The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1920-05-28
BANK CASHIER
COMMITS SUICIDE
Charles H. Strong of Vergennes Shot
Himself Before Bank Examiner Be-
gan Work-Rumors of Shortage.


VERGENNES. May 2s.--Charles II. |
Strong, cashier of the National bank |
of Yergennes, committed! Euicide by1
shooting himself in. the mouth with. a
32-ealibre Colts automatic revolver lat
9,45 yesterday morning. death being in
lstantaneous. The bullet came Iout at
the back of the neck The deed was
done in the basement of, the bank. and
took place shortly after the arrival of
Federal. Bank Examiner r. "A. Cooper
of Montpelier, who was on his an
| nual visit to examine the bank ac-
counts Strong was seen by Assistant
| Cashier Erying w. Graves, to take the
pistol from n desk in the bank and
| go to the basement, and fearing that
| Strong was about to do something rash,
called Constable Fred L. Grandey and
| Deputy Sheriff Fred LeBeau stating
that the officers were wanted at the
bank
Upon their arrival they were told
that Strong was in the basement to
which they at once proceeded While
| descending the stairs they saw Strong
near the boiler room with the auto
matte pistol leveled at them. The of
ficers not being armed withdrew, while
LeBeau went for his gun.
i Upon his return both officers again
went to the basement and found
! Strong lying upon the basement floor
/, dead The reports of the automatic
were not heard by Officer Grandey or
the bank officials.
j 1t is rumored that the cause of
/ Strong's taking his life is shortag e
of accounts at the bank of not less
than $4,000 or more than $4,000
; This, however, could not be verified
t The bank examiner did not issue any
? statement yesterday. The directors
4 when seen, stated that the shortage, if
. any, would be small and in no way
< cripple the bank. There was no run
on the institution yesterday and the
Y business was going on as usual Their,
e are many rumors afioat as to the cause
Of the suicide, which, when run down
g were soon exploded. However, it i
q thought that Strong had lately beer
: specializing. 1t is also alleged tina
G there are outside personal notes o
from 5000 to $4,000. The shortage a
d the bank is amply protected agains
J. any loss by bond of $4,000 and tn
n bank surplus
= Mr.. Strong was one of Vergennes
d most prominent and respected citizen
It and was chairman of the board o
II trustees of the Congregational church
J. trustee of the Bixby Memorial Ii
n brary fund and agent for the Herrick
: Stevens estate and several others Nj
i Strong, who was 63 years old, wa
i born in Vergennes and had lived Their
,r all his life and had been connecte
,d with the bank for about 40 years. II
81 had held the position of cashier fo
= over 20 years. He was man of quit
8. tastes and his only luxury was an al
tomobile.
The tragic death of Charles I
Strong recalls the sensational Farm
ers bank scandal of 1901, when d.
G Lewis, cashier and former state trea
- urer, and j. W. Ketchum, teller an
newspaper publisher, We're convicted {
looting the s'little bank, as Il
th Farmers National bank was called
comparison with the Vergennes n;
tional bank Both Ketchum and Lew
served Jail sentences as a result
- the trials