11397. Valley County Bank (Hinsdale, MT)

Bank Information

Episode Type: Suspension → Closure
Bank Type: state
Start Date: December 28, 1925
Location: Hinsdale, Montana (48.394, -107.085)

Metadata

Model: gpt-5-mini
Short Digest: 8368c46e

Response Measures

None

Description

The Valley County Bank (referred to as Valley County State Bank in several articles) voluntarily closed its doors at the end of December 1925 amid insolvency and inability to realize on loans; it did not reopen and a receiver was later appointed (receivership/liquidation actions reported in mid‑1926). Some contemporaneous accounts mention runs on related Sheldon-controlled banks, but the Hinsdale bank's closure is attributed to insolvency/loan losses rather than a discrete rumor-driven run.

Events (3)

1. December 28, 1925 Suspension

Cause: Bank Specific Adverse Info
Cause Details: Voluntary closing at end of December 1925 due to inability to realize on outstanding loans/insolvency; part of a group of Sheldon-controlled banks that collapsed then.
Newspaper Excerpt: the Valley County bank of Hinsdale and the State Bank of Nashua, all of which closed on account of inability to realize on their outstanding loans.
Source: newspapers

2. January 14, 1926 Other

Newspaper Excerpt: the Valley County bank of Hinsdale, which closed December ... controlled these four Montana banks by Sheldon Brothers; A. M. Sheldon is unable to meet his obligations in the closed Montana banks; (analysis/coverage of ownership and insolvency); (article recounting alleged mismanagement and insolvency) (Jan 14, 1926)
Source: newspapers

3. June 11, 1926 Receivership

Newspaper Excerpt: J.T. Shea Is Appointed Receiver of Two Banks Nashua-Attorney James T. Shea of Glasgow has been appointed the receiver of the former State Bank of Nashua and the Valley County State Bank of Hinsdale by Judge C. D. Borden. He succeeds Attorney J. O. Weaver of Glasgow, who has been acting in that capacity for the past four months...,cause:null,
Source: newspapers

Newspaper Articles (9)

1. December 31, 1925 The Nashua Independent Nashua, MT

Article from The Nashua Independent, December 31, 1925

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STATE BANK CLOSES ITS DOORS Monday at 1:00 P. M., the State Bank of Nashua closed its doors for an indefinite period. The reason, as far as can be learned, it was closed to stop a run on the Bank. At present it is not learned whether they will reopen or not. A receiver is expected almost any day to take over the business. GLASGOW NATIONAL BANK CLOSES ITS DOORS HINSDALE BANK CLOSES ITS DOORS MALTA FIRST NATIONAL CLOSES ITS DOORS Sheldon Brothers have heavy interests in these banks The Glasgow National Bank of this city voluntarily closed its doors at 11 a. m. Monday, by order of its board of directors. This bank is associated with the First National bank of Malta, the Valley County bank of Hinsdale and the State Bank of Nashua, all of which closed on account of inability to realize on their outstanding loans. The officers of the Glasgow National bank feel that a reorganization of the bank will be effected within a comaratively short time and the bank

2. January 2, 1926 The Stoughton Courier Stoughton, WI

Article from The Stoughton Courier, January 2, 1926

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FOUR BANKS CLOSED IN MONTANA TOWNS Helena, Mont., Jan. banks in Montana, with a total capital of $185,000, have been closed in the past week, it was revealed at the state bank examincr's office here. The institutions were the State Bank of Nasau,the First National Bank of Malta, the Valley County State bank of Rinsdale and the Glasgow National Bank. They are said to be controlled by Sheldon brothers of Minneapolis.

