23226. First National Bank (Torrington, WY)

View Charter #9289 on SPMC

Bank Information

Episode Type
Suspension → Closure
Bank Type
national
Bank ID
9289
Charter Number
9289
Start Date
January 12, 1924
Location
Torrington, Wyoming (42.062, -104.184)

Metadata

Model
gpt-5-mini
Short Digest
d1bf5175

Response Measures

None

Receivership Details

Depositor recovery rate
85.9%
Date receivership started
1924-12-16
Date receivership terminated
1930-03-01
OCC cause of failure
Economic conditions
Share of assets assessed as good
67.3%
Share of assets assessed as doubtful
6.7%
Share of assets assessed as worthless
26.0%

Description

Contemporary articles show First National Bank of Torrington closed its doors on January 12, 1924 and was placed in receivership. Multiple later articles (1925, 1927, 1930) reference receivers and receivership activity (claims, dividends, sale of property). No article describes a depositor run; events are consistent with suspension and permanent closure with a receiver appointed.

Events (6)
1. December 10, 1908 Chartered
Source
historical_nic
2. January 12, 1924 Suspension
Cause Details
Article states the bank closed its doors on January 12, 1924 but gives no specific cause (no run or reason described).
Newspaper Excerpt
First National Bank of Torrington, which closed its doors on January 12, 1924.
Source
newspapers
3. December 16, 1924 Receivership
Source
historical_nic
4. January 21, 1925 Receivership
Newspaper Excerpt
B. Kelley has arrived in Torrington to take over the affairs of the First National bank as receiver. M. F. Dalley was appointed assistant receiver.
Source
newspapers
5. August 26, 1927 Receivership
Newspaper Excerpt
Burdett Kelly of Torrington, who is the receiver of that institution. ... Some hundred or more persons who have right to file claims against the receivership of the late First National bank have not done so, according to Hon. Burdett Kelly ...
Source
newspapers
6. March 13, 1930 Other
Newspaper Excerpt
J. P. Rigler, bank receiver, recently received instructions to issue dividend checks of 5.9 per cent to depositors of the First National Bank of Torrington, which closed its doors on January 12, 1924. ... This concludes the receivership of the First National bank.
Source
newspapers

Newspaper Articles (8)
1. January 21, 1925 The Cody Enterprise Cody, WY
Article from The Cody Enterprise, January 21, 1925

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Article Text

LATE NEWS From All Over WYOMING Declaring that he had fired only after he himself had been held up and shot at, Millerino Cortino of Medicine Bow gave himself up to the police following the death of Andrese Vela, whom he is said to have shot through the heart. The action of the jury, which rendered a verdict of guilty, and the sen:ence Imposed by Judge C. O. Brown, presiding over the 1923 fall term of the District Court, in the case of Lynn 2 Skinner, tried for arson, was sus :ained in a decision handed down in Lusk by the Supreme Court of Wyoning. The total number of standardized schools in Platte county was increased O twenty-two with the award of standard plates to the Keas, Muir and Ayers schools in district 9, and the Waters, Jones-Hytrek and Sudbury schools in district 13. District 9 now eads the state in the number of standardized schools. Due to the serious outbreak of a lowl pest, which is sweeping over sevgral states, killing many fowls, a quarintine has been ordered against the importation of fowls by the state of Wyoning. The quarantine bars any shipnent of hens, roosters, capons, chickens, geese, ducks, turkeys and pigeons. The quarantine covers shipments into Wyoming from every state in the Union and the District of Columbia. The total value of Wyoming crops this year is estimated at $29,125,000, or $1,015,000 less than that of 1923, according to the annual crop report 18sued by the U. S. Division of Crops and Livestock estimates. The farm value for all crops is somewhat higher this year than last, but due to the ower yields of hay, the all important :rop, and corn and potatoes, the total value is lower. Statistics for 1924 show the petroleum Industry leads all other industries n Wyoming for the year just ended, although the production figures for the year did not quite equal the total output for 1923. Total production in the state for 1924, with the month of Derember estimated. is placed at 40,761,367 barrels. with an estimated valuadon of $191,571,425 after converted into refinery products. Hot ashes, carelessly placed in wooden containers or near combustible material, were responsible for more fires in Cheyenne during the year 1924 than any other one thing, according to the annual report of Fire Chief John W. Bates, which was made public by Mayor Allison last week. Hot ashes were responsible for twenty-four fires during the year, according to the report, with an approximate fire loss of $4,000. Two convicts at the Wyoming penitentiary at Rawlins became free through Christmas clemency exercised by Acting Governor Frank E. Lucas, on recommendations by the State Pardon Board. C. R. Pierce, sent up from Cheyenne In 1920 for from eight to ten years for automobile theft, was pardoned. Joe Omeye, sent up from Green River in 1920 to serve from twenty to twenty-one years for murder in the second degree, was paroled. B. Kelley has arrived in Torrington to take over the affairs of the First National bank as receiver. Beet checks have been returned to the farmers except in cases where the farmers had a note in the bank against them. M. F. Dalley was appointed assistant receiver. Joe Wilde of Lingle was appointed receiver for the Lingle State bank for six months without pay by Judge C. O. Brown. Joe McLonald, formerly cashier, was appointed assistant cashier. Receipts of the Natrona county clerk's office during the last year in filing fees and other perquisites amounted to $26,800, an increase over uo 000'9$ JO V 000'9$ JO 1928 operation of the office was turned over to the county treasurer by Alma Hawley, who retired as county clerk change the with

