15717. Commercial National Bank (Muskogee, OK)

View Charter #5236 on SPMC

Bank Information

Episode Type
Run Only
Bank Type
national
Bank ID
5236
Charter Number
5236
Start Date
February 10, 1926
Location
Muskogee, Oklahoma (35.748, -95.370)

Metadata

Model
gpt-5-mini
Short Digest
a2e045073d7bb2f1

Response Measures

Accommodated withdrawals, Borrowed from banks or large institutions, Fed/other loan, Public signal of financial health, Capital injected

Description

Multiple contemporary newspaper accounts (Feb 11–12, 1926) describe a run on the Commercial National Bank of Muskogee triggered by malicious rumors. The run was checked by large incoming deposits, community pledges of support, and a $500,000 shipment from the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City. There is no evidence the bank suspended payments or closed; it remained open and was strengthened by outside aid.

Events (3)
1. December 13, 1899 Chartered
Source
historical_nic
2. February 10, 1926 Run
Cause
Rumor Or Misinformation
Cause Details
Malicious rumors circulated that the bank was failing; officials described them as false and malicious and the run began after these rumors spread.
Measures
Kansas City Federal Reserve shipped $500,000; civic leaders, business firms and other Oklahoma banks and individuals deposited large sums and publicly pledged support; president D. N. Fink appealed to depositors.
Newspaper Excerpt
Rumors declared by officials of the bank as false, circulated early against the bank and withdrawal of deposits began ... The Kansas City Federal Reserve has sent $500,000 aid
Source
newspapers
3. April 2, 1926 Voluntary Liquidation
Source
historical_nic

Newspaper Articles (12)
1. February 11, 1926 Springfield Evening Union Springfield, MA
Article from Springfield Evening Union, February 11, 1926

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Bank Prepared to Meet Withdrawals Muskogee (Ok.) Institution, Declared Sound, Faces Continued Run. Backed by more than half million dollars from outside resources Commercial National Bank says that it. is prepared to meet any emergency today that may grow out of a run started on the yesterday The Kansas City Federal Reserve has sent $500,000 aid the Musko. gee business firms and organizations promised to make additional deposits and help from other Oklahoma cities is Rumors declared by officials of the bank as false, circulated early against the bank and withdrawal of deposits began the fore. noon and reached peak just before the closing hour. The run was checked when D. N. Fink, president the bank for many years pleaded with the throng in the bank's lobby and near the bankers the city declared that the institution was tirely such statement was signed by the directors of the First National Bank The Commercial National Bank has total deposits of more than 000 and is the second largest bank in this

2. February 11, 1926 The Houston Chronicle Houston, TX
Article from The Houston Chronicle, February 11, 1926

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Run on Muskogee Bank Stopped By Friends' Support Associated Okla., Feb. and individuals who stemming run on the Commercial National Bank were making good When the bank opened for busi ness long of men and women stood before the receiving tellers windows. Only few were on to demand their money Officials of the bank. half an hour after It opened. said that was being deposited for each dollar with shipment of currency from the Reserve Bank at Kansas City arrived early today The run started yesterday after the circulation of rumors affecting the bank's stability. Officials of the institution, as well as those of other banks in the city declared the Commercial National fully The rumors were described as malicious mistruths D. N. Fink. president of the bank was cheered repeatedly by the crowd in the lobby that increased as the

3. February 11, 1926 The Town Talk Alexandria, LA
Article from The Town Talk, February 11, 1926

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$500,000 Sent to Aid of Muskogee, Okla., Bank MUSKOGEE Feb. (By by more than million dollars from outside resources. the Commercial National Bank to meet any emertoday may out of started on the bank yesterday. The Kansas City Federal Reserve Bank has $500,000 to aid the institution, local business firms and organizations have to make additional and financial help from other cities is reported Rumors by officials of the bank as false and malicious yesterday against the bank and deposits began the forenoon and reached peak just before the closing The when N. Fink, president of the bank for pleaded with the throng in the lobby and near the Other bankers of the city that the institution was entirely solvent and such statement was signed by the directors the National The Commercial National Bank has total deposit of more than