3. January 14, 1926 Phillips County News Malta, MT

Article from Phillips County News, January 14, 1926

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THE SHELDON BROTHERS Records the Montana show that M. Sheldepartment don of Minneapolis is the pricipal of the stock in the Nashua owner State bank and the Valley County bank of Hinsdale, which closed December M. Sheldon, also recorded by the federal reserve bank of Helena as the pricipal stockholder of the First National bank at Malta and the Glasgow National bank. which closed at the same time. It has been announced that Sheldon Brothers of Minneapolis controlled these four Montana banks Advice from Sheldon Brothers is to effect that the firm has not been interested in Montana banks for years. The above taken from the Great Falls Tribune and the announcement comes surprise many if not all who were acquainted with the bank in this city which recently closed its doors. It has been noted that the annual meeting that not one ofthe brothers cam oteala Mt of he brothers came to Malta attend the meetings but both of them. Of course only one of them may be interested at this time in the banking business in Montana but most always happened that two them came here. just barepossible that they thought much of each other that they could not stand it to be separated while one was away visiting his business interests.

4. January 14, 1926 Phillips County News Malta, MT

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First National Bank, Apparently Insolvent, Kept Open for Business by Sheldon Brothers While They Get Under Cover Indicate That Splitup Made Several Reports a Years Ago Gave Sheldon the Money, Gave A. M. Sheldon the Debts, and Left the Depositors to Hold the Bag According to the records of the Montana A. M. Sheldon of Sheldon brothers, Minneapolis, is the principal owner of stock in the four banks of the Sheldon-Arnot combination in the Milk river valley that collapsed Monday, December 30th. Advice from Sheldon brothers conveys the information that the firm has not been Montana for several interested years. Reports from Minneapolis, traceable directly to A. M Sheldon, are to the effect that A. M Sheldon is unable to meet his obligations in the closed Montana banks. and that F. P. Sheldon is not responsible for those obligations because several years ago, he had sold out his Montana interests to A. M. Sheldon. The logical inference of all this is that "several years ago" A. M. Sheldon and F. P. Sheldon devised a split, and that F. P. Sheldon took the assets and A. M. Sheldon took the liabilities. Presumably, and to all legal intents and purposes, A. M. Sheldon, who owns the stock in the collapsed banks and whose name is attached to the bonds securing deposits in the banks, is broke, and F. P. Sheldon, who owns nothing in Montana and is liable for nothing in the collapsed banks has the money. This is the framework of the story that is now afloat for the consolation of the people who lost their money in the First National bank of Malta, the Valley County State bank of Hinsdale, the Nashua State bank and the Glasgow National bank. It now looks very much as if the two Sheldons, F. P. Sheldon A. M. Sheldon, "several years ago," deliberately set out to finish the First National bank of Malta, and it is the settled conviction of many people that that is exactly what they did do. For several years they seem to have run the Malta bank on bluff. It is said there never was a time during that two years that they could meet the demand deposits of the bank, and there was never an effort on the part of large depositor to get his money that the whining bluff was not set up that if the money was demanded the bank would have to close. In that time the county treasurer, the city officials and the depositors of the bank were patient and easy with the bank in the hope that it might eventually get in better condition. And everybody, depositors and the local officials of the bank alike, depended upon the supposed integrity of A. M. Sheldon and P.'Sheldon to use the time and opportunity to strengthen the bank's tottering foundation. It now seems A. M. Sheldon and P. Sheldon used that patience and that confidence to get under cover and to leave the depositors and stockholders of the bank high and dry. "Several years ago" F. P. Sheldon was the largest stockholder and the big bug in the Montana banks, and A. M. Sheldon had his chief interests the Imperial Elevator company. So far as the people who did business with them or their banks are concerned. however, they were considered ns equally responsible. It now develops that in that ominous "several years ago" M. Sheldon sold out his Imperial Elevator company holdings and bought from F. P. Sheldon his Montana banking liabilities for which he gave F. P. Sheldon his note! The so-called Sheldon banks continued to de business with the people none the wiser, and the credit and standing of the Montana banks was based on the financial standing of P. Sheldon as much ns on that of M. Sheldon. In that significant "several years ago" the two Sheldons formed n corporation known as The Sheldon Brothers company. and that company became and still is the harbor of safety for the personal responsibility of this foxy pair. The blunt facts of the situation seem to be that the First National bank of Malta has been insolvent "for several since the Sheldon brothers quit doing business firm tana The broad Inference forced the people by the actions of and F. Sheldon is that they knew that sooner or the bank would collapse, and the general conclusion that they were careful only to see that it. did not collapse around their own smooth heads. In view of all the stories that are told by some of the depositors of the bank about