Article Text

TODAY Commissioner of Cantley, State Finance, Sues Directors of Bank of Line. The directors of the defunct Bank Charles Wortham, West Line, Charles Edie and Elijah Stark, N. Stark, Ziegler and Jacob for $100,000 lett have been sued cashier, Cantley Jefferoson City, state finance commissioner being the plaintiff. The suit is in behalf of the deposistockholders of the bank, tors and doors March 1928. which closed its the finance comAccording to same right to sue at missioner has the of directors have west bank's board in this case the ways stockholders, and the commissioner consented to act for the depositors and stockholders. The tition was filed in ciurcuit court here today, Mr. Cantley being represented Chastain Butler, James Brierly, Ray Shubert, of HarriClub sonville, and Carroll of Kansas Mrs. City. The keynote of the petition is genof the on the part ject board during the five prior to the closing the bank. Among the allegations in the petition these: That the directors (the defendants) failed to direct, manage, negligently control and watch the affairs of the bank required by law, by reason of which the bank became insolvent. The defendants permitted the cashier overdraw their accounts and failed to examine in large sums the books for such overdrafts. The defendants employed cashier, (Noble) Stark, who was not the duties of such capable of filling officer and permitted the bank; Weisser to draw on that the cashier had been making bank's books and entries on the false had removed certain ledger sheets of totaling approxivarious depositors that the removed $26,000 and mately showed overdraft ledger sheets that the $32,000; of approximately cashier had converted certain bonds into cash order to have cash serve with which to run the bank; from the note the he removed notes that the books effort to make in an balance: that by it could the defendants the books by the books been ascertained have could not balanced: that full diswould closure these directors had been made to the have examine the daily not failed to they and monthly statements of the bank the cash had not failed to count and hand and compare with the failed ascertain they and loans amount of notes the true the bank. That the defendants permitted the the duties of presicashier to perform and of every of the bank, including other officer without of the directors, the duties supervision or examination his transactions. failed to appoint The defendants the books and committees examine notes of the bank, count the cash, the books the notes with compare of the re-discounted, the property corporation carried assets, make inventory and statement of same. failed perform The directors such in that they their duties as of kind keep register any failed of notes and by the amount showing whom made. failed to number That they showing all notes, or keep the notes they had re-discounted sold. That they made excessive loans individuals and permitted certain them to become long past due and remain They failed to keep minutes of the concise and directors' meetings complete form, showing what took at such meetings. place They failed to keep daily balances of their notes, overdrafts, deposits and cash. They failed to discharge the cashier after learning of his careless and unlawful operation of the bank. They failed to keep sufficient cash hand reserve. obtain financial They failed statements from borrowers and keepfiled the bank. them There other allegation in the petition similar the foregoing, all carelessness and upon the hinging the bank's directors. negligence case probably will be ing the regular May term of circuit court. the fifth suit brought This makes against the directors, the other plaintheir deposits. They tiffs suing for for Davenport, Wilcox, Sr., for for $2,064.88, and Wilcox, Murphy, for $2,000.