Daily Kennebec journal., 1911-01-02
$4,000 SHORTAGE.
Continued from Page Onc)

| withdraw their accounts tomorrow
when the bank opens for business, Will
| find the bank with Golfers filled and
ready to meet their demands.
| Today, the ministers in the churches
| cf the town, co-operatcd with the bank
officials in their efforts to prevent a
run to the extent of urging their par
| ishoners to consider carefully before
Withdrawing their accounts. Particu
larry did the Rev. Francis SCHNEIDER,
castor of the Polish church. urged up
on his congregation not to be hasty iii
action. To still further assist the bank.
Father SCHNEIDER will be at the bank
tomorrow at the opening of business
to quiet any excitable element among
the Polish people who may appear.
Other clergymer may also be on hand.
At the conference this evening the
| trustees discussed the situation at
the bank at considerable length. but
| declined to make any statement othel
| than to announce the selection OF
Mr. Dollerty as temporary treasurer
| and to again declare the stability of
| th. hank.
| Crowson spent a quiet day at lIi'
| home on Court street ard thro lghout
| tie day rersistently denied .'imst L
| to ali callers outside his own family
| circle. Since his release on 5000
| bonds last night. following his ar
| raignIncnt on seven counts of max
| ing false returns to The bank com
! missioner, Mr.. GroWsCn las success
| fully elu1ed all would he intcrvieWers
| and 10 statement coming from him
| other than the mere mention of The
| fact that he had confessed which wa:
contained i'll Baul: Commissioner chap
| liu's formal statement last night has
| been forthcomins
| No denial, however. has been mad
| of the generally accepted report thai
| the treasurer originally commenced M
alleged misappr"priation of the 5ant
| funds Tat hc might keep his father
| and mother from want wnil" the,
| lived.
! Bank Commissioner Chaplin was no,
| in a position today To tell the eNac'
| method employed to hide the ALLEGED
| shortage because. he sid. he has not
| yet received full report of the audit
| Tuus far the examination is SAID L
| nave sl:oWn that false entries were the
| only methods employed.
Wcstiicld Mass Jan. l.-Followine
| the discovery of a shortage OF nearly
| $50. 000 in the funds "f the Westtlelt
Savings Bank saturday. tho treasurer
| of the institution. Nelcnus W. crow.
son, was placed under arrest. Accord
ling to Il statement issued by state
Bank Commissioner Arthur +. Chaplin
Crowson confessed to the misapproprl-
alton of the funds.
At $50 Saturday night CroWson wa
arraigned before Judge Willis :. kel
logg in the local district court charged
with making false returns to the banl
| commissioner, on seven counts. Ht
pleaded not guilty and was held for .
hearing on Jan. IA, in $500 bail 81
each count. a total Of s10,50". Later il
the evening ne secured bail and was
| released. An hour previous to his ar
| IA aignment III court Crowson resigned
As treasurer of the bank.
| Crowson was charged with making
alse returns rather than with larceny
Ibecausc, it is declared, no money has
been taken from the bank since 1899
the misrepresentation extending over
A period OF "a years previous to thai
date.
| The shortage Will not result in th'
losing of the bank. according to th'
the statement of Commissioner Chap
lin. as the bank has ample Surplu:
from which to charge off the loss. The
ldepositors will not only be paid in full
but the officials of the tank will OF
Monday declare the usual semi -annua
dividend of per cent.
| The Westfield Savings Bank wa
founded in 1853 and occupies quarter.
on the second floor of building ol
Elm street the principal busines!
street of the town. owned by the f'irs
National Bank. The National Banl
Occupies quarters on the street floor.
When he assumed the duties of tn,
'tiice of treasurer. Crowson had th'
distinction of being the younges
treasurer "f a similar institution il
Massachusetts. Only three treasurer
of the 1S9 savings banks in the stat
have had longer records for continu
louS service than he.
/ Crowson is married and with hi
lwifc has lived on Court street.
He has been prominent in town af
fairs aud in the Masonic bodies, at tn
present time holding the position q
own auditor and being treasurer q
Mount MorIah Lodge of Masons and q
the Royal Arch Chapter connecte
with it. He has one daughter who
marrieh
No kexplanation has been made Q
the lhahner in which the treasure
coveredRlp his shortage in the ban
funds Curing all the years that he wa
mlsapproprating the funds. accordin
to the commissioners statement Sat
urday. nor during the past ii year
SINCE the misappropriations ceaset
Nor has any statement been made a
to how the money was used by MI
rrowson. According to his friends h
lid not apparently live beyond hi
means. He was also at one time in
serested. it is said. in n cotton vast