16916. Fort Stanwix Bank (Rome, NY)

Bank Information

Episode Type
Suspension → Closure
Bank Type
state
Start Date
January 1, 1896*
Location
Rome, New York (43.227, -75.492)

Metadata

Model
gpt-5-mini
Short Digest
aa51a25f

Response Measures

None

Description

The bank suspended after the cashier George Barnard's embezzlement/forgeries and subsequently a receiver was appointed; there is no contemporaneous description of a depositor run. Suspension appears to have occurred in January 1896 (articles state Barnard wrecked the bank last January). Receivership and discovery of forged notes are reported in March 1896.

Events (3)
1. January 1, 1896* Suspension
Cause
Bank Specific Adverse Info
Cause Details
Suspension followed revelations of the cashier Barnard's large peculations/forgeries and his suicide which 'wrecked the bank.'
Newspaper Excerpt
the late George Barnard, ... whose suicide was followed by the bank's suspension
Source
newspapers
2. March 27, 1896 Receivership
Newspaper Excerpt
The receiver of the defunct Fort Stanwix Bank has discovered a number of notes purporting to have been made by persons in town, whose names it is alleged, were forged by the late Cashier Barnard.
Source
newspapers
3. March 28, 1896 Other
Newspaper Excerpt
It is said the alleged forgery and fictitious paper will amount to $65,000.
Source
newspapers

Newspaper Articles (7)
1. February 19, 1896 The Abbeville Press and Banner Abbeville, SC
Article from The Abbeville Press and Banner, February 19, 1896

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Article Text

Domestic. Ex-United States Treasurer James N. Huston, assigned. and his bank in Connersville, Ind.. suspended. The British freight steamship Lamington ran ashore in the fog on Long Island. off Patchogue, when under a full head of steam. Apparently she was not badly damaged. Theshortage in the Fort Stanwix Bank ac counts at Rome. N. Y., is said to be $375,000. All the lumbermen of the Pacific Coast have formed a trust. The failure of the Weber Plano Company and two other leading piano concerns allied to it was announced in New York City. At a largely attended meeting in Carnegie Music Hall. New York City, at which every creed was represented except the one most concerned, resolutions were adopted commending the work of the Salvation Army in this country, and urging that Commander and Mrs. Ballington Booth be not recalled to England. Charles Burr, sentenced by Magistrate Smith, of Burlington, N. J., to attend thirty temperance meetings, under penalty of being sent to jail, was converted at the first meeting. Heavy rains have prevailed throughout the South and Southwest. William Cæsar, colored, a condemned murderer, died suddenly in the State prison at Sing Sing, N. Y. He killed his sweetheart in New York City. He had been convicted and sentenced to die in the electric chair in July next. Reports from over fifty points in different parts of the State show the heaviest rains known in Texas at this season of the year for years. Streams are out of their banks. Margaret Dillon, an aged woman, was robbed and driven into thestreet, half naked, in Bridgeport. Conn., during a snowstorm, and Emma Wheeler and Emma Finnegan, whom she accused before she died, were arrested. George Bliss, the partner of Governor Levi P. Morton in the banking firm of Morton, Bliss & Co., died suddenly at his residence, in New York City. Thesteamer Caracas, bound for La Guayra, Venezuela, ran ashore at Governor's Island, New York Harbor. Dr. William T. I. McLaughlin, a Jersey City (N. J.) cattle inspector, died from tuberculosis, with which he had been inoculated while testing diseased meat in a Jersey City stock yard. The jury at Union, Mo., in the case of Arthur Duestrow. the young millionaire charged with the murder of his wife and child in St. Louis two years ago, brought in a verdict of murder in the first degree. He was sentenced to death. The business portion of Rutland, III., was destroyed by fire. Loss $50,000. There was a dense fog. and the tug Robert E. Sayre. abandoned by her crew after a collision. ran wild in New York Harbor and was lassoed as she headed for Bedloe's Island. The Yale 'Varsity crew announced its purpose to go to England and row in the Henley Regatta Twenty-one young men, all members of the sophomore class, have been expelled from Ottawa University (Kansas) for having defied the faculty by giving a banquet to the feminine members of the classat a restaurant after 10.30 p. m. Tuesday. Declarations of regret saved the girls. A special train bearing the Liberty Ball and an escort of Philadelphians and Atlantans left Atlanta for Philadelphia. The train made numerous short stops along the way. The Rev. Dr. William H. Furness died in Philadelphia. At Brenham, Texas, Thomas Dwyer, a millionaire, was murdered by unknown persons in his office, in the centre of the business portion of the city, robbery being the purpose. John R. Haines, a farmer living near Indianapolis, Ind., beat his wife to death with a poker and then hanged himself in the barn. He is supposed to have been insane. Dr. Alfred L. Kennedy, a man of considerable scientific attainments as a metallurgist and geologist, was burned to death during a fire in his rooms in an office building. Philadelphia. The origin of the fire is unknown. At Rahway. N. J., Louis Dietz, a mechanic, made a desperate effort to kill his family. He killed himself, but his efforts to end the lives of the other two members of his family failed.

