Article Text
Look Out!-The German Bank of Wooster, Ohio, has suspended the redemption of its notes. is ie said to be a complete smash up.
17827. German Bank (Wooster, OH)
Bank Information
- Episode Type
- Run → Suspension → Closure
- Bank Type
- state
- Start Date
- February 1, 1841*
- Location
- Wooster, Ohio (40.805, -81.935)
Metadata
- Model
- gpt-5-mini
- Short Digest
af3d937d
Response Measures
Full suspension, Books examined
Other: Bank Commissioners investigation, assignment of effects to an assignee/receiver; charter repeal action by legislature.
Description
Contemporary reports and the Bank Commissioners' report state the German Bank of Wooster experienced a run from Feb 1841 culminating in suspension/closure on/around Sept 6, 1841; assets were assigned to an agent/receiver shortly after (about Sept 11, 1841). The bank had its charter repealed and was investigated for fraudulent management. OCR errors in articles were corrected (e.g., dates and names).
Events (3)
1.
February 1, 1841*
Run
- Cause
- Bank Specific Adverse Info
- Cause Details
- Protracted withdrawals driven by internal fraud/mismanagement by officers (Bentley), misconduct, alleged transfers of specie and improper increases of circulation.
- Measures
- None described as effective; directors increased circulation, shipped specie to New York earlier in the year; no successful liquidity measures documented.
- Newspaper Excerpt
- McMillen testifies 'that there had been a run on the bank from February 1841, to September 6, 1841,' the day it was closed.
- Source
- newspapers
2.
September 6, 1841
Suspension
- Cause
- Bank Specific Adverse Info
- Cause Details
- Bank suspended payments/closed due to insolvency stemming from fraudulent transfers, depletion of specie, and mismanagement by officers (Benjamin Bentley) rather than rumors or external panic.
- Newspaper Excerpt
- the day it was closed. ... the unfortunate suspension of German Bank of Wooster
- Source
- newspapers
3.
September 11, 1841
Receivership
- Newspaper Excerpt
- On the 11th day of September, 1841, four days after the failure of the German Bank of Wooster, ... the Bentley, directors the met, trustee, and assign- all book, effects of said bank.
- Source
- newspapers
Newspaper Articles (8)
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to the Senate, when he said that the whigs, at the last campaign, openly declared the question to be a National Bank or the Independent Treasury. Mr. Foos said that the loco focos were blaming the whigs for the sins of the present banks of this State. He did not, like to shoulder these sins. The iniquities of any one of these institutions were too heavy, he said, to be borne by any ox or mule in the county. Mr. Clark, too, denounced these banks as being about as bad as bad could be. Yet, singular as it may appear, both these candidates promised, that, if elected they would vote for Mr. Nye's bank bill, the main object of which is to re-charter these rotten institutions, under the high sounding name of the "State Bankof Ohio." But how do these professions of hostility to the banks comport with the past conduct of the whigs in the Legislature? Every measure introduced by democratic members to restrict the banks and render them more able to meet their liabilities, has been opposed by the whigs in a body; and no longer ago than last spring, the whig House passed a bill to render inoperative acts which had been passed by democratic Legislatures for the protection of the people against the losses which they suffer by excessive issues and continual suspensions of the banks. The following is the suspension section of a bill which passed the House at the last session, but was not permitted to pass the Senate, where the democrats had a majority: "SEC. In order to afford to the banks of this state the same facilities in business which are enjoyed by the banks of the adjoining states, and to place the liabilities of the banks in this state in the same condition with the liabilities of individuals and other debtors of the banks, and to all other creditors, all the laws of the state, imposing twelve per centum, OR OTHER PENALTY, upon banks, for refusing to redeem their notes or bills on demand, in coin, and all laws restraining banks from issuing bills of a less denomination than five dollars, shall be held SUSPENDED and INOPERATIVE, until the first of January, 1842; and if the banks of the adjoining states shall not then have resumed, and continue in the payment of coin for their notes and bills, from thence until the first of January. 