their efforts to get their money out of the bank, from a study of the published statements of the bank's condition, and from a general survey of business and banking conditions in northeastern Montana, there never were but two hopes of the First National bank continuing in business: One was that the land values on which they had most of their loans would enhance and a ready market be created for them SO they might become readily negotiable. A. M. Sheldon and F. P. Sheldon were too shrewd business men and too not to know that this was a forlorn hope. The other, and that was the delusion the depositors in the bank were brought under, was that Sheldon brothers would stand back of the bank, even in its extremity, and that proved to be only a broken stick were leaning on. In other words, it seems that if the First National bank had closed "several years ago," when it probably should have closed, F. P. Sheldon would have had to bear some of the burden of its losses, but in that several years, while the bank's condition was not improving, A. M. and F. P. Sheldon devised the nice little scheme by which M. Sheldon went legally broke, Sheldon kept the money in the family, and the innocent people who had their money tied up in the bank were left holding the bag. Up the First National bank did business in Malta, there was just one excuse for its remaining open, and that was that J. E. Arnot of Glasgow and A. M. Sheldon and F. P. Sheldon of Minneapolis would come to its rescue. A marvel to many business men and bankers is how the First National bank of Malta has gotten by the bank examiner for these past two years. The most plausible excuse is that the banking department labored under the same deception as the depositors and believed that Sheldon brothers would straighten out the bank's tangled affairs. It is apparent that the bank had no realizable assets that were not pledged. During the last few days of the bank's existence one depositor got $500.00 in currency out of the bank and he was told that the bank had just $88.00 left in the till with which to do business. Apparently the bank had nowhere to look for cash in any sum except to the Sheldons and Arnot. To keep any bank open and accept deposits under such weakened condition could be excused only by a perfect confidence that the Integrity of the men at its head could be depended upon to furnish the money to hold it together. The stories that are told about the county treasurer starting a run on the bank seem to be pure unadulaterated poppycock. The county had $50,000.00 on deposit in the bank. It was subject to check. It was larger sum than was carried in efther of the other two Malta banks. The county treasurer was under the necessity of cutting the deposit down to equalize It with the other banks. Checks were written by the treasurer in the regular course of business, and when the first one cleared the bank the treasurer was informed that the bank could not stand it. The action did not in any wise affect the condition of the bank, It was only the occasion of proving that the bank was absolutely unable to meet, its demands. The very argument offered by the bank that it was not notified by the county treasurer that the county would begin checking against its deposits in plain confession that the bank had no money and no reserve to amount to anything. because the county's account was checking one and was supposed to be used. Neither of the other Malta banks required notice. and on the 18th day of December treasurer wrote checks totaling on one of the other Malta without notice, and the bank no grievance. There was no run on the bank. There have been run on It. The first two or three depositors to have at the bank run would appeared Here Is the Fast Malta High Basketball Quinteț Which Gave the "Terrible Swedes" Battle Royal Tuesday a In one of the fastest high school games ever seen on the local floor, the Malta team went down to defeat before the Harlem aggregation Tuesday night by a score of 18 to 30. Even though defented, the Multa boys played one of the best games of their career, time after time bringing the large erowd to their feet with their splendid floor work. The Malta team had the ball in their possession about sixty per cent of the time and took fully twice as many chances at the basket as the Harlem players. By the law of averages the game should have gone to Malta. Shooting is perhaps the main weakness of Malta. Their team work is fully as good as Harlem and their taking the ball through five man defense is perhaps better than that of any team in this section of the state. Time after time the Malta boys broke through the defense of their opponents only to miss comparatively easy shot at the basket. The game started with rush and the Harlem players made two baskets in quick succession. The Malta team then did some fine basket shooting and made ten points without allowing Harlem to score any more that quarter. Harlem was a little more accurate in shooting in the second quarter and the half ended with the score 16 to 12 in their favor. In the second half Malta made six points while Harlem made fourteen. The players for Malta were: Johnson, center; Edwards, forward; Costello, forward: Koon, guard and Watson, guard. In the beginning of the second quarter Verzatt went in at forward. Costello was sent to guard and Watson taken out. Watson is developing into one of the star guards of this section of the state but because of inexperience was held as substitute the last three quarters. He a heavy, powerful guard and will be a hard man to keep off of the team as regular. As whole, the Malta team is very fast and as soon as they develop their shooting, will give a good account of themselves against any high school team of the state.