4. February 11, 1926 The Boston Daily Globe Boston, MA
Article from The Boston Daily Globe, February 11, 1926

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BANK AIDED IN MEETING A RUN Half Million Sent to One in Muskogee, Ok MUSKOGEE. Ok, Feb 11 (A. Backed by more than half million dollars from outside resources, the Commercial National Bank says that it is prepared meet emergency today that may out of started on the bank The Kansas sent to aid the business promised to additional deposits and financial help from other Oklahoma cities reported Rumors, declared by officials of the bank to be false, circulated early yesterday against the bank and withdrawal of deposits began in the foreand reached peak just before the closing The run was checked when D. N. Fink, president of the bank for many years, pleaded with the throng in the bank's lobby and near the doors. Other bankers of the city declared that the institution is entirely solvent and similar was by the directors of the First Bank The ational Bank has total deposits of than is the second largest bank in this city.

5. February 11, 1926 The Sedalia Democrat Sedalia, MO
Article from The Sedalia Democrat, February 11, 1926

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Chief of Police in Mexican Border Town Among Those Accused THOROUGH PROBE IN ATROCITIES BE MADE Family on Return Home Found Dead With One Exception By the Associated SAN DIEGO, Calif., Feb. Seven including Zenaido persons, Llanos, chief of police in Tijuana, have been arrested connection the abduction and attacking Audrey and Clyde Petee, American girls, the Mexican town. buried Northeastern United States The American girls had gone under two feet snow, took Tijuana, which across the borlives and held the section virtually der short from here, for hours. their parents for visit. the heavy snow fall Adding The two girls with their father late week which took 32 and mother, and Mrs. lives in the east. yesterday's Peteet, were found their home choked roads everywhere, delayed Saturday, all but one of them railroad traffic, particularly in and the other dying from burban districts, and heaped which had been turned drifts and 12 feet high in many parently suicidal intent. sections of New England. Miss Peteet the Clyde storm in Chicago took three only the family alive one visited the home, died police While the east struggled through the snow drifts, Colorado, Authorities believe the family and Wyoming basking termined upon this course when sunshine. Great Falls, Mont., returned and felt that shame usually stronghold of winter, had been visited upon them ported butterfly. Denver result of their visit the Mexican had temperatures ten degrees town. above normal for the first ten addition to who February. They plowing with complicity the charged Alberta, but forecasters crime, others under arrest turbance headed that Luis Amador, Tijuana The headed north who wanted the prietor, eastward the Atlantic Ocean, United States after jumping whipped huge and drove bail bond in Los Angeles after coastwise ships to shelter. his arrest for the alleged peddling Railroad traffic suffered heavily, narcotics. though energetic snow removal Refugio Alvarez, bar tender, who mastered the situation after believed have misused Audrey trains New England had after the girls had been Peteet, stuck in drifts. back from Tijuana Hot brought At Mass., public Springs were turned over to hundreds Francisco Gonzales, member persons unable to reach their the Tijuana police department. homes. Several towns Juan York Sang. Chinese from the outside world the Hotel Nacional, where the Audrey Petee found by In Rhode Island train of father Thursday morning. Narragansett Rier Railroad Salvador Espionza, taxicab driver, snowed under till only the tops took Petee fruitless the cars were visible. Its search for the girls Tijuana sengers walked three miles Springs. Kingston, Francisco Navarro, bar tender second million dollar Louis Amador. snow for New York City. The Rodiguez of the thus appropriated this District Lower California, winter probably will be wiped announced he will have thorough The street cleaning forces exceed investigation and that the men. will be punished. persons Deaths reported in the storm The work of the officials Gloucester, Mass., Philjuana last night continued adelphia, Boston New London late hour. During the day Conn., New Haven, Conn., and night several depositions Greenwich, Conn., Biddeford, from witnesses who had taken Maine, Trenton, gathered since Tuesday. York, Worcester Pawtuckett The officials said they have been instructions Gov. Rodrigiven The storm most make examples of those Southern England. Maine and proved have been Hampshire today feeling offenses against the Peteet the the New York, New Maryland While the investigation was Virginia also were affected. Frank Bohr, der way Tijuana, American vice consul at Mexicali, PREPARED TO preparing start the alleged atrocities MEET probe orders from the the Associated Press. department. into the deaths of the MUSKOGEE, Okla., Feb. An inquest family will be held tomor- Backed by more than half million Peteet dollars from outside the The of the Peteet girls Commercial National Bank story them days before pared meet today by any emergency was to the effect that that out of deaths, may grow run several spent seeing the bank The Kansas yesterday. the sights of Tijuana they City Federal Reserve Bank has sent plied with liquor and drugs $500,000 the institution, named Luis, introduced business firms and organizations the chief police and them promised to make additional others. financial help from taken by the "chief" Clyde Oklahoma cities reported coming. strange hotel and Audrey also Rumors, declared by officials misused according to their bank and malicious, the false count. Clyde was returned circulated early yesterday and jumped from the automojuana against the bank and withdrawal bile front her hotel, deposits began the forenoon and Diego. Audrey was found by reached peak just before the closfather and Tijuana the ing hour. was checked day Tijuana hotel Fink, president the police station. bank for many years pleaded

