The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-06-26
ECHO OF FAILURE
IN NELSON POLITICS
Collapse Of Alexandria Bank
Figures in County
Campaign.
VOTERS DIVIDED ON ISSUE
May Have Effect on County
Treasurership and Common
wealth's Attorney.
VOTERS DIVIDED ON ISSUE

NY nuuS, va, June So.-RlSlnE ike
weird spectre from the grave, the
recent failure OF the Virginia Safe De-
post and Trust Corporation. of Alex
andria. one of whose branch banks was
In this county, has entered the field of
local politics. surcharging the atmos-
phere with sensations, and haunting
By day and by night some of those
who aspire to public Office in the COM
Ing November election.
II has divided the voters of Nelson
into partisan faptions over the treas
urership. and Is being freely discussed
in connection with the fight for Com
monw ealths Attorney. 1t has injected
a spirit Of bitterness into the Nelson
campaign, which has brought 1t almost
as strikingly into the limelight as the
keezell- Williamson contest. In Rock
inghaN. and the voters far and near
are discussing It's probable effect upon
tho final outcome.
Full of Human interest.
The story bristles with human in
terest. for it involves transactions
which took place in the excitement in
cident to the first intimation that the
concern had failed: the drawing out
of sums of money on deposit BY prom
inent parties after the doors OF the
local branch had been ordered closed :;
the criticism of the ca shier, who is now
1
permitting the Withdrawals; defense
OF his action in a put5ic card and
finally, the entering of an order by
Judge Barley, in the Corpora ton Court
of the city of Alexandria. where re-
ownership proceedings are pending, re-
curing all deposits Withdrawn to be
refunded within ten days. or the bring
ing of the delinquents before his court
for contempt. -
Cnnhfcr's Statement
The public was enlightened as to
the inside facts by signed statement
given out and widely circulated by r.
Lee Camden. who was the cashier of
the Lovingston branch OF the defunct
corporate ton, and who is now one of
the candidates for County Treasurer.
In this card Mr.. Camden says: 1T has
been charged that, upon learning of
the appointment of a receiver for the
bank. ] Immediately withdrew my own
funds, as we'll as those OF my friends
and relatives.
The whole truth in this connection
is as follows: About 10:40 a. NJ, De-
by phone from Shipman. stating that
receivers for the bank had been ap-
pointed. and that business must he
suspended. ...
I'm two or three minutes Mr.. E. L.
Kidd, who at his phone in the clerks
office had heard the telegram being
delivered TO me, came into the bank.
AS soon as the first shock of
the lamity was over, Mr.. Kidd, say
ing that he would not ask for his own
money, urged that I ash for his wife
a certificate of deposit for about $4,000.
representing that 1t was the savings
of her lifetime, the fruits of hard work
rs a teached. and that the loss OF
it would kill her. In the face of this
appeal, I cashed the certificate a re-
quested.
to the Office of Mr.. S. B, Whitehead,
who had usually represented the bank
in legal matters, and asked him to
come down and advise me in the di-
lemma. NJ. Whitehead. in great eS-
element, came down Immediately, and,
after I. few remarks had been eX-
changed began to make an urgent APP
peal to me to allow him to withdraw
s555 of the amount to his credit. rep
resenting that 1t was not his money,
and that if 1t were lost. no would be
Obliged to make it good. In the face
of this appeal and on the impulse OF
the moment. granted his request
and paid over to him the sum of $685."
Mr. Camden further state that he al
lowed his clerk to withdraw 300
which stood to his credit. and that of
the latter > Aunt, out tfldt lie ieIl un-
touched his own personal deposit to
the amount of S395.24, and did not
even take out his salary for the month.
BnttIe Goes On.
E. L. Kidd, who Is mentioned by
Mr. Camden in his card. is county
clerk. who is standing for reelection
without opposition. Mr.. Whitehead is
Commonwealth's Attorney, and is be-
ing opposed for recollection by L. Graf
ton Tucker. It is alleged that some OF
those who sought advantage over
other depositors by urging the cashier
to allow them to withdraw their funds
are using the action of the latter in
accommodating them as q reason why
he is unfit for county treasurer, while
many, VINO will lo-e heavily as de-
positors, are critcizinG MIR. White
head, is a lawyer and Commemorative
Attorney, for asking and accepting
this advantage for himself even
though subsequently he refunded tho
amount drawn out. And so the battle
goes on. pregnant with angry shafts
hurled here and there in the interest
of this candidate and the other, and
to be settled only by the sovereign
voters at the polls. li,t
Apparently Camden's defense has
strengthened him. for it not only.
clears him of the charge of withdraw
ing his own funds and those OF his rel
atives, but establishes the fact that
he did allow withdrawals to men who
are known to be actively opposed to
his election as treasurer. n
Observation-Disclosures