2. March 28, 1896 New-York Tribune New York, NY
Article from New-York Tribune, March 28, 1896

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Article Text

MORE FORT STANWIX BANK FORGERIES. Rome, N. Y., March 27.-The - receiver of the defunct Fort Stanwix Bank has discovered a number of notes purporting to have been made by persons in town, whose names, it is alleged, were forged by the late Cashier Barnard. One of these notes bears the name of Henry V. Adams, a local buslness man, on the back as Indorser. The signer purports to be George P. Willey. No such person is known here. The amount of the note is $3,545.25. It was given for forty-five days. Another note bears the forged signature of W. H. Lewis, an insurance agent. The note is for $3,217 11. It bears date December 28. 1895, and was given for two months. Mr. Lewis never did any business at the bank. It is said that alleged forged and fictitious paper will amount to $65,000.

3. March 28, 1896 Richmond Dispatch Richmond, VA
Article from Richmond Dispatch, March 28, 1896

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Telegraphic Tersities. New York.-The gross earnings of the Norfolk and Western railroad for the third week of March were $234,716, an increase of $11,064. Greensboro', Ala.-Ex-Governor Thomas Seay is still in a very critical condition. He is unconscious, and his death is liable to occur at any minute. Chattanooga, Tenn.-D Joseph S. Gillespie, once a very prominent citizen of Chattanooga, fell dead at his home, in Chickamauga, Ca.: aged 72 years. Augusta. Ga.-B. McDade, an employee of the Augusta Southern railroad, while coupling cars in the yard of the road, was run over and instantly killed. Washington Daniel introduced a bill to pay the Masonic Lodge of Keysville $2,500 for the destruction of their building by Federal troops in 1864. London.-The report published in the Chronicle that Great Britain had purchased Delagoa Bay, East Africa. from the Portuguese, is officially denied. Louisville, Ky.-The steamer Sam Brown was burned, and. it is estimated will be a total loss. She was built at Pittsburg in 1881, and was valued at $25,000. Des Moines, Ia.-A fire in the six-story furniture-house of L Harbach damaged building and stock to the extent of $65,000. Cape Town. .-Advices are to the effect Anderson, S. 1.--Thomas H. Palmer, aged 61, committed suicide by cutting his throat with a razor. There is no doubt that his rash act was due to mental aberration. retoria.-President Kruger has issued an official denial of the reports that the relations between Mr. Chamberlain. the British Colontal Secretary, and himself are strained. Knoxville, Tenn.-Ezra Hamilton, who was to have been hanged for murder, has been respited, his case having been appealed to the Supreme Court. which cannot act upon it until September next. Benton, Ark.-Nearly a dozen residences and three quarters of the business portion of the village were burned by a fire, which raged for three hours. Loss estimated at $40,000; insurance, partial. Chicago.-Frank Sweeney, ex-Grand Master of the Switchmen's Mutual Benefit Association, now the National Switchmen's Union, died at his home. after suffering a long time from consumption. Providence, R. -The cut-down in a few of the smaller Rhode Island cottonmills. announced Thursday, is not to be general, the larger corporations denying that a general reduction is contemplated. Wilmington N. C.-At meeting of the Republican Executive Committee of the Third Congressional District, McKinley was endorsed for President, Russell for Governor. and Pritchard for United States Senator. Cape Town.-Cecil J. Rhodes, late Prime Minister of Cape Colony, has started for Buluwayo, near which point, it is reported, a sharp encounter has taken place between a party of mounted patrols and a force of Matabeles. Baltimore.-John J. Hill. a young merchant of Ahoskie, Hertford county, N. C., died at the Carrollton Hotel from the effects of inhaling illuminating gas. C.J. Parker, his partner, arrived and took charge of the remains. Versailles, Ky.-The Midway Deposit Bank, of Midway, Ky., made an assignment to John Wise, a director. Forty thousand dollars is due depositors. The bank has $60,000 in collectible notes, and will probably pull through. Chicago.-Charles O. Hartwell who was employed by William Deering & Co., the agricultural-implement manufacturers, of this city, to managed the Rochester (N. Y.) office, was arrested on the street, charged with being a fugitive from justice, a forger. and an embezzler, and he admits his guilt. Berlin.-Dr. Peters. the African explorer. against whom grave charges have been made regarding his conduct as an official of the German Colonial Government, intends to resign from the German service. no matter how the judicial inquiry into his conduct ends, and will go to Somaliland, in the service of a foreign country. that several whites in outlying places are reported to have been killed by the Matabeles. It is assumed that the outbreak is partly due to the stringent measures recently adopted to stamp out the rinderpest in Rhodesia. The fondness of the Kaffirs for their cattle is well known, and the killing of them in attempts to stamp out the rinderpest has excited much discontent. Savannah, a.-The directors of the In: terstate Military Association decided to increase the first prize for the interstate competitive drill to be held during the May military celebration from $2,000 to $2,500. On account of the action of the Washington military companies, they also decided to adhere to the original rules, providing that companies not regularly enlisted In the National Guard could not compete. This bars out the National Fencibles. 1 Rome, N. Y.-The receiver of the defunct Fort Stanwix Bank has discovered a number of notes purporting to have 3 been made by persons in Rome, whose names were forged, presumably by the the Barnard, of the amounts cashier. late Lorged notes aggregating many thousands of dollars, and the inference is that 7 Barnard used the money obtained on the notes in paying the dividends to stock1 holders, thus keeping up the financial e standing of the bank. . The Force of Habit. e Plana Donaus

4. March 28, 1896 The Portland Daily Press Portland, ME
Article from The Portland Daily Press, March 28, 1896

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Cashier Forged Notes. Rome, N. Y., March 27.-The receiver of the defunct Fort Stanwix bank has discovered a number of notes purporting to have been made by persons in town, whose names it is alleged were forged by the late cashier, Barnard. It is said the alleged forgery and fictitious paper will amount to $65,000.