5. January 14, 1926 Phillips County News Malta, MT

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SCOBEY SENTINEL BROKE THE BANK The Scobey Sentinel recently printed the story given below in explanation of the closing of the SheldonArnot banks December 28th. We give the answer to it first There is not a scintilla of truth in it. first place, Phillips county did not have $75,000.00 in The First National bank to draw out. In the second place, The First Na tional bank didn't have much more than $75.00 with which to pay the money Phillips county did have in the bank, according to the best local information available. In the third place, the father of the county treasurer has been dead for a number of years, and the idea that the county treasurer started a run on the bank because the bank foreclosed on his father is therefore the reductio absurdum. In the fourth place, SO far as the records show, no sort of foreclosure proceedings had anything to do with the closing of the bank. In the fifth place, there was no run on the bank. because every depositor who had any considerable sum in the bank knew its weakness and was there fore afraid for its own sake, if for no other, to start run, and, because further, that he was probably told by the bank officials that if he insisted on having his money the bank would have to close. This was certainly true of the City of Malta, which had $7,000.00 on deposit there, and of Phillips county, which had approximately $50,000.00. In the sixth place, and in all the other places, the article is untrue because nobody in Malta was really sur prised at the bank's closing, and most people had wondered for two years how it ever managed to stay open. Read the brilliant story in the Scobey Sentinel and laugh: REPORTS SAY BANKS GOOD "Although conceded to be perfectMy solvent, three banks in Valley county and one bank in Phillips county closed their doors Tuesday and Wednesday in threatened runs. These are the Glasgow National Bank: the First Natlonal Bank of Malta: The State Bank of Nashua and the Valley County bank of Hinsdale, Malta being in Phillips county and the others in Valley county. "The banks included in this closing part of string of banks owned by the Sheldon Bros. of Minneapolis and E. Arnot, the latter being president of the "The Malta bank was the first one to close its doors, the action being voluntary one. It is alleged that the bank of Malta foreclosed on some propowned. local party in that city. That party's son according to a report in circulation here, Is the county treasurer of Phillips county. He Is said to have withdrawn $75,000 of county deposits from the Malta bank following the foreclosure procéedings, and when this became noised around among the people it started a run on the bank. In order to sufe guard the interests of the depositors Mr. Arnot closed the bank. The state of affairs in Malta had in the meantime become known in Glasgow, and a run started there and insted an hour before the bank at that place was also closed. and in anticipation of runs on their banks Mr. Arnot called the bank at Nsahun and Hinsdale on the phone and had the doors closed until the examiner could have chance to go over their affairs and see how they "These banks have always been known as strong financial institutions and were wholly solvent during the days when good banks were actually failing. It is certain that as soon ns the examiners complete their work and report will that the banks are solvent, they be re-opened again. The loss of the deposits from the county would not have been noticed had it not been accompanied by a Panic among Multa depositors, circumstance that would break the strongest bank unless checked. "We have been at some pains to verithe details of this story and do not want anyone to feel that we are trying to belittle anyone's character. If the reports coming in are true, It would seem that Phillips county needs new as It serious thing to shake the solvency of a because It may mean the of ruin demany

