Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1913-01-16
FLACK SENTENCED
WILL SERVE TERM OF 8 TO 40
YEARS.
Pleaded Guilty 10 Three Counts q
Altering Books OF Bank
Other Cases Were Dis
missed by State. I


guilty on three counts of altering
the books of the Abilene State bank
this morning and was sentenced 60
term Of to 10 years in the state
penitentiary. A compromise had
been affected before Flack appeared
In court whereby he was permitted
to plead guilty to three counts ana
the state was to dismiss the other
nine cases against him. The pro-
gram was carried out az arranged
and the disposal Of the case was
but matter of a few minutes.
Flack has made all preparations for
his confinement in the penitentiary
and will be taken to Leavenworth
tomorrow. On two counts he re-
ceived a sentence OF to z years
and on one count sentence OF l to
years. He may be discharged from
the penitentiary at the end of the
three years or he may be held for
longer time at the discretion OF
the prison board.
John A. Flack grew up in Dickin-
SON county, Kansas, and after q
business career at Enterprise, was
elected probate Judge, serving two
terms. At the close of this service
he was made cashier Of the Abilene
State Bank of which I. 8. Hallam
was the principal owner and presi-
dent. Popular, we'll liked and prom
inent in secret orders and socially
The became one OF the prominent men
of the town. After two years az
cashier he bought store building,
a handsome residence and then
erected for himself a $4,000 dwell
ing which was deliberately furnished.
An expensive motor car was added
to the establishment-and all this
was explained on the statement that
he, had made much money speculat-
ing in western Kansas land. ~
In the spring of 1910 the banks
deposits showed decrease and this
continued until September when his
statement showed 100000, a de-
crease in less than year Of about
| $780, 900. The state examiners had
however, reported the bank solvent,
the last examination being in Aug
ust. September /, 1910, the dfrec-
tors who had trusted Flack implicit
eddy made an investigation ana
found what they decided was a short
age of $4,000. Flack decided to
them all his real estate and personal
property and with his wife left for
the east. They thought the short
age had been made good and re-
; opened the bank for several days.
Then they found that the books
had been so manipulated that In
stead of the deposits being 100000
they we're really 100000 and that
the entire records OF the institution
had been tangled and mismanaged.
The shortage was practically $780,
900. Mr.. Hallam, the aged presi-
'ldent, was overcome with grief; he
went to Flacks new house to de-
termine its value, was taken Ill and
died in Flack's expensive bed. The
defalcation swept away all his prop
erty, wiped out the stock OF the
bank and left large sum to be met
by the stockholders' double liability
and the state guaranty fund.
Mrs. Flack returned in week,
saying she left her husband in New
York. After awhile she rejoined
him but not until September, 1872
did the detectives locate him. He
had lived in Hoboken, worked Ia
humble capacities, made one trip
to Europe as a laborer on a cattle
ship, and was without funds. He
was brought back and arraigned ON
la charge of forgery. To this he
was willing to plead guilty and was
released on a bond Of $4,000 until
court met in October. Before that
time the eleven other forgery charg-
es were brought against him and he
appealed to the supreme court on
the ground that he could not be
tried except for the one charge on
which he was arrested. This was
denied and twelve charges rested
against him when the January term
4 of district court convened.
His defalcation not only included
the banks affairs but also Irregular
tiles in handling estates as admins
traitor. Scores of instances OF
crooked dealings with depositors and
customers of the bank have come
to light and a great deal Of litiga-
tion has developed. He had made