14009. Hackensack Savings Bank (Hackensack, NJ)

Bank Information

Episode Type
Suspension → Closure
Bank Type
savings bank
Start Date
November 20, 1879
Location
Hackensack, New Jersey (40.886, -74.043)

Metadata

Model
gpt-5-mini
Short Digest
c2db628e

Response Measures

None

Description

Articles describe severe mismanagement under Charles H. Voorhis in 1879 with impending liquidation and later (Nov 1880) explicit statements that the Hackensack Savings Bank 'have suspended' and references to receivers/examiners working on the books. No article describes a depositor run; the cause is bank-specific adverse information (embezzlement/mismanagement). Receiver activity is reported by Nov 27, 1880. OCR errors corrected (Voorbis -> Voorhis).

Events (3)

1. November 20, 1879 Other
Newspaper Excerpt
An adjourned meeting of the stockholders of the Hackensack Bank...The Comptroller of the Currency ... if the affairs of the bank were not speedily wound up he would place it in the hands of a receiver. The Hackensack Savings Bank ... will, it is thought probable, also go into liquidation.
Source
newspapers
2. November 13, 1880 Suspension
Cause
Bank Specific Adverse Info
Cause Details
Arrest of John J. Berry for embezzlement and prior heavy losses and mismanagement under President Charles H. Voorhis leading to insolvency/liquidation.
Newspaper Excerpt
The First National Bank of Hackensack, N. J., and the Hackensack Savings Bank have suspended. John J. Berry, cashier and president, has been arrested for embezzlement.
Source
newspapers
3. November 27, 1880 Receivership
Newspaper Excerpt
Receiver Johnson, of the Bergen County Bank, and Examiner Wortendyke...are still at work on the books of the two concerns. They say they are no nearer definite information as to the exact amount of the deficiency than they were a week ago.
Source
newspapers

Newspaper Articles (4)

Article from The New York Herald, November 20, 1879

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Article Text

BANKER AND CONGRESSMAN. MR. VOORHIS' MANAGEMENT OF A NEW JERSEY FINANCIAL INSTITUTION-COUNTING THE LOSSES. An adjourned meeting of the stockholders of the Hackensack Bank, of which Congressman Charles H. Voorhis was president, was held in the bank building yesterday. At the last meeting Mr. S. E. De Groote and Mr. John Swinburne, cashier of the First National Bank of Paterson, were appointed as a com. mittee to examine into the affairs of the bank, and it was principally to hear their report that yesterday's meeting was called. Mr. Voorhis' liabilities are now set down at about $250,000, with but few available assets. The committee reported that out of $131,00 loans and discounts made under Voorhis' presidency $81,000 are totally worthless, $30,000 doubtful and the balance available. On the list of liabilities and pad debts are to be found the following:-Charles H. Voorhis, executor of Tallman estate, $11,000, the estate never being considered worth more than $6,000; $10,000 in promissory notes signed by Mr. Voorhis' wife, total loss; Mr. Voorhis' own notes for $9,000, indorsed by himself and secured by stock of the defunet Union Bank, also a total loss; notes of the Hackensack Water Company, which is owned and controlled by Voorhis, amounting to nearly $20,000, and judgment against I. S. Christie, amounting to $9,400. utterly worthless. These and other small debts make up the sum of $80,000. There were also discovered over drafts, made upon the bank by Voor. his' friends amounting to $9,000, which are hopelessly bad; Voorhis' personal overdrafts sum up $6,000; Hackensack Water Company overdrafts, $1,800, and C. H. Voorhis, executor, $500. It is also reported that the Third National Bank of New York holds a note of $10,000 drawn by the Hackensack Water Company, indorsed by C. H. Voorhis as President, and for which the Hackensack Bank is liable. The committee presented three schedules to the stockholders for their consideration. The first exhibited the impairment which would have to be made good if the old capital of $100,000 was retained-viz,, seventy-three per cent or $73,000, Schedule No. 2 represented the amount to be paid in by stockholders in the event of a reduction of capital to $50,000-viz., forty-three per cent. Schedule No. 3. showed the amount to be expected by the stockholders, should the bank go into liquidation-viz,, twenty-five per cent. Of the 534 shares of the bank stock owned originally by Mr. Voorhis all of it has been hypothecated with New York and Jersey City banks, the holders of which refuse to become owners, as by doing so they, under the National Banking law, would be responslble fo: the liabilities of the bank. NO BOND. It was also discovered by the committee that, notwithstanding one of the laws of the Hackensack Bank explicitly states that the president should give a bond in the sum of $10,000, no such document was ever executed. This also reduces the securities from which the stockholders might possibly realize something. Several bank presidents, among others Mr. Jordan, of New York, and Mr. Young, of Jersey City, upon examining the schedules, refused to have anything further to do with the matter and expressed their entire willingness to let the bank go into liquidation. A communication was read at the meeting from the Comptroller of the Currency to the effect that if the affairs of the bank were not speedily wound up he would place it in the hands of a receiver. The Hackensack Savings Bank, which is simply an offshoot of the bank proper will, it it is thought probable, also go into liquidation. The meeting was adjourned until Saturday morning, when it is expected that some conclusive action will be taken by the stockholders. Mr. Voorhis still remains in Hackensack, but is seldom seen outside of his residence and refuses to converse upon the subject of his bankruptcy.