1843, and no longer: Provided, that each bank availing itself of this act, shall signify its acceptance by written notice to the auditor, within thirty days from its passage; and shall, moreover, upon the requisition of the fund commissioners, from time to time, lend to the state, upon her six per centum bonds, upon such fair terms as may be agreed upon, such sums as may be authorized and required to be borrowed for the prosecution of the public works, and equal to the proportion the capital of the lending bank bears to that of all the banks, and the sum required, not exceeding in the whole sum to be thus lent, the amount of two and a half millions of dollars. And the notes of the banks thus furnishing to the state the means of prosecuting her works, shall be receivable in all public dues, until otherwise directed by law."-(See House Journal, pages 57 and 572.) This was to authorize a suspension for years in succession, and to involve the State in the ruin consequent upon the failure of such banks as the West Union, the Gertaan Bank of Wooster, &c. Here is the vote on this monstrous proposition. YEAS-Messrs. Allen, Bell, Cochran, Dunham, Florence. Giddings, Hamilton, Hawkins, Israel. Kalor, Lamme, Lawrence, Marsh, Moore, Nye, Perkins, Pollock, Reeves, Robbins, Scott of Crawford, Scott of Green, Shober, Smith of Adams, Streater, Stioson, Vincent, Van Vorhes, Watkins. Weaver, Welch, Wheeler, Worthington, Young and Speaker-34. NAYS--Messrs. Aten, Baldridge, Bartly, Brough, Brown, Burns, Dunn, Griswold, Hockinberry, Jenkins, Johnson of Monroe, King, Morris, McAnnelly, McGugin, Raffensperger, Reynolds, Riblet, Scott of Harrison, Shreve, Spindler, Warren, Wilson and Wood-21. (See House Journal, page 588.) All those who voted in the affirmative are whigs, and those who voted in the negative are democrats, except four or five. Mr. Clarke found it convenient to be absent when the vote was taken, and shun the responsibility of voting for the proposition. These are the practices of the whigs against their present professions.
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BANK OF GRANVILLE. , Esq. Wheeling, Va. 27th September, 1841. Dear Sir:I hand you $65.00 herein inclosed-in full for your inclosure of 25th instant as named, and as you requested. Not having any note of a less denomithan one dollar, I can't very conveniently take my pay out of your rem thance, for the postage thereon, which I have paid, but may do 80 from some future remittance. We dont always have Wheeling notes on hand. with which to redeem our notes, becanse such notes are not in Circulation in this vicinity, to any great amount, but we always shall have on hand, other current Ohio funds, with which to redeem our circulating credit, on demands whenever presented for that purpose. Please do me the favor, to give the information through your city, and further say, that certain designing "money sharks," are endeavoring from political and speculative motives to create a panic in the northern part of Ohio, Pittsburgh, Buffalo. about our ability and solvency. and that it 18 this attempted fo create said panic, without the slightest cause, reason or provocation, and further. the public have a soflicient guarantee. that we will not act dishonestly or attempt to swindle in the ad ministration of the busi. ness of this office, from the fact of our having such a valuable charter. (if there were no other reasons.) which is perpetual, (as long as grass grows and water runs,) and without limitations, as to amount of capi ital employed, or extent of issues and business. In relation to the ability, solvency. &c. of the Ur bana Bank, I beg to say to your citizens unsolicited. that it redeems and pays its liabilities on demand as promptly. and as well as any other Bank in the state, and is ar deserving of as high a credit The report about it of which you name, was created and disseminated from an article in the Columbus Statesman some weeks since put in without the least cause or foundation. unless it was to gratify party. (Loco foco.) malice. Since the unfortunate suspension of German Bank of Wooster, the public are somewhat finid about other Bank credits, and hence it is more easy at a distance, to create panicsin relation therete. it there. fore behouves all who are friendly to the making system, to confront all slanderous reports at the ve. ry threshold of existence For the benefit of your citizens I add, that the Canton Bank is perfectly good. Truly, A. J.
