The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1912-12-13
woo. w..
For SeverA.s fears Fooled Ex.
aminers, But They Finally
Got Him.
Admitted All to Superintendent
Chase; Took the Blame On
Himself.
Intended to Call On State Off,
ciai; Changed Mind While
On Train.
Wanderings Before He Settled
Down at West Point; Mind
Is at Ease.
Declares Prison Has No Terrors
For Him After What He
Declares Prison Has No Terrors
For Him After What He
Endured.
Especial to The Free Press

Winnebago, Mimi, December IL
Within a few hours after his in
dictment by the grand jury of Fart
bault county for grand larceny In
the first degree for embezzling So
600 from the State Bank OF Com
merce of Winnebago, Mimi, Harry
w. Parker made the following state
ment for the press:
For a period of time covering
two or three years up to April %,
1912, when left Winnebago, | be.
gan to cover up bad loans by
switching the figures Oh the books,
thus vitality changing the appear.
ance of things in the bank. This
was done to put the state bank ex-
aminer off the track Up to the last
exa mination by The examiners,
knew from twclEs Ia. lHeniy-four
hours in artrancg rifeI TREY were
coming and MAS tigIs enabled to
take bad notes out OF the case. make
entries on the books and utterly
foil the purpose OF the examination.
That was the easiest thing in the
world to fool the examiners and put
them on the wrong track entirely
No one gave zoe tip when the
examiners were to put in appear
ance. simply kept track Of them
in various ways and knew to day
when they would drop in on me to
make the examination I did not
know, however, that the last exam
iners, two Of them, were coming,
and did not have time to fix the
books for them.
Bank Examination FarcicaI.
The average bank examination
is farcical in the extreme. knew
when they came in the door on that
day, about April II, that it was all
over and that l was run to earth.
For years l had been dreading such
an occurrence and did not have
moments peace of mind during all
that time. 1t was terrible
strain, and l wonder how I stood
up under it. The examiners went
for me pretty hard. A few days
went by and / wrote a letter to
Kelsey S. Chase, state superintend-
ent of banks.
I'm this letter | took all the
blame for the banks condition. I
did not hear from Chase, and on
the afternoon of Friday. April 26.
l made up my mind to go to ST.
Paul to see him aud ascertain
whether or not he would give me
the opportunity to straighten out
the affairs of the bank.
How Trouble Started.
81 got into trouble through being
too easy. If man who was hard
up came to me for a loan / could
not say no. although my better
judgment told me to refuse him.
guess l was never cut out for a
banker.
"As l said above, 1t was my in.
tention to leave on April 26 to see
Mr.. Chase. made up my mind
suddenly. In fact, | was examined
that afternoon by Winnebago
physician for life insurance. / went
over to the First National bank and
cashed draft for $4,000. The draft
was drawn on a Chicago bank. [
then went home and changed my
clothes, telling my wife / was called
to the twin cities ON business con-
nected with my candidacy for
high office in certain lodge. When
| got on the train began to worry
about how Chase would meet me.
The more thought of it the more
| believed that Chase would have
me arrested and jailed that night,
Continued on Page TWO.