11347. Stanton Trust & Savings Bank (Great Falls, MT)

Bank Information

Episode Type
Suspension → Closure
Bank Type
savings bank
Start Date
July 9, 1923
Location
Great Falls, Montana (47.500, -111.301)

Metadata

Model
gpt-5-mini
Short Digest
07fed75a

Response Measures

None

Description

The Stanton Trust & Savings Bank of Great Falls suspended operations (entered voluntary liquidation) in early July 1923 (reported July 9–10). Articles state the bank went into voluntary liquidation and failed to open for business; it remained closed thereafter and other affiliated banks also closed. The closure is described as voluntary liquidation rather than a classic depositor run. Later (1923 and 1928) references indicate permanent closure and litigation over unpaid deposits. Mention of the Dempsey-Gibbons fight was repeatedly denied by Stanton as a cause.

Events (1)
1. July 9, 1923 Suspension
Cause
Voluntary Liquidation
Cause Details
Bank entered into liquidation voluntarily and failed to open for business amid depositor lack of confidence after other local bank failures; management denied fight financing caused closing.
Newspaper Excerpt
Stanton Trust and Savings bank of this city, which failed to open for business yesterday ... entered into liquidation voluntarily and decided to close its doors
Source
newspapers

Newspaper Articles (9)
1. July 10, 1923 The Bismarck Tribune Bismarck, Mandan, ND
Article from The Bismarck Tribune, July 10, 1923

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Article Text

BANKS OF FIGHT PROMOTERS IN MONTANA CLOSE Great Falls, Montana, Bank of George H. Stanton Voluntarily Suspends SHELBY BANK CLOSES Mayor Jim Johnson, Who was Said to Have Lost Heavily in Fight, Headed It Great Falls, Mont., July 10.George H. Stanton, president of the Stanton Trust and Savings bank of this city, which failed to open for business yesterday made emphatic denial late last night that there was any connection between the closing of the institution and the financing of the Gibbons-Dempsey championship fight at Shelby, Montana, July 4. Reports to that effect were in circulation but they were declared to be untrue by Stanton and L. U. Skel. ton, state superintendent of banks, who is here today to investigate the bank's affairs. Stanton was one of the prominent Great Falls men who assisted in raising the second $100,000 that was paid Dempsey on his guarantee of $300,000 to meet Gibbons for the title, "Any money raised in Great Falls or Shelby for the Dempsey payment was not drawn from the resources of the Stanton bank or from my personal funds," Stanton said in a statement last night. "I gave such personal assistance as I could to the promoters to meet the crisis on June 15 (when the second $100,000 was due), but my connection with the bout should not in any way be associated with the closing this morning of the Stanton bank." The bank's financial status at this time, Mr. Stanton said, was due to conditions prevailing following the world war, together with a lack of confidence on the part of depositors after the failure f two other banks here. His institution, he asserted, is solvent, entered into liquidation voluntarily and deciced to close its doors because of inability to meet obligations at the local clearing house. Every depositor will receive his money, he said. The bank has a capital of $250,000 and deposits of $600,000.

2. July 11, 1923 The Omaha Morning Bee Omaha, NE
Article from The Omaha Morning Bee, July 11, 1923

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Article Text

Shelby Bank Closes in Wake of July 4 Bout Follows Great Falls Institution in Shutting DoorsBoth Run by Backers of Big Fight. By Associated Press. Great Falls, Mont., July 10.-The First State Bank of Shelby, of which Jim Johnson, one of the backers of the Dempsey-Gibbons bout, is president, closed its doors this morning, according to a statement made here by State Bank Examiner L. Q. Skelton, who is here to take charge of the Stanton Trust and Savings bank, which went into voluntary liquidation Monday noon. George H. Stanton, president of the Great Falls institution, also was one of the backers of the July 4 championship battle at Shelby. Mr. Skelton stated that the reason for the closing of the Shelby bank was that it was affiliated with the Stanton bank, which closed yesterday. The Shelby bank is a state institution with $200,000 assets, having a capital of $25,000 and deposits of about $193,000. according to its last t statement. Mayor James A. Johnson of Shelby, the man who is reputed to have lost more than $100,000 through the Dempsey-Gibbons fight and who put up $65,000 of the second $100,000 payment for the Dempsey purse, besides being president of the bank. is 1 one of its principal stockholders. No statement has been issued by Mayor Johnson, who is in Shelby, nor by Bank Examiner Skelton. When the second payment of $100,000 was made to Dehipsey in Great I Falls on June 15, Mr. Stanton was I credited in the dispatches as having . put up $50,000 and Mayor Johnson < $15,000. the rest being made up by f Great Falls 'men. S This statement was afterward corrected to show that Mayor Johnson b was the "angel" in the crisis, having really put the $50,000 credited to t Stanton in addition to another $15,000. At the Stanton bank today, no statement was issued further than b the one made by Mr. Stanton last t night to the effect that the DempseyGibbons fight had nothing whatever t to do with the failure of his bank, r that he had not put a dollar of the bank's money or his individual fore tune into the fight in any way and p had only contributed his individual efforts to aid in raising the money called for by the purse. S The state superintendent of banks 1 today took over the Stanton Bank and o Trust company, as well as the First t State bank of Shelby, the Johnson bank. r

3. July 11, 1923 Casper Daily Tribune Casper, WY
Article from Casper Daily Tribune, July 11, 1923

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Article Text

ANOTHER AFFILIATED BANK IS CLOSED HELENA, July 11-L. Q. Skelton, State bank examiner returned today from Great Falls where he took charge of the Stanton Trust and Savings Bank and from Shelby, where the affairs of the first state bank at Shelby were placed in his hands, both banks having closed. On his return he stated that the First State Bank of Joplin, affiliated with the Stanton bank, had closed is doors, presumably as a. result of the failure of the Great Falls bank. The Joplin bank has deposits of about $40,000 and is cap. italized at $20,000. Examiner Skelton said he is forbidden by law to make any statements with reference to the condition of a bank placed in his hands. He said he would make a report to Governor Joseph M. Dixon probably within n. week and in that report probably would say whether in his opinion re. ceivers are necessary for the three banks or whether re-organizations and re-conditioning will be possible. The failure of the Shelby and Jop. lin banks are generally credited with

4. July 11, 1923 New Britain Herald New Britain, CT
Article from New Britain Herald, July 11, 1923

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AWAIT BANK REPORT Shelby \ Depositors Anxious About Their Funds-Not Used to Finance Fight, Is Statement. Shelby, Mont., July 11.-Depositors today awaited the report of bank examiners working on the books of the First State bank of Shelby, which closed its doors yesterday. No statement is available as to the exact amount of cash involved. The action was an immediate result of the suspension of the Stanton Trust and Savings bank of Great Falls. L. A. Murrils, cashier of the Shelby bank. said a number of depositors withdrew their cash from the bank following criticism of Mayor James A. Johnson's connection with the raising of the second $100,000 paid to Dempsey. Mayor Johnson, who was president of the bank suffered personal losses estimated to have ranged between $100,000 and $150,000 in attempting to "save the fight and the good name of Montana." None of the bank's funds was used in connection with the financing of the fight, it was announced. George H. Stanton, who aided in financing the fight, has declared depositors in his bank will be paid in full and that the prize fight financing had nothing to do with the failure of either institution.

5. July 12, 1923 The Telegraph-Courier Kenosha, WI
Article from The Telegraph-Courier, July 12, 1923

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Article Text

SHELBY MARKS TIME IN NEW BANK CRISIS Bank Examiners to Make Report on Condition of First State Bank of Shelby Tomorrow. (By Associated Press Leased Wire) Shelby, Mont.-Reports of banking examiners working on the books of the First State bank of Shelby, which closed its door yesterday, were expected to be available by tomorrow. Meanwhile depositors in the institution of which Mayor James Johnson, of Shelby, treasurer for the promoters of the Dempsey-Gibbons fight, was president, marked time. No statement was forthcoming as to the exact amount of cash on hand. The action was an immediate result of the suspension of the Stanton Trust and Savings bank of Great Falls. Geo. H. Stanton, who aided in the financing of the fight, was president of the Great Falls institution.

6. July 13, 1923 The Ely Miner Ely, MN
Article from The Ely Miner, July 13, 1923

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SHELBY BANK CLOSES DOORS Suspension Follows That of Great Falls Bank-Fight Denied Cause. Great Falls, Mont.-The First State Bank of Shelby, of which Mayor James Johnson, one of the backers of the Dempsey-Gibbons bout, is president, has closed, according to a statement made here by State Bank Examiner L. G| Skelton, who is here to take charge of the Stanton Trust and Savings bank, which went into voluntary liquidation.

7. August 8, 1923 The Challis Messenger Challis, ID
Article from The Challis Messenger, August 8, 1923

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Fight Backers's Bank Closes Shelby, Mont.-Reports of banking examiners working on the books of the First State bank of Shelby, which closed its doors Tuesday, were expected to be available Wednesday. Meanwhile depositors in the institution, of which Mayor James A. Johnson of Shelby, treasurer for the promoters of the Dempsey-Gibbons fight, was president, marked time. No statement was forthcoming as to the exact amount of cash on hand. Closing of the bank was an immediate result of the suspension of the Stanton Trust and Savings bank of Great Falls. George H. Stanton, who aided in the financing of the fight, was president of the Great Falls institution.

8. November 30, 1923 The Producers News Plentywood, MT
Article from The Producers News, November 30, 1923

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GRAND JURY TO CHECK UP BANKS Will Also Investigate Affairs of Cascade County Offices, says Ewald. Great Falls, Nov. 21.-Affairs of the defunct American Bank and Trust company and of the Stanton Trust and Savings bank, as well as county oflcers, will be investigated by the district court grand jury which will begin its sessions here November 24, according to F. A. Ewald, county attorney. Public Demands Probe. Both banks have suspended business, the American having been closed for two years and the Stanton since last July. and numerous requests for a grand jury investigation have been received by the county attorney and the court, Mr Ewald said. The investigation of the county offices will be made as a follow-up on the report issued last week by State Examiner L. Q. Skelton on the annual audit of the county books. "The grand jury's investigation into the American and Stanton banks does not necessarily mean that there is a well defined suspicion that the affairs of those concerns have been irregularly handled," said Mr. Ewald, "but Judge Leslie's order for a grand jury makes possible an examination into all matters which preceded their closing. Rankin to Assist "In all matters coming before the grand jury. Attorney General W. D. Rankin will be invited to have a part and it is likely that he will personally assist in developing certain evidence. It is my intention to make all investigations as thorough as possible and to submit to the jury everything that can consistently be placed before it." Sheriff Bob Gordon's men Monday served summons on 15 Cascade county taxpayers of varied occupations calling them to the grand jury session which will begin at 10 o'clock next Saturday morning. Meanwhile, the board of county commissioners began conferring with various county officers on matters referred to in the Skelton report.

9. November 20, 1928 Great Falls Tribune Great Falls, MT
Article from Great Falls Tribune, November 20, 1928

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ROHR-STANTON BANK ACTIONS WRITTEN OFF Suit Against Stockholders for $200,000 Dismissed in District Court Litigation commenced more than three years ago by William Rohr and 11 other heirs of the Henry Burmeister estate against George H. Stanton and other stockholders of the Stanton Trust and Savings bank with a view of enforcing stockholders' statutory liability in the sum of $200,000 was dismissed Monday in the district court by order of Judge John C. Huntoon and by stipulation of counsel for the litigants. The case was entered into by the city of Great Falls. the War Finance corporation and Luise Diestelkamp, Adolph and Karl Hennig and H. Huberich as intervening plaintiffs. In the case of the city of Great Falls, Attorney William Cockrill filed notice to dismiss the case as the claim of the city against the stockholders had been settled and discharged. A similar notice for dismissal was filed by Stewart & Brown of Helena in behalf of the War Finance corand the firm of Hurd. Rhoades, Hall & McCabe requested dismissal of the Rohr action without perjudice. The suit of the other intervenors was dismissed at the request of McKenzie & McKenzie, torneys for the Hennigs, Diestelkamp and Huberich. In the suit of the Burmeister heirs, it was asserted that on July 9, 1923, the bank suspended operations, while indebted to the heirs for the sum of $36,740, deposited in the institution. this was asked for amount, A judgment pro-rated among the stockholders. The city of Great Falls alleged nonpayment of a $36,207 deposit, the War Finance corporation nonpayment of $36,098 principal and interest on $190,000 obligation. and the other in-