Article from Alexandria Gazette, November 13, 1880

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Article Text

NEWS OF THE DAY. Two thirds of he Degroes taken into Kersis are idle. A colored oman living is Indianap lis has reached her 115th year. The Louisiana sugsr crop this year promises to be larger than WSS anticipated early is the summer. The democratic national committee met yesterday in New York and issued a circular deny ing all knowledge of the forged Chinese letter until after it publication in Truth. The First National Bank of Hackensack, N. J., and the Hackensack Savings Bank have suspended. John J. Berry, cashier and president, has been arrested for embezzlement. The Southern Association of General Passenger Agents, in session at Chattancoga, has agreed on rates to the Southeast and Florida, making a slight increase from Obicago and St. Louis, and a decrease from Cincinnati, Florida excursion rates are materially lower. The filteenth antiversary of the Board of Church Extension of the Methodist Episcopal Church was held in Philadelphia yesterday. The committee appointed to consider the apportionment of funds amoog the conferences for church xtension made a report. The amount asked for by the Baltimore Conference Was $3,000, and the committee recommended that $1 200 be appropriated, Virginia asked for $200 and was granted $1,000.


Article from Evening Star, November 13, 1880

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Article Text

Two BANK SUSPENSIONS AND ONE ARREST.A New York evening paper says the First National Bank of Hackensack, N. J., and the Hackensack Savings Bank have suspended, and that John J. Berry. cashier and president, has been arrested for embezzlement.


Article from Chicago Daily Tribune, November 27, 1880

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Article Text

WRECKED BANKS. HACKENSACK. 81 Special Disputch to The Chicago Tribina NEW YORK, Nov. 20.-The one topid of local Interest in Hackensack, and in- fact throughout all of Bergen County, N. J., is still the bank failures. The depositors of the Hackensack Savings Bank, one of Congressnan Voorbis' institutions, which failed a year ago, were to have a meeting yesterday for the purpose of taking steps to recover their money, but after the meeting had been called to order It adjourned for two weeks. The Immediate question before the depositors, of this bank is ns to the extent to which the Trustees are responsible. They announced In their public circulars and on the covers of the depositors' books that they were personally and Individually responsible to the bank's creditors, and A MOVEMENT IS ON FOOT TO SUE THEM for the deficiency, whatever It may be. The Inst payment to the depositors of the First National Bank of Hackensack has been made,-another of Congression Voorhis' concerns. The depositors have been paid in full, the payment of 20 per cent last made wiping out the entire debt of the bank. Re-: celver Johnson, of the Bergen County Bank, and Examiner Wortendyke, of the Bergen County Savings Bank, which failed n few days ago through the alleged defalentions of Cashier Berry, are still at work on the books of the two concerns. They say they are no nearer definit Information ns to the exact amount of the deficiency than they were a week ago. Berry still remains In jall. THE FIRST NATIONAL BANK OF NEWARK, which was wreeked through the alleged embezzlements of Cashier Hedden, has been sold by Senator Hobart, the Receiver, to John 11, Kaso for $79,000, subject, however, to the confirmation of the United States Courts. Cashier Hedden, who was surrendered by William R. Bond, his bondsman, on Tuesday, found new bondsmen to the amount of $20,000 In the persons T. W. Langstroth, Edward Davy, William Stainsby, George B. Sandsford, and Samuel Carle.