The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-07-10
MAKE II CHARGES
Formal Custer Proceedings
Against Bank Commissioner.
Attorney General Asks Court
for a Speedy Trial.

Extortion. using information at his
command as a public official to en-
nance his own purse, knowingly per-
hitting the violation of law and other
unlawful acts are charged against
Walter E. Wilson, state bank commits
sioner, in an custer suit filed by Rich
ard J. Hopkins, attorney general, in
the Kansas supreme court. Hopkins
asked for a speedy trial of the case
and wants Wilson suspended pending
the final action of the court. The
court has finished its regular summer
sittings, but it is possible it may con-
vene sufficiently long to set an answer
date and appoint commissioner to
take testimony.
There are seventeen formal charges
in the custer petition growing out of
the failure of the Pollom bank at
La Cygne, the Kansas State bank of
Salina and the formation of the Kan
sas Bank Holding corporation of To-
peka.
The Seventeen Charges.
The charges follow:
1. That he voted to grant a charter to
the Kansas Bank Holding Corporation Of
Topeka, company in which he was IL
nancially interested.
2 That he voted to allow the same cor
poration a permit to sell stock IN Kan
sas,. when it had not filed all the infor-
nation required by law, and while he was
financially interested and was an officer
and stakeholder in the corporation.
ne usso tb ms az he hnd
of the inside workings of state banks, to
require stockholders in the banks in the
state of Kansas to sell to said Kansas
Bank Holding corporation banks or the
stock therein at figures which would be
advantageous to said corporation, and if
he could not require said stock holders to
sell said banks or the stock therein. would
assist in the creation of new banks in
towns where said banks were located. in
RI n nf nc p 0ff
of the state of Kansas and contrary to
the public policy of the state of Kansas"
been serEinp ur as hank commissioner he
has acquired stock in various state banks
chartered during his term of office as
bank commissioner.
s. That state banks in which Wilson
held stock during his term of office were
allowed to violate the banking laws by
making excess loans to persons.
6. That he extorted $500 from an Of
ficer of the Linn county state bank of La
Cygne who had violated the banking laws,
and thru an attorney attempted to obtain
another $1,000 from a brother of the bank
official, Fred Pollman. Pollman afterward
was prosecuted but was not convicted
Z. That he allowed the Traders State
bank, of Salina, afterwards the Kansas
State bank to run for two years after it
S. That he allowed the sale of eertifi-
Gates of deposit in the Salina bank to
other banks and persons at much less than
their face value, after he knew Of the in
solvent condition.
Q. That officers Of the bank sold
$125,0O0 worth of these certificates of de-
posit for which the bank received no
equivalent end return in money or prop
erty.
10. That he assured purchasers of these
certificates that they would be guaranteed
by the state bank guaranty fund.
IL. That he allowed the persons in
charge of the .saiina bank to sell these
certificates, which fell into the hands of
purchasers in good faith, causing these
annoyance and prospective losses that de-
troys their faith In the banking laws
of the state
II. That he allowed the persons in