at present as banker,
was committed to madhouse Monday
st the instance of his friends, while
two state departments were going
through his banking and Insurance per
formances on a holiday. His bank,
the Northern, at 215 West One Hun.
dred and Twenty-ffth street with de.
posits of $7,OOO,OOO, was closed by the
Banking department before business
could open after the Christmas holi
day. 1t has nine branches, which were
closed simultaneously. Officials say
the depositors will lose nothing.
The insurance department set things
going against Robin through an in
Suiry into the financing of the Aetna
Indemnity company of Hartford by
Robin, who, the department says,
treated the assets of a lot of compa
nies he controlled as his own personal
property.
District Attorney Whitman was in
conference Monday night with Orion
0heney, superintendent of banks, and
william H. Hotchkiss, superintendent
Of insurance, over Robins transac
Mons, when he was informed that Ro
bin had just been committed by Su-
preme Court Justice Amend, sitting at
his house, TO private sanitarium, as
an insane person.
1t was reported to Superintendent
Hotchkiss that Robin had been carry
ing cyanide of potassium about with
him, threatening to use il if criminal
proceedings were begun against him.
and had attempted to jump from
window at the Cafe Beaux Arts, where
he was living.
The case will go to the grand jury,
and Robins will not be the only name
presented. Frederick d. Morris, de-
scribed by Superintendent Hotchkiss
as Robins confidential man, is said to
have suffered a stroke of apopleXy
Monday. At his house it was said that
he was i'll.
James NJ. Clifford of the law firm of
Clifford, Hobbs and Beard, who is the
attorney for the Northern bank as well
as one of its directors, said that after
the discovery that there were irreg
ularities in Robins dealings with the
bank he (Mr. Gifford) and another di.
rector called on Robin in the latter's
apartments at the BeauX Arts Friday
night to demand that Robin put up
collateral for loans made by the bank
on Robins paper.
~,
said, suffering from kidney trouble
and in the greatest agony. We could
get no connected statement from him
We returned Monday night. Mr.. Ro
bins mental disorder was awful He
was suffering from a form of insanity
that medical men call paranoia.
"While in this condition Saturday
Mr.. Robin tried to kill himself, but his
efforts were frustrated by a watchful
nurse.
with cash amounting TO about So
100000 and quick assets of about So
100000 some people might think ii
was ridiculous for us to close our
doors in this way, but we considered
that as soon as the discovery Of the
Irregularities became known it would
cause run on the bank. During the
last few days certain directors put in
large sums Of money to strengthen the
banks condition. and in some in
stances sums of more than $4,000
were deposited.
"Robin was chairman of the eXecu-
tive committee of the bank, and as
chairman he had great power. 1t was
for this reason that the directors did
not know just what Robin had been
doing"
1.-THE depositors will receive 100 cents
en- the dollar" Mr.. Clifford concluded,
"and the stockholders will get a sub
stantial dividend if certain collateral
can be realized upon"