5. April 3, 1896 The Windham County Reformer Battleboro, VT
Article from The Windham County Reformer, April 3, 1896

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# An Atrocious Crime. Sunday morning a crime of almost unparaitel- ed atrocity was perpetrated near Talmage, a village five miles north of Akron, Ohio. Alvin Stone, aged 69, and his wife, aged 62, while asleep at their home were murdered by a fiend. who beat their heads to pieces, after which nu- merous knife thrusts were made into the bodies. of the dead. Two daughters, Hattie, aged 29, and Emma, aged 27, and the family man ser vant, A F Stillson, were attacked and all three fatally injured. They had been beaten about the head with a blunt instrument, which must have been of great size and weight. Alvin Stone was among the most wealthy and prominent of Summit county farmers and his wife was a mem ber of one of the wealthiest and most prominent families in northwestern Ohio. The crime is shrouded in mystery and the whole county is agitated. The only suspicion as yet rests on John Smith, who is employed at a blacksmith shop about an eighth of a mile from the Stone homestead. Smith was discharged by Mr Stone two weeks. The object of the murderous assault on the family was not robbery, as numerous ar ticles of value including two gold watches of the aged people which were on the bedroom dresser were not taken. # Another Insult to the Flag. The American schooner "William Todd" of Calais, Me, which arrived at Kingston, Jamaica last Sunday from Mobile, Ala, was fired upon, boarded and searched by a Spanish gunboat when six miles south of the Island of Pines. The first Intimation that the "Todd" had that she was to be interfered with was a shot across her bows. Upon this she promptly displayed the American colors and kept on her way, as- suming that that was sufficient. But three more shots followed in quick succession. A boat then put out from the Spanish war vessel and was soon alongside. A Spanish officer, with a file of marines, came aboard and announced his pur pose of searching the schooner for contraband of war. The schooner's captain protested and assured the Spaniard that she carried nothing of the sort, but the officer still insisted on making a search. The American skipper, of course, of fered no physical resistance, and the search was made. The schooner had only a legal cargo. # The War in Cuba. All the news indicates that the struggle is rap- idly approaching a crisis. The government has failed, after repeated efforts, to induce the Re- formists and Autonomists to take part in the elections generally. The Spanish are now on the defensive. Every battle fought in Cuba in the past 30 days has been invited by the rebels. They have more ammunition now then they ever have had, and if they can maintain a source of supply, there isn't anything that can prevent them from winning. Weyler asks for 40,000 more troops. Twenty-five thousand in- surgents under Maceo are swarming over the provinces of Havana and Pinar Del Rio, and 45,000 Spanish soldiers are in the same territory. There was a battle the 24th between Guano and La Fe in which the Spaniards were badly defeated by 2,000 insurgents and the Cuban jaunta in this country claims, though Havana authorities deny it, that Prince del Rio, the Spanish strong- hold in the western part of the island, was cap- tured by Marceo and the insurgents Saturday. Calixto Garcia, who recently landed with a fil- bustering expedition, was with the rebels. The hot fighting was done by the American artillery- men, who came with him for the express pur pose of working the Hotchkiss and gatling guns, brought on the steamer. Without the assis- tance of the American, Pinar dal Rio would not have fallen. It was only their deadly fire, sent into the town by the gatling and Hotchkiss guns that saved the day for the insurgents. Follow ing his usual poliev, Gen Maceo