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SUICIDE OF A BIG BANKER Manager Hammond, of the Broken National Bank of Illinois. Seeks a Watery Grave. d HIS BODY FOUND IN LAKE MICHIGAN n 8 Disappointment and Disaster Drove f Him to Seek Death-Banks Collapse h in Nebraska and North Dakota -Denver Banker Acquitted. Chicago, Jan. 2.-W. A. Hammond, vice-president of the National Bank of Illinois, is missing. He retired as usual last night. This morning members of his found his room led the street pier. to family Dempster empty. Hammond's Search There were found private papers in hand This that he ers writing. probably convinced lake. committed The the life-sav- search- suicide by jumping into the ing immediately began a search for the body. Hammond said to have been the business head of the bank since President Schneider became too feeble to do pracand the Calomet tical work, Electric company large loans and bank, to others, the which resulted in closing the are understood to have been made by Hammond. Hammond was accused of enacting the character of a "kiter," deceiving the directors of the bank and deliberately viothe national old of the are be lating employes banking bank laws. said The to Even of what was going on. ircame many years of unaware regularities diligent service, only during after which he saved and the he was years of and merit. came money, to occupy prominent the Some result of position of his savwere invested schemes ings frugality mining immediately brought legitimately. him in good His the profits, which he put as stock of the bank. After he served cashier and became second ce-president, it is said, he began personally to interest himself in many corporations which made applicants for loans, and in this way, in the course of time, his judgment became biased. He drifted into unwarranted Where these turned out he sent money and his speculations. badly dieguised "good" overloans after in various "bad" illegal ways. C Si Hammond called on Percey Palmer, an old friend and confidential advisor last He was talked about prosevening. gloomily very slept his depressed future in adjacent and pects. He and his wife rooms. Early this morning Mrs. Hammord noticed that her husband was gone, and notified friends, who found a trail of b scraps of paper which led to the edge of the pier at Dempster street. The rain had c soaked the scraps and made the contents Si almost illegible. n Mr. Schneider, president of the Nation al bank of Illinois, was inclined to doubt the suicide theory. was found this afterthe foot of five noon Hammond's at body Church supposed street, blocks north of where he is to N have jumped into the lake, by boys who informed the police. BANK COLLAPSE IN OMAHA. Omaha, Neb.-The Omaha Savings bank failed to this morning and 18 in the er hands of the state banking p of the meeting open clearing the house action board. yesterday, which The it is presumed, took 8. caused the bank to close. 2 The total liabilities are $850,000. The Assets exceed this amount by $200,000. w The resources are excellent and but little loss can result to depositors. The bank $ has been in existence for fifteen years. BANK FAILURE IN DAKOTA. S Minneapolis, Minn. -A special to the Journal from Fargo, N. D., says the Citizens' national bank failed this afternoon. st A BANKER ACQUITTED. C1 Denver, Colo.-Under instructions of 60 who said the was de to convict, the jury cr insufficient Judge Butler, evidence of the to-day Atkins, president $1 not in found funct Colorado Frank Savings bank, charged guilty him deunder the indictment which having received deposits knowing the bank to be insolvent. STABLE CRIPPLE CREEK BANKS. Creek, Colo.-A run National bank here to-day. Cripple First occurred The R were No big depositswere on the paid. small depositors formed Colorado touched, line and train came from with $50,000 Springs A special belonging to President J. M. Parker. "I J. M. Parker said: have more than pay President on deposit demanded, enough to dollar should it be only small seem every the depositors mining anxious and but and business men and men friends are more drawn out. run started a man to we personal than is being by whom depositing The refused it was will loan and am glad it came for show the stability of the Cripple Creek P banks."
