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DEPOSITORS AWED BY PILES OF GOLD IT STOPS RUN ON BANK OF PITTSBURG FOLLOWING FLIGHT OF CASHIER. THE STORY IS DENIED By President That Missing Man Ab. sconded With Sum Rumored From $50,000 to $100,000. Pitsburg, Pa. Jan. -The run on the Washington National bank of Pittsburg, which began yesterday afternoon, continued throughout all today, but tonight it is thought the run has been broken. The sight of immense piles of gold, silver and bank notes piled inside the bank railings all days appears to have a good effect on the army of depositors, who dash. ed for the bank at all hours today, bank book in hand. The run was brought about by infor mation coming to depositors of the bank that Cashier S. C. Armstrong had disappeared some time ago and that every effort had ben made by the officers of the bank to keep this from the public. Th's was true. It developed that Cashier Armstrong mysteriously disappeared from the bank on the aftternoon of January 2. Since that time the authorities in different parts of the country have been loking for him. A poster with his picture and description has been sent out by Super intendent of Detectives McQuade, who tonight offered $200 reward for information regarding his whereabouts. Defalcation Rumored. The information also came to the stockholders that Armstrong had absconded with from $50,000 to $100,000 of the bank's money and it was this that started the run. When President Reilly tonight reached a spot where he could breathe he denied that Armstrong had taken one cent of the bank's money. He said the cashier had simply di sappeared mysteriously and that his accounts were found to be in the best of shape. President Reilly admitted that he had suppressed the news of the cashier's disappearance to prevent a run. When the run opened shortly after noon yesterday there were scores of depositors who drew their money be fore time for closing the bank. It was seen that the reaf trouble would come this morning when those who had heard the story of the missing cashier and the rumor of defalcation had time to scatter the inf rmation and the bank people made haste to get in shape to meet any contingency It is tonight claimed that as early as noon yesterday word was sent to New York for a consignment of money to be rushed to Pritsburg to meet the expected run. When the doors of the bank swung open at 9 o'clock this morning to ad mit about 100 scired depositors the counters simply groaned under the weight of gold and silver. One of the bank employes admitted tonight that there was just $700,000 in sight when the bank opened. The story that the bank was re-inforced by almost $1,000. 000 during the night finds credence in Pittsburg. Awed By Piles of Money. The money in sight seemed to have a good effect on the depositors, and the line soon fell off. but depositors kept coming all the day in little knots. One Hebrew merchant had been out of town when he heard of the cashier having gone, and he ran all the way from the country, almost dropping from exhaustion as he landed in the bank with his book. He took it all out and had to have three friends help him carry the money home. for his account netted $14,000. It was said at the bank this evening that as soon as the same merchant got his breath he came back with the money There were several scenes like this. but by the time to close the bank this even ing the scare seemed to have sub idea The Washington National Bank is considered one of the best banks in the vicinity of Pittsburg though a comnaratively young affair. It was organ ized in April, 1903. with a capital of $200,000. In connection with a trust company operated by the bank it has on deposit. according to last reports $1,250,000. John C. Reilly, the prestdent. is one of the city's most substan tial men and John Larkin city com troller, is one of the directors. There are no city or state funds in the bank
