5860. Indiana Trust Company (Indianapolis, IN)

Bank Information

Episode Type
Suspension → Reopening
Bank Type
trust company
Start Date
March 6, 1933
Location
Indianapolis, Indiana (39.768, -86.158)

Metadata

Model
gpt-5-mini
Short Digest
04eb72c0

Response Measures

None

Description

These articles describe the March 1933 bank holiday and the controlled reopening of Indianapolis banks, including the Indiana Trust Company. There is no evidence of a depositor run on this specific institution; rather it reopened under state/federal permits and uniform restrictions after the government-declared holiday. Dates: federal/state bank holiday began March 6, 1933; newspapers report reopening March 14–15, 1933.

Events (3)

1. March 6, 1933 Suspension
Cause
Government Action
Cause Details
State and federal authorities closed banks as part of the March 1933 banking holiday; institutions awaited examiners' permits to reopen.
Newspaper Excerpt
Permits for reopening were being issued as fast as conditions of the banks here and throughout the state can be determined by the state and federal authorities.
Source
newspapers
2. March 14, 1933 Other
Newspaper Excerpt
All the reopened banks will operate under uniform restrictions adopted by the Indianapolis Clearing House Association and the state banking department. These permit ordinary check transactions without limit; ban paying out of gold or gold certificates; ban cashing of checks drawn on another bank; limit paying of cash on checking accounts to $10 a day and on savings accounts to $10 a week, except for necessary purposes.
Source
newspapers
3. March 14, 1933 Reopening
Newspaper Excerpt
At the Indiana Trust Company, which opened at 8, officials said that there had been fewer than a dozen people in the lobby during the first hour of business. Our business during the morning was satisfactory ... Our deposits have been nearly normal and withdrawals have been slight. - Fred C. Dickson, Indiana Trust Company president (March 14-15, 1933). (Note: reopening reported across March 14-15, 1933.)
Source
newspapers

Newspaper Articles (3)

Article from The Indianapolis Times, March 14, 1933

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Article Text

them soon. Permits for reopening were being issued as fast as conditions of the banks here and throughout the state can be determined by the state and federal authorities. The Fletcher American National bank, status of which had not yet been checked by federal examiners, was ordered to reopen today to receive deposits in trust and conduct a limited business, pending issuance of a permit. Delay Is No Smirch State banking officials announced that the fact that a bank has not received a permit to reopen should not alarm depositors, as it has been impossible to examine condition of all banks in the brief period of time since powers of the state department were clarified. Indianapolis bankers were gratified with the signs of confidence in the banking situation expressed by their patrons. Few of the banks were crowded. Many persons visited the banks during the morning to cash pay roll checks, but most banks reported deposits far exceeded withdrawals. "I am glad the banks are open so I won't have to keep this around home," one bank patron remarked as he deposited a sum of cash and two pay roll checks. Guard Against Hoarding The banks today had printed statements to be signed by persons withdrawing substantial sums in cash, stating that the currency was not to be taken out of circulation or hoarded, but a survey at noon revealed that no banks had found it necessary to have any of the statements signed, as withdrawals were few and small. Checking of status of other banks is being conducted by state banking officials and it is expected that institutions which have not yet received permits to reopen will receive them soon. All the reopened banks will operate under uniform restrictions adopted by the Indianapolis Clearing House Association and the state banking department. These permit ordinary check transactions without limit; ban paying out of gold or gold certificates; ban cashing of checks drawn on another bank; limit paying of cash on checking accounts to $10 a day and on savings accounts to $10 a week, except for necessary purposes. The withdrawal limitations do not apply to segregated balances created on or after Feb. 27, when the 5 per cent withdrawal limitation went into effect. State Banks Reopen At the office of Governor Paul V. McNutt it was stated that about twenty state-chartered banks were in condition to resume business today. Wayne Coy, a McNutt secretary, announced that at no time would a bank advisory committee, working with the state banking department, announce a list of banks which are opened. State banks in cities not having clearing houses may be permitted to reopen Wednesday, it was stated at the statehouse. Other federal reserve system member banks notified to reopen this morning in Indiana included: Ft. Wayne, Lincoln National Bank and Trust Company, and Terre Haute, Terre Haute First National bank. "This is the best thing that ever happened," Fred C. Dickson, Indiana Trust Company president, said. "As soon as we get our banking situation cleared, let's keep it clear." Much Gold Received "Our business during the morning was satisfactory in every way. The public is showing a wonderful spirit. Our deposits have been nearly normal and withdrawals have been slight. In addition, we have been receiving large quantities of gold and gold certificates." Deposits at the Indiana National bank were three times as great as withdrawals during the morning, it was announced by Arthur V. Brown, president. He said there has been no demand for withdrawals from accounts opened after Feb. 27. The bank cashed a large number of pay roll checks, many bearers depositing a large part of the checks. Lobby of the Indiana National was (Turn to Page Seven)