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I BANK OF GRANVILLE. Esq., Wheeling. Va. 27th September, 1841. Dear Sir:I hand you $65.00 herein inclosed-in full for your inclosure of 25th instant as named, and as you requested. Not having any note of a less denomithan one dollar, I can't very conveniently take my pay out of your remittance, for the postage thereon. which I have paid, but may do so from some future remittance. We dont always have Wheeling notes on hand. with which to redeem our notes, becanse such notes are not in Circulation in this vicinity, to any great amount, but we always shall have on hand, other current Ohio funds, with which to redeem our circulating credit, on demands whenever presented for that purpose. Please do me the favor, to give the information through your city. and further say, that certain designing "money sharks," are endeavoring from political and speculative motives to create a panie in the northern part of Ohio, Pittsburgh, Buffalo. about our ability and solvency. and that it is thus attempted fo create said panic, without the slightest cause, reason. or provocation, and further, the public have a sufficient guarantee. that we will not act dishonestly or attempt to swindle in the ad ministration of the business of this office, from the fact of our having such a valuable charter, (if there were no other reasons,) which is perpetual, (as long as grass grows and water runs.) and without limitations, as to amount of capiital employed, or extent of issues and business. In relation to the ability, solvency, &c. of the Ur bana Bank. I heg to say to your citizens unsolicited, that it redeems and pays its liabilities on demand as promptly. and as well as any other Bank in the state, and is as deserving of as high a credit. The report about it of which you name, was created and disse minated from an article in the Columbus Statesman some weeks since put in without the least cause or foundation, unless it was to gratify party. (Loco feeo,) malice. Since the unfortunate suspension of German Bank of Wooster, the pu blic are somewhat limid about other Bank credits, and hence it is more easy at a distance, to create panics in relation thereto. it there. fore behooves all who are friendly to the Banking system, to confront all slanderous reports at the ve. ry threshold of existence. For the benefit of your citizens I add, that the Canton Bank is perfectly good. Truly,
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REPORT. To the Honorable the General Assembly, of the State of Ohio. obedience to the provisions of the act "to and repeal to In charter of the Gerinan Bank of Wooster, the under the affairs, passed January 27 1842. the close Bank Commissioners, visited of inst. caused the signed, day its February, Wooster injunction served, sec- and alond the Hon Joseph R. Swan to by the of a writ of be the of the bank that sion same into the hands lowed under delivered of by all authority property the mandamus could of took Receivers, inspected posses- found, and for that purpose. They have also oath, its appointed books of the bank, and examined under knowldge the directors, and other persons having institution; all officers, management and condition of the documents ap of of the which will more fully appear in the pended to this report. agent engaged in the reguscitation of the As The principal Bank of Wooster, was Benjamin bankruptcy Bentley. in German of the bank at the time of its and familiar with the claims Wellof its stock. The deposition of condition 1818, Cashier he was against that M: it, D. trifling the and the schedule ftransfers, snow individuals. a man, only of stock was purchased of the time of amount D. Wellman believes that the stock at bank in payM. in 1818, was transferred to the statement 18 the ment failure, of debts by by the the books stockholders. of the bank This for the corroborated to the meeting on the 23d of July 1838, had been pur Prior of directors. only 435 shares obtained of Adappointment Of this amount 400 shares were fachaeed amson Bentley, "without any consideration except vors The previously transfer book rendered. exhibits the following transfers & assignment on the 15th July 1838: Benjamin Wellman, Bentley share; To, Wm. McComb, 5 do: Wellman, Joseph H. B. 1 do: James S. Irvine 1 do; M. D. S Bent Watson, Wm. Childs 5 do; John Robinson. 1 do; do 1 do; 5 do; Levi Rawson. 