17960. Farmers & Merchants Bank (Crescent, OK)

Bank Information

Episode Type
Run → Suspension → Reopening
Bank Type
state
Start Date
September 1, 1931*
Location
Crescent, Oklahoma (35.953, -97.595)

Metadata

Model
gpt-5-mini
Short Digest
7cda0577

Response Measures

Full suspension, Books examined

Other: State banking department took charge and receiver (Guthrie Benjamin) appointed.

Description

Local articles report a malignant rumor that started a small run, followed by the state banking department taking charge and appointment of a receiver on 1931-09-16 because of farm loans that could not be readily liquidated. The bank was reopened about one month later after depositors agreed to leave funds until Jan 1933; later dividends were paid (March 1932). I corrected OCR errors in Article 1 (receiver name 'Guthrie Benjamin' and date Sept 16).

Events (4)

1. September 1, 1931* Run
Cause
Rumor Or Misinformation
Cause Details
Malignant rumors circulated causing timid depositors to withdraw funds, initiating a small run.
Measures
Directors decided they could not run the risk of waiting; later depositors signed agreements to keep funds in bank when reopening.
Newspaper Excerpt
Malignant rumor had started small run on the bank and its influence could not be judged. A few timid souls had withdrawn accounts
Source
newspapers
2. September 16, 1931 Suspension
Cause
Bank Specific Adverse Info
Cause Details
Frozen/illiquid farm loans (agricultural loan portfolio) left assets unavailable, prompting the state banking department to take charge and the bank to close.
Newspaper Excerpt
Guthrie Benjamin has been appointed receiver for ... Farmers and Merchants bank of the Crescent, which failed to open its for business, Tuesday, September 16. The state banking department was charge of the bank Tuesday morning when the bank failed open. Farm loans that could not be readily liquidated were responsible for closing the institution.
Source
newspapers
3. October 1, 1931* Reopening
Newspaper Excerpt
The bank was closed in September because of frozen assets and reopened month later when depositors signed an agreement to leave their money in the bank until January, 1933.
Source
newspapers
4. March 31, 1932 Other
Newspaper Excerpt
A dividend of 20 per cent will be within the next few paid days the Farmers and Merchants bank ... The accounts will be charged with 20 per cent the deposit and that sum be placed to the credit of account.
Source
newspapers

Newspaper Articles (4)

Article from Oklahoma State Register, September 17, 1931

Click image to open full size in new tab

Article Text

to Realize Big Depositors Expected Part of Their Money from Bank Guthrie Benjamin has been appointed receiver for zen, Farmers and Merchants bank of the Crescent, which failed to open its for business, Tuesday, September 16. Announcement of the appointment Weinberger receiver was Thursday from the office of Oklahoma state bank commissioner. The state banking department was charge of the bank Tuesday morning when the bank failed open. Farm loans that could not be readily liquidated were responsible for closing the institution. was said. Officials of the bank include Hugh Adams, president; Ernest Williams acting cashier and Alleen Adams, sistant cashier. was predicted that depositors would lose little If of their any posits. the comes from pioneer Guthrie and Logan county family. He majored in accountancy while attending college.


Article from The Logan County News, September 17, 1931

Click image to open full size in new tab

Article Text

EDITORIAL (Countinued from page 1) There seems to be no question that the Farmers and Merchants Bank solvent. The directors and officers, all Crescent men and all vitally interested in Crescent, felt they could not run the risk of waiting until there was danger of insolvency. Malignant rumor had started small run on the bank and its influence could not be judged. A few timid souls had withdrawn accounts and bank, regardless of its rating. can withstand a continuance of withdrawals. The Farmers and Merchants bank has lived up to its slogan, "The Bank That Backs the Farmer" since was established in 1902 with Arno Beyer as president and Hugh Adams as cashier. Money has always


Article from Harlow's Weekly, September 19, 1931

Click image to open full size in new tab

Article Text

Bankers About Banl ALINE BANK SUPPORTED OLLOWING a run on the Bank of Aline, recently, operations of the bank were suspended temporarily, the officials having decided not to resume business until assured that customers would not start another run. While the doors were not closed, no money was being paid out nor deposits received. An official of the state banking department found the bank in good condition, and after a few days suspension, operations were resumed. In this interval, pledges were obtained from more than 90 per cent of the depositors, not to withdraw their deposits. the run which threatened the security of the bank was caused by rumors which had been current for some days, that the bank was closely connected with another institution which was known to be in financial difficulties. The Alva Review Courier comments on the handling of this emergency, with praise for the banking department, as follows: A real and apparently honest effort is being made by the state banking department to save the bank at Aline. It is a very commendable effort and the department should receive the hearty co-operation of the depositors of the institution and of the people of the Aline community. In the past the policy of the banking departments, not only of Oklahoma, but of other states and of the nation has been entirely too cut and dried. In hundreds of cases sympathetic working out of the problems of the troubled bank in a manner similar to the Aline case would have saved depositors every cent of their deposits. A policy of requiring banks to be absolutely liquid-meaning that all notes can be collected on their due date-dões not work in such times as these-in fact never has worked. If a bank has paid as much as fifty per cent under a receivership, it would have paid in full under careful and supervised control of the banker. We commend the banking department for their efforts to keep the bank open and predict that with co-operation on the part of the community the bank will be saved. Certainly the matter is being handled in the right manner. MORTGAGE NOT PRIOR LIEN RECENT suit in district court at DunA can brought the ruling that taxes are a lien prior to a mortgage, on chattels, and last week the First National Bank of Comanche failed in its suit for injunction to prevent the sheriff from selling for taxes, livestock on which the bank held a mortgage. The bank is expected to appeal the decision to the Supreme Court. BANK CLOSED THE Farmers and Merchants Bank of Crescent was closed last week, with the state banking department taking charge. Farm loans which could not readily be liquidated were given as the cause for the bank's trou- ble. It is considered, however, that a high per cent of the loans are collectible, and that there will be little or no loss to deposi- tors when the bank is liquidated.


Article from The Logan County News, March 31, 1932

Click image to open full size in new tab

Article Text

Payments Will Be Made Soon Holders of Old Deposits to Be Given Cash Credit A dividend of 20 per cent will be within the next few paid days the Farmers and Merchants bank according to Beyer, president The bank was closed in September because of frozen assets and reopened month later when depositors signed an agreement to leave their money in the bank until January, 1933. The first money collected was used to cover accounts, such the post the the school district and other public accounts. Through local collection and with the Federal Finance Corporation, bank is enabled now to depositors amount carried by the bank The accounts will be charged with 20 per cent the deposit and that sum be placed to the credit of account. subject to check any time Every dollar of these new counts will be kept in cash serve. The expenses the new bank more than paid for by the interest collected notes of the old bank SO that no money needed run the new bank at time Adams is vice-president the bank and Ernest Williams is acting cashier