Commercial Savings & Trust Company (Akron, OH)

Episode Information

Episode UID
56006271598
Episode Type
Run โ†’ Suspension โ†’ Closure
Bank Type
trust
Bank ID
5600627 routing
Routing Number
56-0062
Start Date
February 27, 1933
Location
Akron, Ohio (41.081, -81.519)

Metadata

Model
gemini-3-flash-preview (chosen from majority vote of a three-model LLM ensemble)
Short Digest
a583093756e19332

Response Measures

None

Description

The bank restricted withdrawals in February 1933 (partial suspension) and failed to reopen after the March 1933 federal holiday.

Events (4)

1. February 27, 1933 Run
Cause
Macro News
Cause Details
Heavy withdrawals in anticipation of emergency banking laws and systemic instability in Ohio.
Measures
Restricted savings deposit withdrawals to 1 per cent per month; abnormal checking account withdrawals not honored.
Newspaper Excerpt
Akron's five banks - First Central Trust Co., Firestone Park Trust & Savings Bank, the Commercial Bank & Trust Co., the Dime Savings Bank Co., and the Standard Savings Bank-restricted savings deposit withdrawals.
Source
newspapers
2. February 27, 1933 Suspension
Cause
Macro News
Cause Details
Partial suspension of payments (1% rule) due to heavy withdrawals and state-wide banking distress.
Newspaper Excerpt
today placed restrictions on heavy withdrawals in anticipation of emergency banking laws
Source
newspapers
3. March 6, 1933 Suspension
Cause
Government Action
Cause Details
National banking holiday and subsequent failure to receive a license to reopen.
Newspaper Excerpt
failed to receive a license to reopen after the national banking holiday last March.
Source
newspapers
4. August 22, 1933 Other
Newspaper Excerpt
investigation of three other closed Akron banks, the Commercial Savings & Trust Co., the First City Trust and the Central Depositors & Trust, to State banking officials for suitable action.
Source
newspapers

Newspaper Articles (2)

Article from Evening Star, February 27, 1933

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Article Text

WITHDRAWALS CUT BY 20 OHIO BANKS Institutions With $815,000,000 in Deposits Await Legislative Action. By the Associated Press. COLUMBUS, Ohio, February 27.Twenty Ohio Banks, all but two in Cleveland, Akron, Dayton and Ycungstown, today placed restrictions on heavy withdrawals in anticipation of emergency banking laws Gov. George White promised to offer to the current Legislature. On the basis of December 31, 1932, statements. the institutions had more than $815,000,000 in deposits and more than $1,025,000,000 in rescurces. Both in Akron and Cleveland, the banks announced future deposits would be set aside and not be placed under the restrictions. All Dayton banks closed for a three-day holiday. One Refuses to Participate. All eight of Cleveland's banks opened as usual, but six of them limited withto 5 per and a seventh, a Trust, drawals deposits, placed temporarily restriction the of Guardian cent 1 per of cent. The eighth, the National City Bank, declined to participate and announced it would conduct business on a normal basis. The six which limited withdrawals cent of deposits were the Bank, National Cleveland to American 5 per Savings Bank, Central Trust United Co., Lorain Street Savings & Trust Co., Society for Savings and Union Trust Co. While they placed no specified limit, the Union National and the Mahoning National Banks at Ycungstown announced they would restrict large and unusual withdrawals. Sufficient funds will be paid cut on demand, they said, to prevent inconvenience to customers. One Per Cent Per Month. Akron's five banks - First Central Trust Co., Firestone Park Trust & Savings Bank, the Commercial Bank & Trust Co., the Dime Savings Bank Co., and the Standard Savings Bank-restricted savings deposit withdrawals. to 1 per cent per month. "Abnormal" checking account withdrawals will not be honored under a complicated system. The four banks of Dayton-the Winters National, the Third National, the Merchants National and the Morris Plan-declared a three-day holiday under a declaration by the city commission and mayor. The Clinton Savings Bank Co., near Akron, announced it would follow the lead of Akron banks. The First American Trust Co. of Lima, Ohio, limited withdrawals to 2 per cent of deposits. There was no announced action to interrupt normal banking elsewhere in the State. Gov. White declined to divulge the nature of the proposed legislation. Manager G. A. Stephenson of the Cleveland Clearing House Association, however, said the suggested laws would "enable the superintendent of banks, with the approval of the Governor and attorney general, to stop or limit withdrawals from Ohio banks."


Article from Evening Star, August 22, 1933

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Article Text

OHIO BANKERS INDICTED. Six Heads of Closed Institution Accused of Misapplying Funds. AKRON, Ohio, August 22 (A)).-The Summit County grand jury today indicted six former officers of the FirstCentral Trust Co. for misapplication of funds. The First-Central was Akron's largest bank at the time it failed to receive a license to reopen after the national banking holiday last March. The indictments named men who have been leaders in both Akron and Ohio banking circles. Prosecutor Ray B. Watters said he would ask a Federal investigation of the bank's closing. Sterling B. Cramer, who was president of the First-Central from November, 1932. to June, 1933, was indicted in connection with the alleged withdrawal by the B. F. Goodrich Co. of $294.600 and by the Enterprise Manufacturing Co. of $60,700 after restrictions had been placed on withdrawals last February. Cramer now is executive vice president of Cincinnati's FifthThird Union Trust Co. George H. Dunn, former vice chairman of the First-Central board and former president of the Ohio Bankers' Association, was named with George W. Merz, Charles and Walter Herberich and William J. Ruof for alleged substitution of trust department securities for other collateral in a loan of nearly $1,000,000 to the First-Central by the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. The grand jury, in a supplementary report asserted the present condition of the county's unlicensed banks was due largely to inadequacy and laxity of the banking laws. and incompetence, laxity, neglect and inefficiency by those charged with administering these laws. Incompetence was charged to certain banking officials and directors. "The jury has found." it said, "numerous instances of irregularities which are not of a criminal nature, such as splitting of commissions, preferences to certain depositors and borrowers, and so-called 'window-dressing'.'' The jury recommended that the county prosecutor forward the facts disclosed in its investigation of three other closed Akron banks, the Commercial Savings & Trust Co., the First City Trust and the Central Depositors & Trust, to State banking officials for "suitable action." It also recommended revision of the State banking laws. The report, climaxing nine weeks of investigation, followed sensational disclosures of large loans to officers by the two large closed Cleveland banks. the Union Trust Co. and the Guardian Trust Co. A State Senate committee is investigating those banks. which together listed more than $300,000,000 deposits in their last December 31 statement.