1 de; L. Chestnu!wood, direc. ley, one of these individuals were appointed above. In Every the meeting on the 23d, as mentioned this stock, and tors at they came in possession of we what manner if paid for it, 80 far as to arrive at the facts, will be has the consideration able any, found he in have their no been MI Wellman,{ testifies stock of of "purchasing one share of 1838.' Wm. McComb, the depositions. recollection in July that and President Benj. ba: of Bentley no consideration, old stock he paid in the paper of or beance on received his shares without the trans" the S. Bentley bank. the paid Bentley believes payment the bank. for the same, and he him a ing called made upon to him for the purpose of making to fer was Wm. Childs was told that stock, enough to him director. eligible as a director was it Bentley, that'he wasnet to pay stock since. Levi Rawson, supposed He make nor by Benjamin has him he transferred for never then, was to him to make him a director. bank bona fide purchase of stock in the or made of the Wellman's, of Benjamin transferred Wooster, testifies German that Bentley, he nevof person. Josepn Watson knowledge: that any other stock in said bank to his transfer er owned purchased any any stock and knew of no the hr never So far we have been enabled to trace of assignment to his name. and transfer of stock at the organization the new testimony board of directors. of H B Wellmah, James S been Irvine, ob The Robinson and Levi Chesnutwood has not was John The fact, however, that one share only that tained. to each of them renders it probably and that transferred made no purchase of stock at that time, the books they whole proceeding was a mere entry upon so the with or without the knowledge of the persons made Jue either directors. The transfers were two inconstituted 1838. On the 23d of the same month and Rob15, called directors, viz: T. G. Jones direc. dividuals, Bentley, met and appointed the new board of on the minutes of that date.) As appears all tors. Thomas G, Jones had The the bank, and four !shares more. G stock ert transfer (See book, favor transferred ofT. Jones stock his in however, shows a balance in the appearance book, dollars seventy-five cents, but re of eight and fresh entries would lead to 8 greater deemed of erasures the transfer book. We, therefore, upon to take the deposition of Mr re the opinion above expressed, than fully it !iance necessary sustains book, Jones, that more which the be placed on the transfer recol and particularly as Mr Jones no stock stock since May 21, to liance book, should of purchasing has 1820 T G the lection that he transferred May 21, directors, and Co., of the stock of all the shares, he held in the on the and subsequently, Jones president, swears German capital 1820, that Bank of to said of 1821, he assigned's Wooster, day bank exceptions.' January, transferred of thesaid cor1st Quimby shares in the capital stock to the Eph further, Thomas G. Jones's of the following transcript of as rectness of the directors of said, July bank the proceedings and bank, the minutes held Ger of 23, 1838 ofall the directors belonging to Jones the man At Bank a meeting of Wooster-present, Thomas G. and Robert BentleyThat Hiram B. Wellman, William D Well. Mc Resolved, Joseph Watson. James S. Irvine, Bentley, M Levi Comb, William Childs, John Robinson, S. Chesnutwood man, Benjamin Bentley and Levi of said bank Rawson, hereby appointed directors of direc. to be fill and the they vacancies are that now exist in the board tors of the said bank. T. G. JONES. ROBT. BENTLEY. have presented the anomaly of Thomas directors G. Here we presiding at a board of as a himself and another, and directly in contravention cerconsisting Jones into being of director, incorporate resolving of the statute, a new 23, 1815, An act passed therein named, and to extend the direo- of tain banks,' sec. 20 'that board banks February incorporated shall be charters the annually existing each of the aforesaid banks, stockhol tors for the 1st Monday of January, by the be a elected for on the time being, and each director shall resident ders, at the time of his election; and a of the stockholder the state, &c.' In the concluding part vawithin section, we have the following, "And directors if any of same at time. happen among the or cancy aforesaid banks, by death, for any the residue of the directors of otherwise, of shall, the any fill such resignation, the bank, vacancy." the shall'elect a director to of time being, provides for the general meeting The 21st section for the purpose electing die thirty days notice in some of making accommodation per, stockholders, rectors The plan after giving annually, directors, newspa January as pres referred to, we find brought down to share viously John Hanna, swears, "that he owns'one to him 1841. in said bank, transferred and assigned for said ofstock Bentley; that he has not paid by instal by Benjamin stock, either to Benjamin Bentley, transferred or to share of to the bank; and supposes it was director." J. W. ments the purpose of making him a Benjamin him had stock transferred to not he since McMillen for testifies, "that he did not him at that by time, the has Bentley and given his obligation to said Bentley for