2. October 9, 1925 The Gering Courier Gering, NE
Article from The Gering Courier, October 9, 1925

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Article Text

Notice of Sheriff's Sale By virtue of an Order of Sale issued out of the District Court of Scotts Bluff County, Nebraska. and in pursuance of the decree of said court in an action pending therein, wherein E. H. Price was plaintiff and Oscar W. Gardner, Margaret Gardner, wife of Oscar W. Gardner, City National Bank, Lincoln, Nebraska, corporation, Omaha National Bank, Omaha, Nebraska, a corporation, ing, National Park Bank of New York, corporation, First National Bank of Torrington, Wyoming, a corporation, Burdett Kelly. receiver, of First National Bank of Torrington. Wyoming, Stanley Williams, and William C. Redfield. were defendants. will at one o'clock P. M. on the 19th day of October. 1925. at the east front door of the Scotts Bluff County Court House, sell at public auction to the highest bidder for cash the following

3. August 26, 1927 The Gering Courier Gering, NE
Article from The Gering Courier, August 26, 1927

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Article Text

THESE ENTITLED TO FILE THEIR CLAIMS BANK RECEIVER SAYS NONE ARE ON RECORD WITH HIM Burdett Kelly Advises Courier of List Who Have Unclaimed Credits Against First National Bank Some hundred or more persons who have right to file claims against the receivership of the late First National bank have not done so, according to Hon. Burdett Kelly of Torrington, who is the receiver of that institution. The Courier is glad to publish the names furnished for the benefit of its readers who may be on the list. It is not a matter of our as to how much or little each claim may represent, nor are we able to say what percentage of the claims will be paid, but those who are interested can procure information as to procedure by addressing Mr. Kelly at Torrington, Wyo. The list follows: Otto Abraham; Moses Banta; Fannie Barger; Carmie Barton; Arthur Bass; John Bauer; Chas. Beatty; Carl Decker: Vernon Bowen; J. Boyer; A. S. Bracken; Oral Brown; W. O. Brown, treasurer; W. J. Burdess; C. B. Burns; Conrad Carlson; Leila Carpenter; Chas. L. Carr; S. M. Clark; A. Coberly; Wm. Dennison; R. W. Dewey; Ray Dickinson; Mrs. H. E. Duclose; Geo. and Mrs. Durmin: G. H. Ellis; Elpworth League M. E. church; Foos & Lopez; Albert Fisher; Char(Continued on page eight)

