1334. Western Farm Mortgage Trust company (Denver, CO)

Bank Information

Episode Type
Suspension → Closure
Bank Type
private
Start Date
February 5, 1892
Location
Denver, Colorado (39.739, -104.985)

Metadata

Model
gpt-5-mini
Short Digest
044e089e

Response Measures

None

Description

Attachments were filed in early February 1892 and a receiver was appointed/took possession (court allowed receiver Feb 10). Articles describe insolvency, poor securities, alleged misappropriation by officers. No mention of depositor run or attempts to withdraw funds; the company went into receivership and remained in receivership (reports filed later).

Events (3)

1. February 5, 1892 Suspension
Cause
Bank Specific Adverse Info
Cause Details
Company unable to meet obligations; poor securities and insolvency due to overextension and alleged misconduct by directors; attachments filed by creditors.
Newspaper Excerpt
The Western Farm Mortgage Trust company has been attached, and an application for a receiver will be made tomorrow. The attachments are small, the largest being $1000. But the company is unable to pay.
Source
newspapers
2. February 10, 1892 Receivership
Newspaper Excerpt
The receiver was allowed by the court today to take possession of the books, offices and papers of the Western Farm Mortgage Trust company, and the work of straightening out the accounts and protecting creditors will begin tomorrow.
Source
newspapers
3. August 5, 1892 Other
Newspaper Excerpt
G. W. E. Griffith, receiver of the Western Farm Mortgage Trust company, filed his report of the affairs of the company today. It shows that the total receipts of the company were..., the assets amount to..., and the liabilities....
Source
newspapers

Newspaper Articles (10)

Article from Grand Rapids Herald, February 6, 1892

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Article Text

FARM MORTGAGE CO. FAILS. Another Fallen Financial Institution Goes to the Wall. DENVER, Feb. 5.-The Western Farm Mortgage Trust company has been attached, and an application for a receiver will be made tomorrow. The attachments are small, the largest being $1000. But the company is unable to pay. It is capitalized ostensibly for three million, and it is said has been doing a business of ten million of year, principally with other people's money. Losses to eastern purchasers will aggregate hundreds of thousands, as the securities attachable are very poor. The arrest of the directors will probably follow.


Article from St. Paul Daily Globe, February 6, 1892

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Article Text

Poor by Paying Mortgages. DENVER, Feb. 5.-The Western Farm Mortgage Trust company has been attached, and an application for a receiver will be made tomorrow. The attachments were for small amounts, the largest being $1,000, nevertheless the company was unable to pay. It IS stated that arrests of directors and officers are not improbable.


Article from Deseret Evening News, February 6, 1892

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Article Text

Attachments Against the Western Form Mortgage Company. Denver, Feb. 5.-Attachments have been filed against the Western Farm Mortgage Trust company and an application for a receiver will be tosde tomorrow. The attachments were made for small amounts, the largest being $1000, yet the company could not pay. It is said that the arrest of the directors and officers is not improbable. The company was organiz. ed in Lawrence, Kan., and afterwards reincorporated in Denver. New York creditors are represented here, and will file attachments against securerities representing $900,000 tomorrow. The company is enpitalized ostensibly at $3,000,000, and it is said that it has done: a business of $10,000,000 a year, principally with other people's money. The company's method was to lend money at a high rate and take & mort. gage to secure the payment. This mortgage was sold at a premium to eastern investors, the company collecting the interest. The money paid by the purchasers was reinvested, until the business reached an enormous aggregate. Farmers were unable to pay the high interest, and the company, to maintain its standing, advanced the interest to the purchasers. It drew on the Third National Bank of New York City until its funds were exhausted. Then the press of credits became too great to be withstood. When the directors saw the crash comIng they formed the American Real Estate Investment company, to which, It is alleged, the stock of the Trust tompany had been turned over. Some DE the alleged acts of the directors in lbis State are criminal offenses. The losses of Eastern purchasers, it is believed, will aggregate hundreds of thousands, as the sureties they can attach are considered very poor.


Article from Rock Island Daily Argus, February 6, 1892

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Article Text

Heavy Failure in Colorado. DENVER, Feb. 6.-The Western Farm Mortgage Trust company has been attached, and an application for a recciver will be made. It is stated that arrests of directors and officers are not improbable. The company did a business of $10,000.000 per year in farm mortgages, loaning money and selling the mortgages to eastern investors. It is said that New York parties will file attachments against $900,000 of securities held by the company.


Article from The Globe-Republican, February 11, 1892

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Article Text

In Trouble at Denver. DENVER, COL., February 9.-Attachments have been filed against the Western Farm Mortgage Trust company and an application for a receiver made. The attachments are for small amounts, the largest being $1,000. It is said that the arrest of the directors and officers are not improbable. The company was organized in Lawrence, Kan., and afterwards re-incorporated in Denver.


Article from St. Paul Daily Globe, February 11, 1892

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Article Text

FARM MORTGAGES Involved in Denver and Seattle Suits for Millions. DENVER, Feb. 10.-The receiver was allowed by the court today to take possession of the books, offices and papers of the Western Farm Mortgage Trust company, and the work of straightening out the accounts and protecting crediors will begin tom orrow. It has transpired that suits have been commeneed in the courts at Seattle, Wash., against the company. In that state the company is said to have placed farm mortgages amounting to over $1,000,000. It has also erected 200 dwellings in Seattle, and several large business buildings. There are no less than twentyfive lawyers in this city now who have made it known that they hold claims for settlement of Eastern creditors, aggregating $1,500,000.


Article from St. Paul Daily Globe, February 28, 1892

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Article Text

Makes Grave Charges. DENVER, Feb. 27.-Receiver Griffith. of the Western Farm Mortgage Trust company, filed a report with Judge Allen today in which he charges that V. B. Bull, of Albany, N. Y., president of the Lawrence Gas corporation and vice president of the Denver company, with misappropriating funds of the company since the receiver was appointed. He is said to have used the proceeds to pay individual debts and debts of friends.


Article from Grand Rapids Herald, August 6, 1892

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Article Text

Trust Company's Affairs. DENVER, Col., Aug. 5.-G. W. E. Griffith, receiver of the Western Farm Mortgage Trust company,filed his report of the affairs of the company today. It shows that the total receipts of the company were $13,334.30, and disbursements $22,998.59. The assets amount to $3,281,398.90 and the liabilities $2,082,963.13. The books of the company show that the Seattle banks owes $10,748.95, while the company really owes the bank $5,000.


Article from St. Paul Daily Globe, August 6, 1892

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Article Text

Shiftless Bookkeeping. DENVER, Aug. 5.-G. W. E. Griffith, receiver of the Western Farm Mortgage Trust company, filed his report of the affairs of the company today. It shows that the total receipts of the company were $13,334.30, and disbursements $22,998.09. The assets amount to $3,281,398.98, and the liabilities $2,082,963.13. The books of the company show that the Seattle bank owes $10,748.95, while the company really owes the bank $5,000. There were many similar instances in the books.


Article from Rock Island Daily Argus, August 6, 1892

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Article Text

Western Farm Mortgage Company. DENVER, Aug. 6.-G. W. F. Griffith, receiver of the Western Farm Mortgage Trust company, filed his report of the affairs of the company yesterday. It shows that the total receipts of the company were $13,000,334.30,anddisbursements: $22,000,998.09. The assets amount to $3,281,398.96, and the liabilities $2,082,963.30