6. January 22, 1926 Glasgow Times Glasgow, MT

Article from Glasgow Times, January 22, 1926

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THE GLASGOW TIMES A Republican Newspaper Succeeding The Glasgow Democrat. Entered as second-class matter August 13, 1913, at the postoffice at Glasgow, Mont., under Act of March 3, 1879. The Glasgow Democrat established June 26, 1913. The Glasgow Times established March 6, 1925. Published every Friday at 517 Front St Glasgow, Mont., By GORDON VALLANDIGHAM Subscription, $2.00 the Year, Payable in Advance. THE SHELL GAME OF THE SHELDON BROTHERS The information given to the Montana banking department by A. M. Sheldon of Minneapolis that he alone holds the interests that until "several years ago" were held jointly by himself and his brother, F. P. Sheldon, under the firm name of Sheldon Brothers, in the three Valley county banks and one in Phillips county which closed their doors on December 28, last, has brought severe condemnation upon them from the newspapers of Malta, to which their are justly entitled if the charges brought against them are borne out in fact. Reports from Minneapolis, traceable, it is said, directly to A. M. Sheldon, are to the effect that he is unable to meet his obligations in the closed Montana banks, and that F. P. Sheldon is not responsible for those obligations because several years ago he had sold out his Montana interests to A. M. Sheldon. The logical inference of all this, declares the Phillips County News, "is that 'several years ago' A. M. Sheldon and F. P. Sheldon devised a split, and that F. P. Sheldon took the assets and A. M. Sheldon took the liabilities Presumably, and to all legal intents and purposes, A. M. Sheldon, who owns the stock in the collapsed banks and whose name is attached to the bonds securing deposits in the banks, is broke, and F. P. Sheldon, who owns nothing in Montana, and is liable for nothing in the collapsed banks, has the money. "This is the framework of the story that is now afloat for the consolation of the people who lost their money in the First National bank of Malta, the Valley County State bank of Hinsdale, the Nashua State bank, and the Glasgow National bank. It now looks very much as if the two Sheldons, F. P. Sheldon and A. M. Sheldon, 'several years ago' deliberately set out to finish the First National bank of Malta, and it is the settled conviction of many people that that is exactly what they did do. "In that significant 'several years ago' the two Sheldons formed a corporation known as The Sheldon Brothers company, and that company became and still is the harbor of safety for the personal responsibility of this foxy pair. "The broad inference forced on the people by the actions of A. M. and F. P. Sheldon is that they knew that sooner or later the bank would collapse, and the general conclusion is that they were careful only to see that it did not collapse around their own smooth heads." In simple language, they devised a nice little scheme by which "A. M. Sheldon went legally broke, F. P. Sheldon kept the money in the family, and the innocent people who had their money tied up in the bank were left holding the bag." The Malta Enterprise notes that not just one, but both brothers, came from Minneapolis to attend the an- nual meetings of the Malta bank. "Of course," says the Enterprise, "only one of them may be interested at this time in the banking business in Montana, but it most always happened that two of them came here. It is just barely possible that they thought so much of each other that they could not stand it to be separated while one was away visiting his business interests." Both newpapers also take occasion to correct a number of erroneous ideas that have been circulated concerning the bank at Malta after its closing. The most persistent of these rumors was that there had been a run on the bank just prior to its closing and that the treasurer of Phillips county had forced the run by withdrawing a $75,000 deposit of county funds. The Scobey Sentinel was one paper which made the assertion, stating that it had "gone to some pains to verify the details of this story and do not want anyone to feel that we are trying to belittle anyone's character." As a matter of fact, says the Malta Enterprise, "the county had but $48,960.58 on deposit with the First National bank at the time it closed. As for a run on the bank, it was far from that. Some few depositors dropped in and withdrew their money while others were unable to withdraw what they had in the bank. Those in charge of the bank in this citywere confident up until Sunday night that the money would be forthcoming from those who were supposed to own the institution to keep it open." The Scobey Sentinel's account that the closing of the Malta bank was forced by the county. treasurer, who withdrew the county funds because of foreclosure proceedings brought by the bank against property of the treasurer's father, bears "not"a scintilla of truth" according to the Phillips County News, which disposes of this assertion with the statement that "the father of the county treasurer has been dead for a number of years, and the idea that the county treasurer started'a run on the bank because the bank foreclosed on his father is therefore the reductio ad absurdum. So far as the records show, no sort of foreclosure proceedings had anything to do with the closing of the bank." Tests at a Swedish university show that the effects of poison are less severe when the subject thinks it is harmless. This may explain some folks' immunity from moonshine. "France Chilled by 60-Degree Drop." It happened to be the mercury, however, and not the franc. Oh, Dear!-Trim waists for men have been decreed by clothing designers in convention at Cincinnati 000