4. March 13, 1930 Jackson's Hole Courier Jackson, WY
Article from Jackson's Hole Courier, March 13, 1930

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WYOMING PARAGRAPHS Secretaries of all county fair assoclations in Wyoming met in Casper recently, with L. T. Oldroyd, state commissioner of agriculture. Fire of unknown origin destroyed the large boller house and pump station of the Dallas Dome Wyoming on Co., sixteen miles south of Lander. Construction of a south wall at the state penitentiary in Rawlins to inclose the cellhouse, will start within a month, according to statement is sued by Ross H. Alcorn, state auditor. Stockholders of the Rock Springs North Side State bank have voted to increase the capital stock of the institution from $25,000 to $100,000. At the same time the surplus of the bank will be increased by $25,000 to keep it equal to the capital stock, the total increase of resources being $50,000. Natural Fort, a sandstone formation in Colorado, sixteen miles south of Cheyenne, which, as Its name infers, resembles the popular conception of a fortress, will become public property and be improved as a place of public resort, If a movement sponsored by a group of citizens of Greeley, Colo., is successful. The internal revenue bureau at Washington has ruled the Wyoming license tax on gasoline is deductible for federal income tax purposes only by wholesalers. The bureau held, however, that If the tax is added to or made part of the business expense of the wholesaler, it cannot be deducted by him separately as a tax. J. P. Rigler, bank receiver, recently received instructions to issue dividend checks of 5.9 per cent to depositors of the First National Bank of Torring ton, which closed its doors on January 12, 1924. This makes a total dividend of 85.9 per cent to depositors of the defunct institution. This concludes the receivership of the First National bank. Seeking damages of $7,725 and oth. er relief, five suits were filed in District Court in Sheridan recently, by Frank Wondra against six fire insurance companies. Together with a sixth suit already filed, which asks $875, the total asked by the plaintiff in connection with the burning of his soft drink parlor and store at Dietz, Sept. 11, 1929, is $8,600. Entering a plea of not guilty, James G. Spiegel, Lusk grocer, was bound over to the March term of District Court after a preliminary hearing in Lusk on a charge of felonious assault with intent to commit murder. The specific charge against Spiegel is that he attacked W. Harold Burkholder, county treasurer, with a butcher knife when the latter called to collect delinquent taxes. The Hot Springs county tuberculosis chest clinic, held in Thermopolis recently, was said to have been most successful. It was attended by many persons in Thermopolis, including doctors and nurses, residents of Thermopolis, who helped Dr. R. H. Kanable of the state tuberculosis sanitarium and Miss Edith Stallard, examine ninety-two persons. Out of the number, seventeen were found actually to have tuberculosis. There will be more fish in Wyoming streams this season than in any other year in the state's history. Carl Lund, in charge of the fish division of the State Game and Fish Department, said this in Cheyenne upon his return from an inspection of hatcheries in Cokeville, Daniel and Evanston. State hatcheries will provide approximately 14,000,000 fish with which to stock Wyoming streams, and the federal government will furnish approximately 6,000,000 fish. Motor vehicle accidents took a larger toll of lives than any other accidental cause and resulted in the greatest number of injuries during the month of January, according to compilation made by the rehabilitation service of the State Department of Education. Of the total of 144 accidents recorded by the department during the month, sixty were caused by automobiles, 29 were classified as other public accidents, 26 were classified as employment accidents and 27 as home accidents. Deputies of the dairy, food and oil department of the State Department of Agriculture collected a total of 2,524 samples of various kinds of food in the state during the past year, ac cording to the report of Arling Gardner, chief deputy of the department, and of this total rejected 1,059 of the samples. The largest number of camples were collected of milk and ICE cream and of the 1,472 examinations made, 812 were rejected. Sixtyseven samples of the 162 collected of butter, cream and cheese collected were rejected and 31 samples were rejected of the 36 samples of canned fruit and vegetables that were subjected to department tests. The United States coast guard Is constructing four first-class cruising cutters at Oakland, Calif. They have been named for lakes in various parts of the country. One has been given the name Shoshone, for Shoshone lake in Yellowstone National park. The other names are Itasca, Sebago and Saranac. The third commercial oil well to be brought in by the Osage Trust Company within the last eighteen months, was dritied recently in the Osage field, near Newcastle, Ed Jones, Newcastle manager, announced.

