Bank of Sutton - Sutton, WV

Bank Information

Episode Type: Suspension → Closure
Bank Type: state
Start Date: January 1, 1914*
Location: Sutton, West Virginia (38.665, -80.710)

Metadata

Model: gpt-5-mini
Short Digest: 41f39010

Response Measures

None

Description

Article (1922-06-27) recounts that the Bank of Sutton ceased to exist in 1914 after a disappearance and a $25,000 shortage; arrest of the alleged embezzler (Homer H. Dean) occurred in 1922. OCR errors corrected (e.g., names and dates). No mention of a depositor run; failure appears due to embezzlement, and the bank closed permanently.

Events (2)

1. January 1, 1914* Suspension

Cause: Bank Specific Adverse Info
Cause Details: Embezzlement by bank officer Homer H. Dean creating a reported $25,000 shortage; bank ceased to exist in 1914 as a result.
Newspaper Excerpt: One evening he disappeared. And that same night the word around that he had taken all once filled the coffers of the The bank ceased to exist and there. Hundreds lost dollar in the world.
Source: newspapers

2. June 27, 1922 Other

Newspaper Excerpt: SHIER OF BANK APTURED AFTER 8-YEAR SEARCH H. Dean Now in Jail at Charleston, for Embezzlement at Sutton. ... He was indicted in 1914 on charge of violating the banking law in connection [with] a $25,000 shortage of the funds.... His arrest ... was a great relief to me, I am now ready to the charges. (article recounting arrest.)
Source: newspapers

Newspaper Articles (1)

1. June 27, 1922 The West Virginian Fairmont, WV

Article from The West Virginian, June 27, 1922

Click image to open full size in new tab

Article Text

SHIER OF BANK APTURED AFTER 8-YEAR SEARCH H. Dean Now in Jail at harleston, for Embezzlement at Sutton. 27. June ARLESTON, in the dirt and the filth of wha County jail today a man prime of life, endowed with and intelligence, is waiton the call of the courts, ning under the black cloud of A week age the big jourof the Midwest were "smearacross the first page in picand prose, making him inusly famous. Today he is one of scores huddled in the S place of horrors. S name is Homer H. Dear, for eight years he had been a live from justice. And he is if one may take his for it-in his squalor than as in his home with his wife baby. No longer is he in fear eing caught. He is caught. future is out of his hands. years ago he was a promcitizen of Sutton, the largest in Braxton County. He was and vice-president of a One evening he disappearAnd that same night the word around that he had taken all once filled the coffers of the The bank ceased to exist and there. Hundreds lost dollar in the world. Even fortune of $70,000 was The octupus they call spechad sucked him down. that happened in 1914. Now returns to West Virginia declarations of innocence of relief. He was arrested in innati recently in the office of ncern where his rise to a success had been rapid. really a great relief. The has been terrible even I felt I had completely my old identity and that I safe. My arrest was a great to me, I am now ready to the charges." was indicted in 1914 on charge of violating the nabanking law in connection a $25,000 shortage of the funds. 's Columbus, his wife, known Henry D. Holt, the name by him after his flight Sutton, awaits what may They have a 2-year-old "They will be the ones will suffer more than I" Dean under the name of Holt. a position with an alumcompany sortly after his defrom Sutton, federal declare, and traveled for oncern in various parts of the Three years ago he was district sales manager with quarters in Columbus where tablished a home. His arrest in the Cincinnati office concern by Deputy United Marshal Thomas Donovan special agents of the Departof Justice. He was arraigned United States CommissionGregory and held under bond. His removal to leston, where the indictment returned against him, follownext day. an, following his arrest, adthat he had assumed the of Holt, but refused to disthe charges against him exto deny that he had commitany crime or had embezzled of the bank