The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-01-08
TIE TIMES
COMMONWEALTH
BANK CLERK SAYS
He TOOK S13.46l
CONTINUED FROM First Pago.)

To individual lcdgers. evidently repos-
Ing confidence In the fact that tho
thefts would not be discovered until
tho two wcrn compared. The individ
uni lcdgers showed true and accurate
Tho discrepancy was discovered in the
general ledger, which while Harding
was manipulating It for his own pri-
vate gain. appeared specifically to be
correct.
Owns Two Automobiles
When explanation was demanded OF
him by tho receivers, Harding admitted
responsibility for the shortages. and at
the conference which followed later
expressed a desire to MAKE tho short
ages good. He stated that he was
either the legal or equitable owner OF
certain real and personal property. and
upon demand Of the receivers, agreed
TO and did turn over TO than the title
deeds under which the real estate was
held. and memoranda OF certain per-
sonal property I'm order to havo oil the
property properly transferred to tho
receivers
In the personal property listed are
two automobiles, which, at the time
of the Acknowledgement OF gilt. were
In Norfolk. Harding asked deferment
of the execution of the papers until
the entire amount OF his shortage was
asccrtained and adjusted. and request
cd that In tho meantime no disposition
of the property should be made.
Wanted Name Suppressed.
Later Attorney John 4. Lamb. who
had been brought into the case by
the Harding family, requested that the
receivers make report Of tho short
age In such form as not to show who
was responsible for tho shortage, in
order that the family OF the young man
might be spared az far as possible
from tho modification OF publicity. The
GC n coll nj
cal report and wrote TO Attorney Lamb
to that effect, but stated that IL John
T.. Harding, father of he defaulter, felt
disposed TO make restitution to the
bank for the amount of his sons
shortage, 1t would give them pleasure
to incorporate that fact In their re-
port TO the court. Attorney Lamb had
previously. according to the report OF
the receivers, requested that the title
papers to real estate and memoranda OF
personal property owned by young
Harding be turned over to him, which
ter TO tho attorney they demanded
again that all this property be trans
ferrcd 70 them as receivers of tho
bank.
Refuse to Give Bond.
In reply TO this Attorney Lamb said
that the young mans father would 20
to New York in order TO raise funds TO
pay his sons obligation, and said that
X the receivers would not file their
ois % ne shoiiage until after ten
days of filing the main report OF the
...l-tiOha ~ me Commonwealth Bank.
hn L. Harding and Mrs. Sarah V.
Harding, father and mother of the do
fnulter, would execute and deliver to
the receivers their joint bond securing
such sum as might be found to be due
the bank by their son, and that within
tho ten days they would secure the
hGT Iii
proposition, and tho bond was exc
cuted on December 16, 1919. In which
tho s!Gncrs agreed TO pay the indebt-
cdness of John II. Harding within thir-
~ days from that date. y copy of
the bond was tiled IN the report Fol-
lowing up this agreement Attorney
Lamb requested that the title papers
and memoranda of real and personal
property owned by young Harding be
turned over TO him in order that tho
receivers might be enabled 10 realize
on the pi operty, and so that the liabil-
ity OF John e. and Mrs. Harding might
be reduced TO that extent. Tho papers
were delivered upon that understand
ing, but now the receivers report that
John Il. Harding and wife refused TO
secure the bond as agreed. and Mr..
Lamb has refused to return TO your re-
ceivcrs the title papers and memo
raRda."
Owns Real Estate.
Continuing, the report says that the
receivers were advised that Il deed
TO 4 piece OF real estate had been exc
cuted by the title holder OF the legal
title to q trustee for the benefit of the
receivers, and the deed delivered to
Mr. Lamb and the bill of sale exc
cuted and delivered 10 Mr. Lamb by
John II. Harding, conveying for the
benefit OF the receivers the title to per-
sonal property and chooses in action.
but that Mr. Lamb failed 10 deliver the
deed and bill Of sale to the receivers.
Therefore the shortage has not been
made good. and the guarantee that it
would be made good has fallen short
of the promise.
Tho receivers learned however, that
Harding is bonded with the United
states Fidelity and Guaranty Company
/ in the sum of $1,000. They learned
also that Harding is entitled to have
Offset against the discrepancy $4,000,
represented by u cashiers check on the
Commonwealth Bank. and remaining
unpaid AZ tho time OF the appointment
| of the receivers.
| Sold Main street Property.
The report of tho receivers. cover
! ing fully the case against Harding and
! Incorporating the report of the Ameri-
can Audit Company. which discovered
/ the shortage, included also a further
! detailed statement of the assets OF the
Commonwealth Eank. in which are 500
| shares In the Virginia Building Corpo-
! ration. Ely agreement between the re-
ceivers OF the Commonwealth Bank
and the old Dominion Company, which
owned 100 shares in the Virginia Build
! ing Corporation, the combined shares
We're sold to "a Bcirne Blair for $50. 900,
the resulting pro rata share from the
! proceeds to be incorporated in the as
/ sets OF the Commonwealth Bank.
! Judge Moncure received and accepted
the report, and entered a decree direct
ing commissioner In chancery to re-
port on all the liabilities and assets OF
tho bank, value of the assets. liens and
debts exclusive of the stock liability.
and to give the names and addresses of
all creditors. The commissioner Is di-
rected to report depositors separately
i from other creditors, and TO ignore all
! depositors having Il deposit balance of
! less than % cents.
! Many Accounts of 81 Cents or. Less.
In examining the accounts due to de-
/ positors. the receivers found 1000 ac-
! counts on the different lcdgcrs with
balances OF % cents and less due by the
/, bank, and about 1000 accounts between
! GO cents, and So a large number OF
the accounts between % cents and 81