Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1921-03-08
Plight Of
Bank Losers
Is Pitiful
Descendants Of Founder of
Blair Institution Which
4 Failed Suffer Most; Many
Practically Destitute.
Losses Total $5,O00,00O

Descendants Of A. Castettcr, found
or of the Banking House of Cas-
letter in Blair over 50 years ago, are
the heaviest losers by the failure OF
the bank, revealed by the disappear
ance OF +. II. Claridge, president,
and son-in-law of the founder. Ac-
pcordng to state officials the Cas-
letter family will be left practically
. destitute.
Members OF the family. like the
other citizens OF Washington county.
had the utmost confidence i'll Clar
idege, who has been connected with
the bank for 50 years.
r. J. Mcclure of Omaha, special
assistant attorney general, stated last
night after a conference with At
torney General Davis that the loss
in worthless paper may total $500
600
Falsihcations on Record
There were falsihcations Oh the
bank records, which of course. are
against the law" Mr.. Mcclure said.
This case will be handled vigorous
". 1t was one-mau bank and no
one except Claridge knew of any
OF the transactions, except clerks
who cashed checks and kept the
books. He had entire charge OF the
investments,
Mr.. Mcclure refused TO say
whether the attorney general plan
ned to commence prosecution OF
Claridge, although he frankly stated
there ought to be. -
Before leaving Blair, Claridge
turned over to his wife papers
which merely cover her investment,
Mr.. Mcclure said. Other stock
holders and investors arc. expected
to contest her right to these secur-
ities. a farewell letter left by Clar-
idge to his wife is causing comment
among officials investigating the
case. -
Note to Wife. 4
One sentence read, Do not Tor
give ME, | have failed as banker as
we'll as man.
Miss Grace Ballard, county attor-
ney Of Washington county, held a
long consultation yesterday with
the attorney general iif lincoln, after
which Mr.. Davis stated that he had
not decided on any definite steps. He
stated that he did not know whether
he would prosecute and was await
ing further particulars of conditions
Secretary Hart of the state de-
partmcnt of trade and commerce
stated that the bank was operating
under state laws and under the state
guaranty law. From early repests
hc said the loss probably would be
from $250.000 to 100000. The exact
loss, he said, would probably be de-
termined when he received report
from the examiners today.
Speculation Responsible.
The responsibility for the failure
and whether it was criminal act,
Mr.. Hart. said, would be shown in
the report made by>EXaminers A. ID.
Touzalin and f. A. Fricke. Mr..
Hart stated that speculation in west
ern Nebraska and Colorado land was
responsible for the loss.
ALL OF the stock in the bank, Mr..
Hart said, was owned by women eX-
cept that owned by Claridge and two
nephews. All of the employees CT
the bank, with the exception of the !
president, were women.
Residents of Blair, although Sc
verely shocked, have come to a re-
alization OF the true condition of the
bank affairs. Plans to refinance the
institution have been cancelled,
Many are demanding a criminal
prosecution, although others cannot
forget the lovable qualities of the
man they knew and respected and
prefer less drastic action.
No Trace of Man Found
No trace of Claridge has been
found. Women employees, of the bank
and relatives deny any knowledge
OF his whereabouts and decline to
talk on the case. Most of the rela
tives keep indoors all days.
Hans Grimm, cattle feeder, who
was heavy depositor in the bank
and also heavy borrower, COM
menced today to ship his cattle to
market in order to straighten out his
affairs with the bank. 1t is said that |
many of his deposits have not been
entered on the books.
A. D. Touzalin, who was in charge !
,of the bank for the state, rcfused |
yesterday to allow anything to be
taken from it. Patrons of the bank
who had deposit boxes and sought |
private papers were told that noth-
ing could be removed until the ex-
animation was completed.
On his return to Omaha last night,
Mr.. Touzalin stated that he was un-
able to give out any details of the
banks condition which he said was