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JENKS BANKER HELD IN FRAUD
J. B. Simmons Is Facing Charge of Accepting Deposit After Failure
SOLICITED MONEY
Charge He Urged Ice Company to Send in Cash After Learning of Crash
B. Simmons, president of the First State bank of Jenks which closed its doors July 3, was arrested for alleged violation of the state before Common Pleas Judge Saul A. Yager. He pleaded not guilty, and made his bond of $5,000. Simmons is accused of soliciting deposit of $220.40 from C. R: Fray, operator the Jenks Ice company, on the afternoon 3, after the banker had learned of the insolvenof his institution. State banking laws prohibit the acceptance of deposits by defunct banks Rumors of a threatened run on the bank caused it to close its doors July 3. according to an announcement by officials, who said at the they had full confidence in the institution's solvency, but desired an audit by the state bank examiner to restore the faith of worried deW. Schoffmer, Oklahoma City, state bank examiner, is conducting an audit of the First State bank now. He declined to make statement on the progress of his investigation Monday, saying that announcement of his findings will come through the state offices. Preliminary hearing for the bank president was set for July 26. The First State bank of Jenks failed several years ago, when It was operated as the Bank of Jenks. After the crash It was reorganized by R. E. E. Steigleder, who subsequently sold his Interest to Simmons, and went to Kiefer where he founded the First National bank. Steigleder is now facing charges of violating state and federal bankIng laws result of the collapse of the Kiefer bank and the Seminole, Okla., State bank. Simmons refused to make a statement on the arrest, except to deny that Steigleder had ever been connected with the bank. Tulsans long familiar with the institution, and the state examiners' records, furnished the Steigleder information.