Article Text

BANKER GIVES UP TO FACE CHARGES Former Head of Binghamton, N. Y., Institution Accused of Bootlegging. By the Associated Press. ALBANY, N. Y., December 29.-Andrew J. Horvatt, one-time Binghamton banker by day and reputed bootleg chief by night, surrendered to New York troopers yesterday. He was hurried from Sidney, in Delaware County, where he gave himself up, to Albany for a conference with Attorney General John J. Bennett, jr. Horvatt, who has played hide and seek with Federal and State officers for more than a year, is charged with loota more wage-earners' ing the State depository, Bank of Binghamton, of than $2,000,000. The Federal Government indicted him for liquor conspiracy. Genial and active civic worker and a go-getter in business, Horvatt. now about 55. once was a millionaire. He had less than $30 in his pockets when he submitted to arrest. He was, however, sprucely dressed. Rev. Joseph Madigan, a Catholic priest of Sidney, accompanied Horvatt and Trooper Sergt. R. L. O'Hanley to Albany. It was understood that Father Madigan arranged for the surrender. Heared Wrath of Foes. State troopers have been at Horvatt's heels for weeks. He sent word he would surrender at Schenectacy last Saturday, but he failed to show up, fearful, it was understood, that wrathful depositor or a rum runner with whom he was alleged to have done business would also be there. The State entered the bank investigation last September, when Gov. Roosevelt superseded the Broome County district attorney and assigned the attorney general to the case. Horvatt's brother, Michael, and two other employes of the bank, were convicted or pleaded guilty to charges of irregularity. Horvatt himself was indicted on 38 counts of forgery. Horvatt, son of a Czechoslovakian saloonkeeper in the old first ward of Binghamton, built his bank on the saloon site. The institution prospered; it trebled its depositors and doubled its deposits. On December 15, 1930, Horvatt disappeared from Binghamton. $2,000,000 Off Balance. A few days after the disappearance of the bank president the bank closed its doors and its books failed to balance by something over $2,000,000. Safety deposit boxes "had been ransacked and Christmas Club money was missing. The bank had energetically encouraged Christmas Clubs among its working class depositors. It also had solicited and obtained the accounts of several churches and many church organizations. All of this money was gone. Panic-stricken customers of the bank needing money for Christmas purchases stormed its closed doors, demanding their money. Investigation marked Horvatt the head of a Binghamton liquor ring and the chief of rum-running operations across the New York-Pennsylvania State line.