6. February 11, 1926 Muskogee Daily Phoenix and Times-Democrat Muskogee, OK
Article from Muskogee Daily Phoenix and Times-Democrat, February 11, 1926

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BANK RUN QUELLED WITH BIG DEPOSITS FLOODING IN TODAY City Rises to Emergency, Business and Professional Men Demonstrating Confidence WITHDRAWALS TAPER OFF AS CALMNESS RETURNING Veteran President in Dramatic Speech at Height of Excitement-Assails Scandal Monger for Vicious Lies WITH assurances of confidence and pledges of loyalty and support from chamber of commerce, the Retail Merchants' association. the Bar association. the First National bankits fellow institution-and scores of prominent business men of Muskogee. the Commercial National bank will open this morning after turbulent and bectic day stronger than at any other in its history. Anonymous tongues that flashed malicious word about town over the lephone wires morning upon the Institution run that, before the day's banking hours had had assumed menacing Last night the storm had passed. bad proved but squall which the good shf weathered on even keel only fluttering of the salls. City Rises to Emergency This morning the bank has the unleited and voluntary pledges of the men of Muskogee that not only will their deposits not be but that deposits than they have made will be Yeste day after o'clock, the end the banking day, had passed Muskogee triumphantly the emergency The of the city of their own initiative circulated and signed petition reciting their confidence the bank and Its officers plending their loyalty. The Retail Merchants' association, through the unanimous voice of its directors, assured the bank of its support. The chamber commerce gave word of loyalty and confidence through its Business Men Organize Last night Army association, holding scheduled meeting, adopted ringing resolutions by which the 150 commissioned officers present agreed to not only leave their individual deposits intact but to continue national guard funds in institution. It explained that this action the officers rendered themselves personally liable for the amounts but they declared themselves eager to thus make manifest their confidence. Last night, too. the business men of Muskogee to swamp the today with their deposits. Money going In to the Commercial bank fast tomorrow there won't be opportunity for anyone to take any out should anyone wish to do one merchant said. He has $15,000 to deposit. Others have sums even larger while some are to be the smaller in figures but in the expression of faith. Griffin. president of the chamber of commerce and head of the large wholesale grocery company that bears his name, told the Phoenix last night to say for him that not only did his firm's money stay in the bank but that he had deposited large amount yesterday and Intends to deposit larger amount today. Calhoun telegraphed his subordinates to "stay in there." and such merchants as Elmer Harbour, Bass. Jess M. McEntee, Paul May and B. Shouse took the lead in actual manifestations of ON PAGE THREE

