Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-12-02
PLaI, Part Pardon
For Ralph MOyer
Continued from Pase One


the Phoenix Trust Company. is the
official visitor Of the Prison Society. ana
in this capacity he has access to the
Eastern Penitcntiary and a free run Of
the prisoners. lie visits the institution
each Sunday and once a week for some
time he has had heart to. heart talks
with the convicted cnshier. whose laxity
in banking methods and juggling. of ac-
counts to hide his errors and his def.
ciencies were directly responsible for
the crash.
Mr.. Morris describes Meyers health
as good. but his morale as bad.
''IIe is emotional" he snid. He
cries a great deal. Iic is melancholy
sometimes, but TINT IL 10 be expected.
He IL n man vino feels deeply. His
punishment hurts. lie always enjoyed
life. and confinement Is hard.
"But aside from the question Of
whether he was guilty--he unqucstiona.
bly, was In n good measure responsible.
still knowing him as do. really be-
]ieve he is sincere, that he was honest
Mt heart and that he was double. crossed
by the people who profted from his
weaknesses. lie Is now willing to. show
that he IL not az black MS he is painted.
and 10 recover some of the old debts we
need his testimony.
Stain Must he Removed
ITO make his testimony competent
he must first be pardoncd on the perjury
harge, and this would not necessarily
mean that he would he released from
serving the remainder Of his time on The
charge Of embezslcment:
1.-The question was Ia ken up with the
Board Of Directors Of the Phoenix
Trust Company. md we are willing TO
co operate morally in IN application for
his pardon.
"We as an institution owe our every
effort 70 gain his cooperation for the
benefit Of the depositors Of the old in
stitution because these people are our
dcpcsltors now. With Meyers help.
wc will no able to recover thousands Of
dollars which We find II impossible tU
collect without his testimony.
"Thc men who got this money on
bad notes and ovcrdrnf;s simply laugh
when they are approached. They spenk
Of errors and not having been given
rropcr credits. But Meyer knew them
and can straighten this out. Hundreds
Of poor people who were dcpositors in
| We could recover this money
Debts Were S4.000,0 ,000
Whom the asspts Of the North Penn
Rank we're appraised after the failure
ibo Total was S7JO, 900. The liabilities
| wcrc S4. .OOO, 900. The Phoenix Trust
Comrany made an offer OF 81 200. .OO,
for the institution. lock. stock and bar
rcj. with the understanding that the
depositors would receive Is per cent OF
nil further collections. Under this
creemcnt the old depositors have re-
ceiycd n dividend Of % cents on the dol
. lar, and still another is expected soon,
\ Jury before Judge Davis found
sunreme Court. March 81. 1921. de-
cidrd against n new trini and the biz
steel doors on Fairmount avenue closed
; mon Moycr in due time. and, nftrl
the customary quarantine period. War
den Mc!<cnty put him to work in thu
pcnitentiary Office.
The actual crash of the North Pen,
Bank was the beginning of such srf
frring and misery in the ncighborhoo'
of Twenty ninth and Dnuphin street
that the tep0sitors were frantic. Man,
life savings were believed to be rcstin:
securely in the vaults. but Meyer am
his band had loaned money on bn,'
notes. had allowed Overdrafts. unit
the Inire became so deep there was NJ
pulling ont. lie falsified records t
deceive the bank examiners. but, tn
cobwcbby texture which held the bnnl
on it's false foundation for nearly tw'
years finally gave way under the strain
and the crash sounded through PhilH
delphia with a roar.
Others Are Convicted
William T. Gnbcll. director an
clerk in the institution, was convicted
for the part re played in ASSISTING
Meyer. and was sentenced to scrv