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ident of the bank Wm McComb, had no consuitation in relation to the failure of the bank with the officers and directors. before the morning of September 6, 1841." Mr. Hanna testifies, that he was not consulted individu ally, nor d8 a director. in relation to closing its he did not susdoors. suppose Benjamin the bank Bentley would swears, entirely that pend payment two hours before it did. That an entire failure of the bank had been in contemplation by Benjamin Bentley for some time, and that arrangements to lessen its available means, and at the sametime increase its circulation, were also adopted and carried into effect, is clearly apperent. In proof of this we in to the himself. month His deposition conclusion testimony of is, Benjamin refer "that, that the Bentley first in the place, of amount was 000." the same sil. June During the of epecie month. 12,000 about $14,- in ver and gold, were sent to New York, to meet the payment of drafts previously drawn on time. And further, that after the shipment of the 12,000 in June, no efforts were made to increase the amount of specie. The sale of this specie is admitted by J. W. McMillen, Teller of the bank. Another evidence of a fraudulent design on the part of the individuals who managed the bank, is the entire omission of monthly statements of the condition statement The as as of only the explanation the bank, teller upon of the this of omission No book.signed by is want time. statement is recorded after the sale of this specie, and the pledge of the residue to the bank of Wooster, which was sold at a premium of soven per cent. In addition to these evidences of preparation to fail, is the increase of circulation, and the means reserted to by the bank to keep its own paper out. McMillen testifies 'that there had been a run on the bank from February 1841, to September 6, 1841,' the day it was closed. May 31, 1811, the circulation was $120,725 McMillen gives the circulation on the day of failure, 125,000. Notwithstanding this run, the circulation was increased, while the means of the bank were diminished. The manner in which this amount of paper was kept out, will be seen by referring to the depositions of McMillen, M. D. Wellman, Harris and Rhode, viz: by the exchange of notes, and the purchase of the drafts. Again, the amount of bil's discounted was gradually lessened for several months preceding the bankruptcy. March 31, 1841, bills discount $226 263 ed, 218.221 38 April S 30, 211,608 73 May 31, At the date of our examination, the amount of bills discounted, as appears on the ledger, after deducting the amount of Benjamin Bentley's indebtedness, was 70,934 95. On the 11th day of September, 1841, four days after the failure of the German Bank of Wooster, from minute that as the ed to several Benjamin it of appears the Bentley, directors the met, trustee, and assign- all book, effects of said bank. [See minutes of that date.] The character of this assignment, and the loose and summary manner in which the entire effects of the bank were assigned to one man, without security, or even making a schedule of the assets, or their value, !ed irresistably, to the conclusion, that the public good was not properly consulted. It is remarkable, that no reason is assigned. by the directore, for suspending the business of the bank, The causes which rendered euch a step necessary, are not even alluded to, and yet the board met five days after the failure, and as signed to an individual, whose interest, more than that of all persons, would be promoted by the depreciation of the paper in circulation. That no schedule of the effects of the bank was made at the time of assignment, 16 shown by the depositions of Bentley, McMillen, M'Comb and Hanna. It shown by the deposition of S.L. Lorah, a of a Wooster, that endeavored, prblic meeting through of the citizens committee, to a said bank, were obtain but knowledge refused of by the Benjamin condition Bentley of on not that he answer inte(the the ground, said Bentley,) that they would could expect any rogatories that would go to criminate him self. The bank became entirely ins olvent by the withdrawal note of 91,000 an without of Benjamin leaving equivalent. Bentley's From the testimony of several of the wit. nesses, and especially from that of Wellman, it is clear, that only about 60,000 were ever paid on capital stock; and of this sum, between 30,000 and 40,000 were borrowed by the Wellmans at different times, during their connection with the bank, all of which indebtedness was ultimately cancelled by a transfer of their stock to Benjamin Bentley. In the progress of the investigation, teelimony was elicited to prove that B Bentley paid for the stock purchased of the Wellmans and satisfied his own previous indebtedness to the ultito 80 abmately bank, amounted by his individual $94,826, note, that which the on the transfer at his