did not hoid the town. He simply destroyed it and then pas- sed out to some other place. There is a report that Gen Gomez is dead, because he had not been heard from for a fortnight. But the best information is that he is in Santa Clara province broken in health and unequal to the strain of compaigning at present because of the way he overtaxed himself in his great raid. # Hippolyte's Death. The news of the death of President Hippolyte of Hayti is confirmed and butchery is suspected. He was a tall, fine looking negro 70 years old. His hair was white, the expression of his ace kindly. He was slow and deliberate in his speech and seemed to turn over everything in his mind before uttering it. He came into pow- er through the influence of the United States and this fact rather wounded the pride of the Haytians. The old Legitime party opposed every act of his, and hated him violently. Hip- polyte led the revolt against President Legi time in 1889. His army was victorious in al- most every battle and he entered Port au Prince at the head of his troops September 2, 1889. He was elected president October 17. Hippolyte was opposed to the presence of foreigners on the island. He said that revolutions were tirred up by them so that they could make money. They smuggled letters and arms to revolution- ists, and did all in their power to overth.ow the existing government, no matter how well it was conducted. The Receiver of the defunct Fort Stanwix bank at Rome, NY, has discovered a number of notes amounting to several thousand dollars purporting to have been made by persons in town, whose names were forged, persumably by the late Cashier Barnard. The big elephant "Gypsy" owned by W H Har- ris, became unmanageable at the winter quar- ters of Harris circle in Chicago, last Thursday, and before she could be got under control killed her keeper, tore down a frame building and created intense excitement generally. WC McDonald, the millionaire tobacco man- ufacturer of Montreal, PQ, has donated $500,000 to McGill University for the purpose of provid ing a building for chemistry, mining and archi tecture. This brings McDonald's donations to his University up to $2,500,000. Frank O Driscoll, superintendant of carriers in the New York postoffice, who lives at West Brighton, S I, is accused by his wife of having attempted to murder her by slow polson. The new battleship "lowa" was successfully launched at Philadelphia last Saturday. The Midway Deposit bank of Midway, Ky, failed Friday. Patrick Sanbury died Sunday night of hydro- phobia, after terrible suffering, at Louisville, Ky. He was bitten by a grayhound Feb 20, being badly lacerated. Signs of insanity developed a few days ago, the wound having previously healed and the incident being almost forgotten. Mrs Emma Booth Tucker, the second daugh ter of General William Booth, who, with her husband, has been appointed to the command of the Salvation Army in the United States, arrived in New York Sunday afternoon. Her brother, Ballington Booth, sent a letter of welcome. She says her utmost efforts are to be devoted to ef fectinn a reconciliation. Robbers heid up the Firsco fast express near Richland, Mo, Wednesday morning and robbed the express car of about 30,000. Mrs Olga Deuss killed herself and three chil- dren, the eldest being eight years old, at San Francisco Monday night, by gas asphyxiation. She was jealous of her husband, who went out early in the evening and did not return until 3 o'clock this morning, at which hour he found his wife and three children dead in bed. A waterspout in Turkey Cove, Va, Tuesday drowned four children. In Russell Cove, Va, two men and three children were drowned. Gen Sum, late secretary of war, under Hippo- lyte, has been chosen president of Hayti to suc- ceed him. Ten persons were burned to death by a fire Wednesday morning in a tenement occupied by Italians at 36 Union street, Brooklyn.

