Bank of Melbourne - Melbourne, MO

Bank Information

Episode Type: Suspension → Closure
Bank Type: state
Start Date: April 1, 1927*
Location: Melbourne, Missouri (40.142, -93.788)

Metadata

Model: gpt-5-mini
Short Digest: 02e017c2

Response Measures

None

Description

Article states the bank suspended operations in 1927 after the cashier (Audrey Brown) cashed a check and disappeared; no reopening is mentioned. Cause appears to be bank-specific adverse information (fraud/embezzlement). The article is from 1931 reporting the arrest of the cashier. Exact suspension date not given beyond March/April 1927.

Events (2)

1. April 1, 1927* Suspension

Cause: Bank Specific Adverse Info
Cause Details: Cashier (Audrey Brown) allegedly cashed proceeds from sale of corn, issued a check that was dishonored and then disappeared; bank suspended operations after the disappearance.
Newspaper Excerpt: Brown's check to Mr. Hatfield for $460., was turned down for payment at the bank, which suspended operations following the disappearance of the
Source: newspapers

2. December 9, 1931 Other

Newspaper Excerpt: Four Year Search Ends At Bethany ... Brown being brought to Trenton and placed in the county jail ... preliminary hearing on charge of giving a fraudulent check, to come before L. S. Roberts on December 16.
Source: newspapers

Newspaper Articles (1)

1. December 9, 1931 The Post-Telegraph Princeton, MO

Article from The Post-Telegraph, December 9, 1931

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Article Text

Four Year Search Ends At Bethany A four year search for Audrey Brown, former of the Bank of Melbourne, was brought to an end yesterday at Bethany, by his arrest by Willard Rader, deputy sheriff, and Clarence Woolhether, Brown being brought to Trenton and placed in the county jail, states the Trenton RepublicanAt the hearing this morning his bond was set at $2,000 and he was released, with the preliminary hearing on charge of giving a fraudulent check, to come before L. S. Roberts on December 16. In March and April of 1927, Brown, at that time cashier of the Melbourne bank, bought a carload of corn, which Roy Hatfield, at that time in the producebusiness at Brimson, had purchas ed for him, giving a person al check on the bank in which he worked, as payment. Brown then, it is charged, sold the corn to Mr. Jolly, of Gilman City, cashed the check and disappeared, leaving his wife and two children at Melbourne, Brown's check to Mr. Hatfield for $460., was turned down for payment at the bank, which suspended operations following the disappearance of the Since that time, the hunt for Brown has continued through several states, and several times extradition papers were made out for him, only to find he had moved before they could be served. Brown's parents, Mr. and Mrs. Clyde Brown, formerly lived near Hickory, but some time ago moved to Bethany, and Brown came there apparently to visit them, when his presence was discovered by Mr. Hatfield, who caused his arrest The search for the man has been conducted under the supervision of J. Layson, former presecuting attor ney of Grundy county, now an assistant U. S. district attorney at Kansas City, in conjunction with the present Sheriff of Grundy County and the prosecuting attorney here.