New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1918-12-11
HARTFORD BANKER
SHORT IN ACCOUNTS
MerriCk W. Chaplin Charged With
EmbeZZIement Of $4,000
PHOENIX NATIONAL BANK
Accused Is 48 Years of Age and Had
Long Beon Considered Capable
NTan-Fcderal Law Is Very Severe
in Case of Conviction.

Hartford, Dee 11.-Morrick w.
Chaplin, assistant cashier and paying
teller of the Phoenix National bank OF
this city was arrested today on the
charge of embezzlement of $44,oO0.
He was taken before L. S. Commits
sioner Richard F. Carroll and held
under $1,000 bonds for the February
term of the u. S. district court
Arrested This Morning.
The arrest was made by Deputy
u. S. Marshal John j. Kelleher on
complaint of Daniel c. Mullooney.
chief national bank examiner for the
Boston federal reserve district Mr..
Mullooney made affidavit before Com
missioner Carroll that examination of
Mr.. lChapin's accounts showed he had
EN- bezzled and wilfully misappropri-
ated $4,000 of the banks funds. AS
sistant T. s. District Attorney Allan
K Smith presented the case before
the commissioner Mr.. Chaplin was
represented by Attorney Edward j.
Myers.
Was Considered Capable.
Mr. Chaplin is 48 years old, natiye
Of Hartford, and with his wife and
family resides at IT'S Warrenton ave.
nue.. He began his bank career at the
age of 18, when he was employed by
the American National bank as a rum
ner. BY long and faithful service he
was advanced through the various
grades until he became paying teller
and assistant cashier in January.
1907. When the American bank was
merged with the Phoenix bank in
r,i., Ia
sistant cashier of the consolidated
bank and placed in charge of the
tellers he acting as first teller The
Phoenix utilizes several paying tellers.
as it takes care of some of the largest
payrolls in the city. including Colts,
the Underwood, and Pratt & Whitney
company.
Federal Law Inexorable.
The federal law is inexorable in
cases of conviction of embezzlement
from national banks, the minimum
sentence that the court can impose
being FIVE years in a federal prison.
President Leon P. Broadhurst, of the
bank, said today the bank was pro-
tected through the usual source
against loss by Mr.. .Chapin's alleged
defalcations
Shortages Cover Long Period.
The shortages have been accumu-
lating ever since Mr.. Chaplin went to
the Phoenix bank, he has admitted to
the officials. His alleged meth
Cd of defalcation was a
simple one and could be
worked at the Phoenix because of his
position there as master teller.
The Phoenix receives the major
Il y
pays out most of it's Withdrawals in
currency, it's outgo in payrolls being
more than 100000 a week.
II this situation the Phoenix has
purchased currency from other banks
in Hartford where just the reverse
situation existed and where the de-
posts were mostly in currency and
the Withdrawals mostly by checking g
out the accounts
Chapin Purchased Currency.
In buying these large amounts of
currency from the other Hartford
banks the Phoenix would give a
voucher at the time the currency was
procured and the voucher would come
through the clearing house the next
day the same as a check. This gave
Mr.. Chaplin the opportunity
it is alleged to purchase cur
needed to meet the payrolls and to
give the banks voucher for it and
then in the next days accounts to en-
ter a credit which would offset the
currency he appropriated to his own
use.
Careful of His Vacations.
His currency dealings were so large
that his cash Oh hand was not ques-
toned and he could always keep one
day ahead of the balance sheet fur
nished by the bank. While in the six
and a half years that he has been
with the Phoenix he was always
granted a two weeks vacation yearly
he would never take but
one week off at time
The way he covered his alleged
shortage while away for the week
was to report befores he went an
amount of mutilated money sent tc