6. April 8, 1896 New-York Tribune New York, NY
Article from New-York Tribune, April 8, 1896

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MORE OF BARNARD'S PECULATIONS. Rome, N. Y., April 7.-The late George Barnard, who was cashier of the Fort Stanwix Bank, of this city, and whose suicide was followed by the bank's suspension, was also assignee of the estate of George Clark, one of the largest landowners In New-York State, who failed In 1887. By order of the Court, Barnard was directed to deposit the funds of the estate with the Manhattan Trust Company, of New-York City. The order also required him to file with the County Clerk of Otsego County, every six months. a true sworn statement of the condition of the affairs in his charge. The last report was made July 30. 1895. It showed that there was on deposit with the Manhattan Trust Company, as a credit to Barnard as assignee of the Clark estate, $40,186 7 76, and that there was on deposit at the Fort Stanwix Bank $18,918 09, or a total cash on hand of $59,104 85. The Manhattan Trust Company now has on hand only $3,304 94. The $14,918 CO, supposed to be in the Fort Stanwix Bank, is actually represented by ar overdrawn account of $1,400. Mr. Clark died soon after he made the assignment. The creditors of the Clark estate now find the estate practically valueless, although Barnard last July reported it to have nearly $60,000 cash on hand. President Utley. of the defunct Fort Stanwix Bank, is one of Barnard's bondsmen in the Clark estate matter. The estate of the late G. V. Selden is also on the bond. Mr. Selden, who died a few years ago, was a large !umber dealer in this city.

7. July 17, 1896 Evening Star Washington, DC
Article from Evening Star, July 17, 1896

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CASHIER BARNARD'S SUICIDE. Took Laudanum Before He Hanged Himself. ROME, N. Y., July 17.-It now transpires that the rope found about the neck of George Barnard, late cashier of the Fort Stanwix Bank, was not alcne the agency that caused his death at the time he wrecked the bank last January. Mr. Huntington, the representative of Receiver Griffin, who has charge of things at the bank, went to the little room where Barnard's body was found, in search of a book or some papers, and there, behind a pile of old books, he found a bottle labeled laudanum, containing only a few drops of that deadly poison. On the label was the name of the druggist, J. C. Bissell, from whose store the poison was purchased, and who afterward stated to Mr. Huntington that the bottle of laudanum was purchased at his store by Barnard. Mr. Bissell says that he sold the poison to Barnard a day or two before he committed suicide. The theory advanced is that Mr. Barnard used the rope so as to make death a certainty should the laudanum not prove fatal; that after taking the poison he soon became unconscious and fell backward, the rope tightened about his neck. This would seem to be a correct theory, for when the body was found there was traces of froth at the mouth. The reason no trace of laudanum was found before is that no autopsy was held by the coroner. As the rope was found around the neck by Coroner Nock he naturally supposed that to be the cause of death without further investigation.