5. July 24, 1931 The Gering Courier Gering, NE
Article from The Gering Courier, July 24, 1931

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LEGAL NOTICES Final Notice In the District Court of Scotts Bluff County, Nebraska. The State of Nebraska, Plaintiff, VS. the several parcels of land hereinafter described and all persons and corporations having or claiming title to or any interest, right or claim in or to such parcels of real estate or any part thereof, Defendants. Tract No. 587 To Margaret Gardner, owner, and First National Bank of Torrington, Wyoming, and F. L. Kokrda, Receiver of said bank, encumbrancers of the real estate described below: Notice is hereby given, that under a decree of the District Court of said county rendered in the State Tax Suit for the year 1928, the following described real estate,

6. December 8, 1933 The Gering Courier Gering, NE
Article from The Gering Courier, December 8, 1933

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DEAD IN TORRINGTON LOSS IN BUSINESS An explosion in the business section Torrington last night brought death young man by the name of Virgil caused many minor injuries and an estimated damage of 000. Very few windows were left the business section following the blast. The explosion which occurred in office location the First NationBank building was of unknown origin and was felt at six o'clock and followed by fire which was gutted the entire structure, beyond repair the builddamaging ing of the Standard Hardware joining. Citizens who happened to looking in the direction of the building heard the terrific plosion and saw of the ture thrown into the air they an altitude of feet. The block to the east and south of the damaged building with the debris which sisted splintered timbers small pieces of the tar paper The explosion was in all the homes that vicinity for tance of three four and ten miles heard destruction the First tional property almost beyond the property from the explosion and following Fortunately the time that the tragedy occurred all of the business places almost serted, due to the hour. Duckwas in the east room and buried by the falling debris. body was recovered later after fire was under control. Others were injured, apparently none seriously Sevpeople were injured by tered glass from the store windows. The Torrington fire department, assisted by departments from all the valley successful confining destruction to that corner the Troop of the Wyoming National Guard, assisted the local police patrolling the area, lage, and keeping people of the danger zone. The places obliterated by halocaust were, the room, the second hand store, Bloomer's news and variety store, the Chicago Market and the Cruse Shop, all the First National structure Collins, proprietor of the ChiMarket, heaviest loser. The Standard Hardware structure adjoining seriously damaged and stock of hardware furniture suffered heavy Hofgard the principal owner of the business. Within twenty minutes after the the streets of Torringcrowded with thousands people who came from the North Platte valley to the of destruction, sight that of the most unusual that has ever befallen Carpenters immediately secured and began boarding up the dows to protect the stocks before the fire was under control. Hundreds stories are told of the escapes and thrillincidents during the moments following of explosion mystery and will require an tensive to place the blame. An of is tant Torrington with countless rumors circulating. The building destroyed was one the foremost structures valley and built about 1921 for First National went into receivership in 1924 The post office was for ten years located room where the explosion occurred, but in July this year was transferred the handsome new federal building two north The propwas by group of citizens who purchased from the bank receiver and insurance coverage not known. Several small stores across the from the building suffered heavy damage from the explosion.