7. February 12, 1926 The Republican Springfield, MA
Article from The Republican, February 12, 1926

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Grave Run on Bank Ends in Flood Of Deposits and Floral Tributes Muskogee, Okl., Feb. 12-Muskogee today was celebrating with dollars and daisies the dramatic climax of a two-day run on the Commercial Na tional bank, a $5,000,000 institution. What had seemed tragedy. threat ening not only the destruction of the bank, but hundreds of business houses, today had become a joyous "depositing The run began Wednesday morn. mg when mechanic, loan having been refused him, circulated rumors that the was failing. By noon hundreds of depositors the bank and street frantically seek Ing their money At the closing hour $150,000 had been paid out. During the late afternoon and eve. ning virtually every civic and business organization in the city met and idopted resolutions of confidence in he bank, agreeing to leave their de- "Minute men" made speeches in all the theaters, centering their talks on the character and honor of D N Fink, venerable president of the bank. During the night the Kansas City Federal Reserve bank announced that its entire resources had been thrown behind the local institution and that half million dollars had been shipped by express. At yesterday morning the bank opened as usual. crowd pressed In But it was one of depositors and not frenzied Scores brought with their money great bouquets and baskets of flow. ers for President Fink, who stood dazed at the The half -million from the Reserve bank lay unopened as great piles of currency came flooding in. NEW STUDIO LIGHT Culver Citq Cal., Feb. The largest motion picture are light in the

8. February 12, 1926 The Paducah Sun Paducah, KY
Article from The Paducah Sun, February 12, 1926

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Citizens Stop Run On Muskogee Bank By The Associated Press Muskogee, Okla., Feb. 11. Civic organizations and individuals who yesterday promised their support in stemming a run on the Commercial National Bank were making good today. When the bank opened for business a long line of men and women stood before the receiving tellers' windows. Only a few were on hand to demand their money. Officials of the bank half an hour after it opened said that $100 was being deposited for each dollar withdrawn. A shipment of currency from the Federal Reserve Bank at Kansas City arrived early today. The run started yesterday after the circulation of rumors affecting the bank's stability. Officials of the institution as well as those of other banks in the city declared the Commercial National fully solvent. The rumors were described as malicious mistruths.

9. February 12, 1926 Evening Star Washington, DC
Article from Evening Star, February 12, 1926

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BUSINESS LEADERS AID MENACED BANK Muskogee Institution Successfully Survives "Run" of Ugly Proportions. By the Associated Press MUSKOGEE. Okla., February 12.Muskogee business and professional men, rallying to the Commercial National Bank. menaced by a run of ugly.

10. February 12, 1926 The Knoxville Journal Knoxville, TN
Article from The Knoxville Journal, February 12, 1926

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Business Rallies To Support Of Bank And Run Is Stopped MUSKOGEE. Okla., Feb. 11 (AP) Muskogee business and professional men, rallying to the Commercial Na tional Bank, menaced by a run ugly yesterday. poured more than $350,000 in cash into the institution through the teller's win. dows in individual deposits today. The day that some feared might be one of tragedy was a day of tri an umph Before the bank had been open hour $100,000 had passed into the vaults through the teller's windows The final check at closing hours shows $350,122.70 Deposits from other banks will greatly swell this