7. June 4, 1926 The Glasgow Courier Glasgow, MT

Article from The Glasgow Courier, June 4, 1926

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WEAVER RESIGNS; SHEA APPOINTED BANK RECEIVER of Business Cause of ResAnnounces Removal to River Bank Building. Weaver, who has been acting receiver for the defunct Valley County Bank of Hinsdale and State Bank Nashua, tendered his resignation to Judge Borton on Tuesday of this week and Attorney James Shea, who has been acting as liquidating for the Milk River Valley bank agent appointed his Mr. Weaver advises that press personal business coupled with the fact that he will be obliged to leave state in short time period several weeks to look after some business matters in the east, was the immediate cause his resigning. In the interest of economy in overhead Mr. Shea that the office of receiver of the two state banks be moved to the Milk River Valley bank building. The bining of the office the three banks will do much toward keeping down the to the difexpense ferent institutions.

8. June 11, 1926 The Producers News Plentywood, MT

Article from The Producers News, June 11, 1926

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J.T. Shea Is Appointed Receiver of Two Banks Nashua-Attorney James T. Shea of Glasgow has been appointed the receiver of the former State Bank of Nashua and the Valley County State Bank of Hinsdale by Judge C. D. Borden. He succeeds Attorney J. O. Weaver of Glasgow, who has been acting in that capacity for the past four months, but resigned because he is obliged to be out of the state for several weeks. Mr. Shea is acting as the liquidating agent for the Milk River bank of Glasgow and his combined office will be in the Milk River Bank.