7. December 9, 1933 Star-Herald Scottsbluff, NE
Article from Star-Herald, December 9, 1933

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BLAST CAUSE- IS NOT YET NAMED (Continued from One) Parts of the old National-bank and the postoffice buildings were blown a distance of three blocks and windows in the courthouse, five blocks from the scene of the terrific blast, were broken. The fire which followed the explosion was placed under control last night but it flared again today. Time after time it was extinguished only to break out again. Cause of the explosion has not been determined officially but authorities expressed the belief It was caused by gas leaking from main in the old bank building. Mrs. Elmer Goltry, who with her husband owns a second hand store next to the old bank building said she was waiting on a customer when the explosion occurred. was in the store when someone, I don't know who lighted a match. she said. "There was a flash of light and that was last remember." Virgil Duckworth, employe of the Torrington plant of the Holly Sugar company, believed to have been in the second hand store, was killed. Harold Stowell, another factory employe, was critically hurt and Mr. and Mrs. Goltry were burned severely The other injured, most of them pedestrians, were struck by flying bits of glass. and other objects. None was in a critical condition The Goltrys' second hand store, the bank building and the Chicago market were demolished. A building directly opposite was badly damaged by the flying debris Members of the fire department, the American Legion and the National Guard fought the flames and preserved order in the town. It was bleak picture that greeted the townspeople who viewed the wrecked district this morning. "Torrington looks just like a shell torn town on the western front during the World war," said L. G. Flannery, ex-service man and editor of the Goshen News, In a dispatch to the Associated Press. Hardly business establishment in the town escaped damage.' Many Theories Heard Torrington was crowded with many observers, including insurance adjusters and agents, Friday as the Goshen capital began to revive from the devastating effects of the explosion, estimated to have caused more that $100,000 damage. A wide variety of theories were still in evidence, but the "most popular" appeared to be the exposion of gas, the use of nitro-glycerine, or the use of some other highly volatile explosive. Ben Buckshire, a well driller Iiving at the edge of Torrington, who will be a witness at the inquest this morning, was reported as being one of several who said they smelled gas in the building earlier in the day. He was said to have told Mrs. Goltry Thursday morning that he detected the odor of gas in the second hand store. On the other hand. Joe Fredericks, operator of a hamburger stand block north of the razed section and across the street from the Trail hotel, claimed he could plainly smell nitro-glycerin. He said, it was reported, he had worked in the off fields and was familiar with the odor of the explosive. He saw the flash and ran up the alley toward the buildings after the blast. H. C. Stowell, probably the most serious hurt of the quartet in the building when the explosion was touched off, will recover, is the belief of attending physicians. He was blown out of the building and almost across the street. His injuries consist of severe burns and cuts and several broken ribs. An x-ray examination revealed he did not sustain a broken back, as was feared. One of those hurt by flying glass was Mrs. Bernard Connolly formerly of Scottsbluff, it was learned yesterday. Mrs. Connolly, who was in the Connolly cafe, received cuts on the arms, legs and chest. Cleo Ide, who was crossing the street a block away, said explosion "felt" as if she had been struck in the face. Her ears were still ringing yesterday, she said. When the blast rattled the windows of the do Kline home, north of Morrill and 16 miles east of Torrington, Kline discovered pheasants excitedly crowing and screeching when he went to the door to investigate, he said. Too late, Mayor Clyde Smith, one of the co-owners of the old post oftice building, received a telegram yesterday from prospective purchaser who agreed to: take the fixtures price of $300. Since the post office was moved recently, the owners had been trying to dispose of the fixtures. Although they had an original value of $5,000, they had dropped in price several times and the deal could have been completed, ex-blast. The destroyed building was one of the best in the valley, it is said. It was constructed about 12 years ago for the First National bank, which went into receivership in 1924. It was purchased by Torrington group from the bank receiver.

8. December 14, 1933 The Western Nebraska Observer Kimball, NE
Article from The Western Nebraska Observer, December 14, 1933

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BLAST TAKES LIFE -$200,000 DAMAGE (Continued from first page) The Torrington fire department assisted by departments from all the valley towns, were successful in confining the destruction to that corner of the block. Troop E, of the Wyoming National Guard, assisted the local police in patrolling the area, preventing pillage, and keeping people out of the danger zone. The places obliterated by halocaust were, the card room, the second hand store, Bloomer's news and variety store, the Chicago Market, and the Cruse Shop, all in the First National structure. A. E. Collins, proprietor of the Chicago Market, is the heaviest loser. The Standard Hardware structure adjoining was seriously damaged and the stock of hardware and furniture suffered a heavy fire loss. H. C. Hofgard is the principal owner of the business. Within twenty minutes after the explosion the streets of Torrington were crowded with thousands of people who came from the North Platte valley to view the scene of destruction, a sight that is one of the most unusual that has ever befallen a town. Carpenters were immediately secured and began boarding up the windows to protect the stocks of merchandise even before the fire was under control. The building destroyed was one of the foremost structures in the valley and was built about 1921 for the First National bank which went into receivership in 1924. The post office was for ten years located in the room where the explosion occurred, but in July of this year was transferred to the new federal building two blocks north. The property was owned by a group of citizens who purchased it from the bank receiver.