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and the final (ransier of Bentley' stock, 10 the amount of $91,000, for the extinguishment of his habilities. In the iesue of small notes we find an at tempt to evade the provisions of the law. July 20, 1839. The Wellmans transferred their stock, and by the charter, their connection with the bank as directors, was dissolved. January 4. 1841 Resolved, That W m. McComb be appointed president of the German Bank of Wooster, to take effect from the 1-t day of February last-(eleven months prior 10 the above date, 11th of July, 1840.) Benjamin Beniley swears-"It has been the uniform course of this bank to conform to the laws of the State as near as practica ble. have, therefore, never received or paid out bills not authorized by law, or the act of the 2nd March, 1840; in the business of the " bank, to the best of mv recollection, since the 1st day of April, 1840 9, 1842. Samuel L. Lorah swears of the year 1841, a amount one notes, dated February "that February dollar in large 1, 1810, and Wm. McComb, as president, of the Bank of Wooster, were put German signed said into cir culation, and that the execution of notes was nearly one year before it was known that said McCombs was made president; and the banks from into circu&c., of a less lation act prohibiting notes, putting denomination 1940, and than took five dollars, passed March 23, effect from and after the 1st day of May 1840, as appears from collated statutes of the state of Ohin, by Joe R. Swan." In the above we have a perepective view of the of the presidency of the Bank of filed nearly one year Wooster, office being after the the vacancy occurred, by a resolution, and in sequel, this president executing notes of aless denomination than five dollars, for the purpose of evading the law of the State prohibiting the circulation of a certain denomination. From the minutes of the directors, it is impossible to ascertain the amount of notes prepared and put into circulation. The only entries to be found are the following: 20th July, 1838 Resolved, That the president and cashier sign notes for circulation to the amount of $30,000." "August 15, 1828. Ordered that the officers of the bank execute the ba'ance of the paper now on hand, for circulation." So far as it relates to the amount put into circulation, no means are efforded by any of this nominal to arrive at conclusion. are nutes made any We directory, therefore entire dri ven to the testimony, he states, that'the amount prepared for circulation was, 311,000; and of this sum, there was burnt, about the time of the passage of the law repealing the charter of the German Bank of Wooster, and necessarily, must now resum of $65,000 in or $246,000, main the there circulation, unaccounted for; which nearly corresponde with the amount unredeemed on the general ledger, of 63,445 dollars. testimony, it appears there in circulation at the In was McMillen's time of the that fai122,000 dollars, consequentdollars must have lure ly 60,000 of the bank, been purchased their by the agents of Bentley, upon his or terms; and estimating the value paid we have the testimony of the persons employed in redeeming their paper. John Hamm swears-That Wm. McComb, the has received at his store, in exfor goods six thousand or more change president, Bank dollars of Wooster of the paper of the German and applied the same in discharge of his own indebtedness to the Bank to the amount of and the residue to of of Benjamin assig2,200 notes purchased dollare, Bentley, payment nee of said Bank; that the amount of bondy or notes belonging to the bank was about 4,000 dollars; that deponent declines giving the names of the persons indebted to the banks on the bonds or notes purchased. James Grant swears, that about two months since he sold to Anthony Wright, a clerk in the store of Wm. McComb, the president of the German Bank of Wooster, paper to said bank, to 100 dollars at 32 per cent discount. Nentzer festifies to the for sold in the store Samuel goods of Wm. prices McComb, paid in at about 25 per cent advance, when paid the notes of the German Bank of Wooster. swears-That at the time the bank failed, he was to 1,500 dollars, and