9. February 3, 1927 The Hinsdale Tribune Hinsdale, MT

Article from The Hinsdale Tribune, February 3, 1927

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NORTH BENCH ITEMS T. E. Kamrud was in Glasgow several days of last week on business. Harvey Burns is hauling wood from the John Conlin ranch on the river. O. G. Johnson has installed a radio in the George Rutherford home for dem instration. Ira Simon, Hank Record and Bill Record spent Thursday with T. E. Kamrud at his home, The Charley Stuff family are enjoying the pleasures of a radio, recently purchased from O. G. Johnson. Mrs. Oscar Zarling and Miss Mamie Whitaker returned from Glasgow Thursday and are visiting at the Dona Capps home. Oscar Zarling returned from Glasgow Wednesday after being exhonorated from the charge which was brought against him. Henry Hendrickson went to Saco Monday and attended the debate between \the Saco and Hinsdale high schools Monday evening. Mrs. Anna Chester is at the Halvorson home during the absence of Mr. and Mrs. Halvorson who are in Glasgow with their Floyd, the nine-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. Martin Halvorson, was taken to the hospital at Glasgow on Sunday. He has been quite seriously ill with what is thought to be intestinal influenza. her frie 1, Miss Myrtle Johnson. Mrs. Major Hickok was on the sick list the first part of last week. Henry Keefer called at the Roy Jones ranch on business Friday. Mr. and Mrs. E. E. Johnson visited Mr. and Mrs. Roy Jones on Sunday. Agnes Luraas was sick with a severe cold last week. She is feeling better. Conrad Hatton, who has been sick for a number of weeks, is improving in health. Clarence Nelson and E. 0. Hudspeth were busy cutting and hauling ice last week. Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Nelson visited the E. E. Johnson family last Sunday afternoon. Mr. and Mrs. Earl Keefer were visitors at the Arthur Nelson home on Thursday. Misses Julia and Harriet Valentine visited Olivia and Geannette Marcot on Sunday. Mrs. Olga Arr.dt and Mrs. Arthur Nelson visited Mrs. E. E. Johnson on Friday afternoon. Mr. and Mrs. Ove Knutson and children called at the John Dartman home on Wednesday afternoon. Bob Hayden took adyantage of the fair weather on Thursday, and made a trip to Genevieve. Mrs. Henry Random was on the sick list with a cold last week, but is able to be around again. Robert Parker assisted Major Hickok in the mail route from Genevieve to Saco on Friday and Saturday. Henry Barton made a trip to Genevieve on Monday. He stated he had to break the trail most all the way from his home. Mr. and Mrs. John Loberg and son Melvin, and Maude Keefer, of Hinsdale, cre Sunday dinner guests at the H. H. Keefer home. Earl Hartley came down from the north country on Saturday afternoon, and visited at the John Valentine home, and also took in the dance at Genevieve. Ernest VanLanschoot spent Thursday evening at Mrs. John Grady's home. The following day he left for Iowa where he will visit his mother for a few weeks. A number of ladies gathered at the H. H. Keefer home on Saturday afternoon in honor of Mrs.. Earl Keefer, A delicious lunch was served to the guests before they departed for their homes. We are informed that Buell Dickson, son of Mrs. CarrieDickson, formerly of Barr, and Miss Joyce Singning, formerly of Barnard, were married last week. They will make their home in Minneapolis. Orval Miller, of Thoeny, has now taken over the Thoeny, Genevieve and Hinsdale mail route and is assisted by his brother, who recently came from the east. On Tuesday they made a trip to Glasgow and purchased a new truck. Mr. and Mrs. Mike DeWaelsche entertained a number of guests at cards on Saturday. Four tables were used in playing whist, and the champion winners proved to be Thomas Keaveny and Dave Morris. A delicious lunch was served by the hostess. A card party and dance were given at the Genevieve hall Sat. urday eyening. The music was furnished by the radio and phonograph and everyone enjoyed themselves. A delicious lunch was served by Mrs. Major Hickok and Mrs. Fred Erickson. Daniel H. Gaasch (and also sometime known as D. H. Gaasch) and May garete Gaasch (sometimes known as Margaret Gaasch) busband and wife; Wells and Dickey Company, a corporation; Valley County Bank of Hinsdale, (Montana) a cerporation: James T. Shea, receiver of the Valley County Bank of Hinsdale, (Montana), corporation Grant E. Fazier, single`man, and sheldon Brothers Company, a corporation, defendants: The State of Montana sends Greetings to the above named Defendants, Wells and Dicker Company, a corporation, Grant E. Frazier, a single man, and Sheldon Brothers Company, a corporation, and to each of them: You are hereby summoned to answer the complaint in this action which is filed in the office of the Clerk of this Court, a copy of which is herewith serv. ed upon one of you in each county wherein any of you reside, and to file your a and serve copy thereof upon the plaintiff's attorney within twenty days after the service of this summons, exclusive of the day of service; and in case of your failure to appear or answer, judgment will be taken against you by default for the relief demanded in the complaint. The nature and purpose of this action is to recover the amount due upon a certain promissory note dated February 7, 1914, for the sum of $3,000.00 alleged to have been made, executed and delivered by Daniel H. Gaasch and Margarete Gaasch, his wife, to the defendant, Wells and Pickey Company, corporation, and other incidental obligations including attorney's fees, moneys paid out in discharge of delinquent taxes, cost of continuation of abstract and costs herein incurred; and to further foreclose 8 mortgage securing the payment of said note and the other obligations executed and delivered by the same parties to the same defendant, and thereafter with the obligations transferred to the plaintiff and to further bar and foreclose all right and equity of redemption and all claims of every kind or character of the defendants, and each of them, and all persons claiming under them in and to the property involved and hereinafter described and every part and parcel thereof. The martgage involved was filed for record and recorded in Book 27 of Mortgages at page 241 244 inclusive, and the assignment thereof to the plaintiff in Book 31 pt Mortgages at page 18, records in the office of the County Clerk and ex officio Recorder of Valley County, Montana. The property involved in this action covered by said mortgage and affected by this suit 18 sitnated in the County of Valley, State of Montana, and described as follows, to- N½ of NEX, and SE1/4 of NEW of tion 9, all in township 31 North, of range 36 East of the Montana merfdian, containing 280 acres, more or less. Witness my hand and the seal of said court this 24th day of January, 1927. J. B. CHRISTOPHERSEN, Clerk. (Court Seal) G.G. HARRIS, Attorney for Plaintiff, Great Falls, Montana. (Jan. 27, Feb. 3, 10, 17)