1394. First National Bank (Hartford, CT)

Bank Information

Episode Type
Suspension โ†’ Closure
Bank Type
national
Bank ID
121
Charter Number
121
Start Date
October 1, 1924*
Location
Hartford, Connecticut (41.764, -72.685)

Metadata

Model
gpt-5-mini
Short Digest
4bc3bbcb29c63d41

Response Measures

None

Description

Articles describe the First National Bank of Hartford as a wrecked/closed bank with a receiver (George Coffin) appointed and directors being sued to make good losses. The failure was driven by embezzlement/defalcations by Harold Gilpatric (former State Treasurer) and thefts confessed by an assistant (Baker). There is no mention of a depositor run prior to suspension โ€” instead the bank appears to have been closed and placed in receivership. Dates are taken from article metadata: receiver action reported 1925-10-23; follow-up/confession coverage in early January 1926. Baker resigned in October 1924, which likely marks the discovery period of the losses.

Events (4)

1. January 28, 1864 Chartered
Source
historical_nic
2. October 1, 1924* Suspension
Cause
Bank Specific Adverse Info
Cause Details
Large embezzlements/defalcations by Harold Gilpatric (former State Treasurer) and thefts by assistant cashier Baker led to the bank's failure/closure.
Newspaper Excerpt
Baker resigned cashier the First Bank of October 1924... more than quarter of million dollars still missing.
Source
newspapers
3. October 23, 1925 Receivership
Newspaper Excerpt
BANK RECEIVER DEMANDS DIRECTORS MAKE GOOD ... receiver, George Coffin, to cover four bad ... of the wrecked bank ... Coffin the receiver for the ... First National Bank ... wrecked bank was visited ... papers and property receiver recovered the bank papers and property.
Source
newspapers
4. January 3, 1926 Other
Newspaper Excerpt
CONSCIENCE FORCES BANKER TO CONFESS ... former assistant ... admits $16,000 theft ... he has confessed because ... had 'been through hell'. More than quarter of million dollars still missing.
Source
newspapers

Newspaper Articles (3)

Article from Evening Courier, October 23, 1925

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Article Text

BANK RECEIVER DEMANDS DIRECTORS MAKE GOOD Hartford, Oct. m has been made upon directors of the First National Bank of to $125,000 to the receiver, George Coffin, to cover four bad made Harold Gilpatric as cashier of the bank his defalcations. who also was State Treasurer, is in Atlanta PeniFollowing of the wrecked bank that rac which Gilpatric had misapto the doors the State John Trumbull has the present State Treasurer permit the auditors to examine the Treasury records.


Article from The Philadelphia Inquirer, January 3, 1926

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Article Text

CONSCIENCE FORCES BANKER TO CONFESS Ex-Aide to Gilpatric, Ex-Connecticut Treasurer, Admits $16,000 Theft His Former Chief Now in Prison; Says He's "Been Through Hell" HARTFORD, Conn., Jan. 2 (A. P.). former assistant of the First National Bank which former State Treasurer Harold walked of United States District Attorney Bucktoday confessed the theft $16,000 the fund the bank. submitted explained his confession was for the purpose assuming his share the responsibility wrecking of the bank. whose of funds of the closed the and out trust funds. is sentence Atlanta. He was Christmas Baker outlined to Assistant United States George H. Cohen, the he an sistant Harold the Baker has been in Florida. Baker resigned cashier the First Bank of October 1924. after he assisted National Bank the to check Funds could not be found attempted suicide at his Putnam home year ago last August, more than quarter of million dollars still missing. Baker said he had confessed because had stricken. and that several times he has suicide. declared that he had "been through


Article from Hartford Courant, January 13, 1926

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Article Text

UNPREJUDICED MEN TO SEARCH TREASURY (Continued from Page 1.) state have asked permission to undertake this The committee were unanimous in their decision that though ual in the already made partial investigaof Gilpatric's doings, tion regard for the cahave the highest pacity those neverthepossible criticiem might be attached to the selection any of previous of them connection with the Therefore, admore the commit firm of visable to select an from outside of the investigathe state to carry on of any prejudice tions in the matter.' Baker Gives Coffin Title. going While this M. Coffin the on, Receiver George Putnam. National Bank which First Gilpatric as wrecked. with the county former assistant cashier. embezzleprevious ments Mr. Coffin visit of docutook from Baker representing what ments papers owns and property receiver for rered the bank Mr. restitution Coffin the papers and of them. and jall yesterday. he had him certain papers affecting property in which Baker has equity Feared Treasury Audit. It now thought that Gilpatric's failure to file his bond of the state at the beginning of his term in 1921. purely an oversight. as he explained to the then Governor Lake, deliberate attempt sidestep the procedure required for new At the time Lake told his having sent Gilpatric in January, 1921, and asked why he had falled to file bond. state pays the premium on the bonding of its officials, that there could been no Gilpatric's failure to renew the bond upon starting out on Might Have Been Exposed. It that Gilpatric get through his second his bond. because at that time he withholding from the more than $385,000 in Liberty bonds which the state had ordered but which Glipatric had not undertaken deliver. Gilpatric is thought to have feared that his bonding upon refor of his do what is often done, and auditing the books before bonding him. It evidenetly to such emergency this that he overlooked renewing the bond. was, however. the bond was finally issued no request from the bonding for to audit the books. That was at the time Deputy Charles Summer begging Gilpatric to deliver $200,000 bonds which were then nearly year and half overdue.