11. February 12, 1926 Muskogee Daily News Muskogee, OK
Article from Muskogee Daily News, February 12, 1926

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friends of hers in Oklahoma that she had started Brown "but hardly thought that she would take that opportunity to end Brown left Muskogee for Fort Smith immediately after he made WilliamsGuipel to send the body to Fort Smith for burial. (CONTINUED FROM PAGE ONE) when he assured the crowd that gathered in the bank and in front the building that there was for run on the tion, the recipient of numerous half million dollars in received by the bank today the federal reserve bank Kansas City for in case of other Officials of the emergency. bank stated that they did pect find need the funds. They stated they believed their supply of cash was ample meet the situation. The greater majority of the who withdrew their funds afternoon redepositing them today. Telegraphic offers from all over the United States amounting than were received more bank this morning from banks, Insurance companies, private concerns and capitalists who officials they would back graphed the local institution to the limit. telegrams made huge pile. Several large bouquets of flowers sent to the bank this morning by admirers and friends of the ficers. In three hours this morning than deposited more in bank. paltry $16,000 withdrawn. Never in the history of the state has there come such deluge unsolicited help as has been the Commercial National fered bank. Civic leaders, business every house in the community, organizacalled tions, private and their the bank today faith and confidence in the of the officials and the tegrity stitution itself. of Muskogee have people their faith this institushown President Fink said today. appreciate their confidence and help. The Commercial tional bank More deposits made in the bank this morning than any in the history of the previous day institution. For every dollar taken 10 were deposited. talk was current in the Optimistic streets all day. The run on the bank started yesterday afternoon when street maliciously started and rumors, spread, gained foothold on eral small depositors. Every large depositor of the bank again reiterated their statements that they would not yesterday withdraw their deposits from the institution. The Muskogee Ministerial resolution this ciation adopted offering its full confidence morning to the officials hearty support the bank. Other organizations who pledged their co-operation and full support the bank were the Muskogee secof the Association of the Army United States, Retail Merthe chants' association, bar civic clubs, postal employes, all church practically house the comevery munity, the Chamber First National bank and dreds of citizens.

12. February 12, 1926 Muskogee Daily News Muskogee, OK
Article from Muskogee Daily News, February 12, 1926

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DELAY COURT HOUSE PLANS Probable That Building ect Will Go Over Until Fall of the Year each of the men were returned and That the matter of voting bonds $50 was ordered paid their attorfor the erection of court house by the justice. for Muskogee county would be The county attorney's office has ferred by the county commission- for Ferrel on fall the sions but each time he has until was opinion appear. Instructions sent Ingram, today. each justice of the peace court The fact that persons in charge petition asking that the not accept from him until call election complaints had been okehed special March for the member of the county attorfor early purpose voting court house bond office. Ferrel had not been seen at the issue had succeeded in delivthe instruments in time court house since Tuesday. ering March The Webbers Falls men comthe commissioners to call for plained to County Commissioner election given the reason Hinson and City Manager postponement. Cecil Moore. The two officials the have promise immediate action. "Taxpayers of county lots of trouble here lately," Ingram in my opinwould be foolish for the county to even attempt voting in Brief bond issue. The bank failing early fall, coupled with the unfortunate run on the Commercial National has caused the people to Watts, Adair county, one of the more or less in an uncertain financommunities in the condition. Oklahoma associatoo, had fine cotton tion, has raised its quota of $50. last fall, but inclement crop weather picking time caused the Postal inspectors are making crop to deteriorate fully one-third their annual inspection of all the before could be marketed. departments and offices the post these things office here. The inspection would be foolhardy to even expect cludes an audit of all books. the citizens to ratify bond Ingram Powell Is Uncertain. The fact that Haskell, by making offer of not only free site but free courthouse well, has caused number of people to start the argument that the county commissioners asking too much money constructing building here. Muskogee looked to least free site by the rest of the county. James chairman the of commerce visory committee, declared that he did know at just what time petitions with the necessary signature could filed with the county clerk. He had expected hand the petitions to the commissioners Feb. and failing to this sure that could be done Feb. is the opinion of the commissioners that the court house proposition will not be taken up again official way until after the an fair next fall. Minnie Parker, Creek Indian Kansas City, filed suit in federal court against W. Pittman and Rosie Pittman, to regain possession of certain lands in Seminole county, which, according to the complainant's petition, defendants obtained by virtue of void deeds purported to have been executed by the complainant. R. B. Drake, United States probate attorney, attend to legal business in Sapulpa for the next four days. County Attorney Lattimore yesterday requested the warden of the state penitentiary at McAlester grant the Muskogee county sheriff the custody of two convicts will be used as material during trials scheduled for the criminal docket of distract court, which begins Feb. 15. total of $20 in bonds was forfeited in police court Thursday by four who failed to appear charges filed against them following their arrests Wednesday of being drunk, disturbing the and violating traffic orpeace dinances.