Evening star., 1953-10-02
|Manhunt Starts
After S114,5OO
Theft at Bank
Accused Vire inion
Sought in Cunodo,
Another Returns
Special Dispoteh TO The stor

Special Dispotch TO The Star
NEW MARKET, Va, Oct. a.
The Federal Bureau of Investi-
cation and the Royal Canadian
Mounted Police Joined in a man
hunt today for a bd nix official
they believe took par in a STA
500 bank theft in an effort to
recoup from mounting debts.
Efforts were concentrated on
finding Don r. Sil lnpson, 55, a
director Of the Citizens National
Bank, who formerly owned and
still lived on 81 million estate
near here.
FBI agents said Simpson and
the banks vice president, Theo-
dore Roosevelt BeahIn, ST., Sc,
former mayor of New Market,
cleaned out the banks vault and
fled to Canada.
Beahm Under $2,5OO Bond.
Beahm returned yesterday,
was charged with the theft, and
released under $4,000 bond pend
ing a hearing at 10 am. tomor-
row before United States Com
missioner Charles A. Nelson at
Harrisonburg. Va.
Simpson and Beahm are
charged with bank robbery-lar-
ceny and with violating sections
of the Federal Reserve Act which
pertain to misdeeds by bank
employees.
Beahm told the tale of a pre-
conceived plan to loot the bank
vault and flee, FBI agents said.
Also being hunted is Simpsons
nephew, Charles R. Simpson, 80,
charged with aiding and abetting
the other two men. The FBI
said the younger Simpson chauf-
fered them to Toronto, Canada.
United States attorneys have
recommended bond of $4,000
each for the fugitiveS.
None of the stolen money
$4,000 in cash and $4,000 in
negotiableS-has been recovered.
Beahm told FBI agents that
Simpson gave him none of the
money.
Among items taken from the
bank vault, the FBI said. were
large notes signed by Simpson
as well as some checks signed by
him. 1t was disclosed today that
Simpson was declared bankrupt
a month ago in United States
District Court at Charleston,
w. Va.
Estate Listed for Sale.
The 1,0OO-acre estate, Court
Manor, which is bisected by U. S.
IL four miles south of here, has
been listed for sale for several
months.
Court Manor's co7owner once
was Hugh N. Rakes a Virginia
dairyman convicted and SEN
fenced in 1949 in connection
with the misapplication of be-
tween 100000 and 100000 in
funds from the Planters branch
of the Farmers & Merchants
Bank at Fredericksburg, Va.
William Gardiner, president of
that branch, pleaded guilty to
misapplication of funds and was
sentenced. Rakes was accused of
aiding and abetting in the crime.
Rakes and a brother transferred
their interest in the estate to
Consolidated Dairy Co., from
whom Simpson purchased Il.
Beahm was "just about one of
the incest guys you ever saw"
local police officer said. He had
been with the towns only bank
about 20 years and had risen to
the posts of vice president and
cashier.
Simpson, a comparative new
conner, seemed real pleasant"
police said. He bought the
estate-developed by the late
Willis Sharpe Kilmer, horse
breeder whose thoroughbreds in
cluded the famed Exterminator
when he came here three years
ago from Somerset County, Pa.
In Somerset. Pa, Deputy
Sheriff Paul Miller identified
Simpson as former coal mine
operator who was once worth
a lot of money, but went broke
when his mine failed" according
to the Associated Press.
When Simpson came to New
Market three years ago, he rep
resented himself as a former
sheriff of Somerset County. But
he had never held public Office
there.
Sheriff Miller said Somerset
County authorities asked Vir-
ginia officials two weeks ago to
serve a warrant on Simpson after
District officials of the United
Mine Workers complained Simp-
son issued three bad checks to
the union.
The deputy said the checks
were for payments into the UNIV
welfare fund.
Virginia authorities refused
(See BANK THEFT, Page A-5.)