paid pa. since the 6th of September, 1841. Win.Childs indebted and Bank since he has of in Wooster, exchanged own per; with B. Bentley, the paper of the German to the amount of about 5,500 dollars, or, 6,000 dollars for bonds &c. due said bank, that within a few days he has taken notes of the bank at 50 per cent. discount, that about three weeks ago the he selected a lot of unsaleable goods, and placed them on counter to exchange for the paper of the German Bank of Woo ster, that he has purchased of B. Bentley real estate to the am- of ount of 3,000 dollars, which he is to pay for in the paper the German Bank of Wooster; that he made the purchase abou the middle of last week." 5th February, 1842. Wm. Armstrong testifies to nearly the same facts. Shaz Bentley swears,that he was present at the time that bank the transfer was made to B. Bentley, of all the effects of the except the liabilities of such holders as wished to discharge their indebtedness by a transfer of stock to the bank; that he was indebted to the bank, at the time failed about 2,300 dollars to 0- B. and above his deposits, that his bond was assigned Bank ver and has been paid for in notes of the German and that he has also purchased of and paid for them in the paper of Bentley notes Wooster, due the bank, obtained of B the Bentley Ger of Wooster, which notes were mostly on man a discount of fifty per cent prethe which money is to be applied to the sent sale week, Bank of goods at B. Bentley. during payment the of a B. tract of land Harris bought swears. of that he has nurchased 7 or 800 dolH.
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BANK COMMISSIONERS REPORT. We this week give the report of the Bank Commissioners, on the affairs of the German Bink of Wooster, omitting the documents appended thereto, as the report itself contains their substance. And what a spectacle does it present to the country of this rotten and defunct concern? We haye heard of rascality before-of John Law, of Nick Biddle, of Sam Swartwout, and a hundred other Financiers, but of all the Bank rascality, and Bank villainy, that has ever come to light since the day old Adam packed up his duds and made tracks from the garden of Eden, the career of Bentley eclipses all, when we take into consideration the circumstances by which he was surrounded. Let every man read this repert- especially those who were swindled by that bank. It will show you some of the mysteries of this thing called "Banking," so extensively carried on in these modern times. Follow up Mr. Bentley- mark his course from year to year-his violations all laws-his mode of making officers-rais= ing the wind-expanding and contracting-getting in debt, and out of debt-and all the minor points of financiering, necessary for carrying on his system of uni. versal plunder and robbery-sum all these up, and you have the organization of the whole plan by which a dozen other corporations have filched from the laboring classes of Ohio, more than a million of dollars within the last 18 months. But how could they succeed so long without being found out, asks a friend? The truth is, they were aided by a party-assisted by paity leaders-screened from the public eye by party men. Bentley_himself, was a Whig leader, and stumper of 1840-his accomplices were whig loadera-h bank was a whig engine devoted to corrupting and debauching honest men from their true principles, to the support of Tip, and Tom,' and as a matter of course, the whigs upheld it, and prevented its enormous frauds from being exposed sooner. We have evidence of this, from the facts that the banks shut their doors against the Bank Commissioners; the Whig legislature sustained them, and afterward repealed the Bank Commissioner law altogether. And when the last Democratic legislature re-instated the Bank Com missioners, a majority of the Whigs voted against iteven Governor Corwin refused to acknowledge their bonds, thus virtually sanctioning this bank robbery. On the passage of the hill to repeal the German Bank of Wooster's charter, after its frauds were known, a ma jority of Whigs voted against the measure also These facts cannot be denied, and go to prove that Bentley would have been in the penitentiary long ago, had not the leaders of the Whig party, from Corwin down, aided, abetted, connived at, and protected him in all his rascality from the day of the Bank's resuscitation, to the day the Commissioners seized upon its effects. Bentley has run off; so have the Wellman's, we understand, but that is nothing. The whig leaders are their accessories. They should and will be made responsible for all the fraud and villainy perpetrated upon the people by this swindling institution: