The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-08-10
TRUE REFORMERS
MUST FACE TRIAL
Five Officers of Wrecked Bank
Indicted by Special
Grand Jury.
ALL ARE ADMITTED TO BAIL
Report Charges Attempts Made
to Cover Up Deficit Caused
by Criminal Acts.
ALL ARE ADMITTED TO BAIL

Charging that 1.-The evidence adduced
clearly shows gross mismanagement.
neutrality-suspicious. and malfeasance OH
of the association, the special grand
jury called to inquire into the clrcum-
stances and conditions which caused
the ruin of the True Reformers's Bank
yesterday afternoon finished its work
and returned a report containing Sc
we're eXcoriation of the officers named
and brought in twenty indictments.
True bills were brought in against y.
w. Holmes, president of the bank; w
p. Burrell. ]. C. Robertson. w. l.. Tayi
lor. Edward Ellis. Jr.. and ReuDen t.
Hill. Hill was already under indict-
ment and is now a fugitive from JUS
tice. Four more indictments were re-
turned against him yesterday all for
grand larceny.
a. w Holmes. president of the bank.
is indicted for feloniously allowing de-
posts to be made after he knew that
the bank was insolvent w. l. Taylor,
grand master OF the Grand Fountain,
Order of True Reformers. is indicted
Jointly with Hill. Ellis and Burrel for
grand larceny. some of the money al
legged to have been stolen having been
part of the funds of the Old Folks
Home. Burrel. grand secretary OF the
order: Taylor. former grand master:
Robertson, general attorney, and Ellis,
vice-grand master. are indicted for al
lowing deposits to he made after they
knew that the bank was insolvent. In
it's report the grand jury states that
$4,000 was Incorporated through
the reckless loans and assistance to
the Colored State Fair Association. tho
colored department of the jamestown
Exposition. the True Reformers' newS-
paper. the True Reformers' Hotel and
the Mercantile and Industrial Associa-
ton and It's branches.
Accused Are Bniled.
Immediately after the delivery OF its
report and the return OF the true bills.
capiases were issued for the arrest OF
the indicted men. Deputies Bowls. La
Touche and Neal were ordered to bring
the men into the Hastings Cour; at 3
O'Clock. They we're rounded up. and at
the hour appeared before Judge Witt.
Bail was granted TO each in tho SUN
Of $4,000. The indictments were evil
IDENTIFY expected. for the men showed no
signs of embarrassment, and laughed
and chatted with each other until they
were released under bond.
Il is interesting to note the tenor of
the DToNSHt IN ny the RThnu
jury Censure OF the severcst kind is
attached to the names of those who.
posing as leaders OF their race. are &C
cused OF dnluGinE poor and unsuspect-
ing negroes into placing their savings
in bank which was apparently sys-
tematically robbed by those in control
1t was stated that ~ per cent. OF the
depositors were from among the poor
er classes. who saw their hopes blasted
by the dissolution of the bank. and
many of whom. on account of their
age. will be unable to enter any other
beneficial order or insurance company.
Much of the documentary evidence. the
jury complained. had been destroyed.
Indictments in Detail.
Tine indictments follow: w p Bur
rell. for the theft of a negotiable note
for 400: w. p. Burrell, ]. c. Robertson.
w l. Taylor and Ed ward Ellis, Jr. for
the thefts of money from p. a. Cephas
and others. after II wnH known that
the bank was insolvent: w L. Taylor,
r. T Hill. w. Burrell, !. c. Robert
son and Edward Ellis. Jr., for the theft
of s27,4o+,25 from the Old Folks Home.
r. T. Hill, for allowing deposits to be
made after the bank was insolvent: 4.
w. Holmes. for the same offense.
Those who composed tho grand jury
were Captain Charles r. Taylor fore
man: Robert Whittet. Jr., Fritz Sitter
ding. Fl. w. Rountree. Colonel John S.
Harwood. Thomas L. Blanton. E. 5.
Rose, Aaron Eichel. r. p. Walden and
Abner Coolel. the latter colored
Received Deposits
The most severe language used by the
grand jury is as follows:
when the State Bank Examiner
fouad that the Institution was hope
lessly insolvent. the bank continued
to receive deposits.
by abstracting notes not due Ger
tain officers OF the bank sought to
have the payments OF them anticipated.
in order to cover up the deficit caused
by their criminal acts.
-----
Ird.. ,tt,tt,,.