Article from The Indianapolis Times, March 14, 1933

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Article Text

23 CITY BANKS ARE REOPENED FOR BUSINESS Financial Houses Operated Under Uniform Restrictions. (Continued from Page One) crowded throughout the morning, as citizens transacted their banking business for the last week. Many persons carried several pay roll checks, some of them bearing as many as three or four indorsements, indicating they had been circulated for cash during the bank holiday. There was a bustle of activity at the Merchants National bank, but no unusual crowds. Bank employes reported business was normal, with deposits exceding withdrawals. Postal savings deposits Monday totaled $22,621, largest for any day since the national bank restriction went into effect, according to Leslie D. Clancy, postmaster. Withdrawals Are Low Withdrawals Monday were $2,630, lowest for any day over the same period, Clancy said. Activities in money orders were about $100,000 less, he said. Double parking was popular in front of and around many banks, as car owners dashed into the buildings to make deposits or to obtain cash for current needs. Traffic officers appeared to regard the double parking offenses tolerantly, provided traffic was not blocked. Opening of the Bankers Trust Company was quiet, only about six persons being on hand when business was resumed. At the Indiana Trust Company, which opened at 8, officials said that there had been fewer than a dozen people in the lobby during the first hour of business. Only two persons were in the bank at the time the report was made. Regular morning opening hours were followed by the Fountain Square State bank, associated with the clearing house. The Fidelity Trust Company and Madison Avenue State bank opened for business under clearing house and state banking commissioner's restrictions. Other banks which opened, under the restrictions, were the Security Trust Company, Union Trust Company, Livestock Exchange bank. Brightwood State .bank and the State Bank of Massachusetts Avenue. Branches Are Opening In addition to the central bank of the Fletcher Trust Company, market and Pennsylvania streets, the company also opened its twelve branches. They are: Broad Ripple, 6235 Bellefontaine street; East Tenth, 2122 East Tenth street; East Side, 2506 East Washington street; Roosevelt Avenue, 1533 Roosevelt avenue; Irvington, 5501 East Washington street; West Michigan, 2601 West Michigan street; West Indianapolis, 1233 Oliver avenue; Sixteenth Street, 1541 North Illinois street; Thirtieth Street, 3001 North Illinois street; South Side, 1126 South Meridian street; East Washington, 500 East Washington street, and West Side. 474 West Washington street. Indianapolis banks reported more than $500,000 in gold and gold certificates, withdrawn from hiding places, had been exchanged at the banks for currency since the President's anti-hoarding order was issued. $40,000 in One Lot Much of this was in gold coins. One man took $40,000 in gold coins and old-fashioned large gold certificates to a bank here Monday, obtaining currency in exchange. A woman exchanged $3,000 in gold coins. The banks have until Thursday to report to the treasury the names of persons who have withdrawn gold or gold certificates and not returned them. Congress has fixed a penalty of $10,000 fine and up to ten years in prison for hoarding. Much of the gold and gold certificates being hoarded was withdrawn, bankers believe, because of fear of possible inflation and consequent cheapening of currency. The flow of gold back to the treasury will increase the gold reserve to the point where issuance of additional currency will not result in inflation, bankers said.


Article from The Indianapolis Times, March 15, 1933

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Article Text

This flood of currency, filling bank vaults, is believed to have relieved local banks of the necessity of asking for any of the new currency printed by the government as an emergency measure. The difference between the total and cash deposits is accounted for by check deposits. Total withdrawal figures for the day will not be available until all checks have been cleared. So far as could be learned, none of the banks here had received any of the new currency and it was considered unlikely that any would be sought. More Currency Than Needed Several of the banks reported that they had more currency than they wanted to keep on hand and were shipping large quantities to the federal reserve bank at Chicago. Bankers expressed themselves as pleased with the attitude of confidence displayed by the public with reopening of the banks. Survey of downtown banks at noon revealed that crowds practically were back to normal. Most banks reported much smaller crowds than on Tuesday. Fred C. Dickson, Indiana Trust Company president, said there was no line of customers at tellers' windows in the bank today. The Indiana Trust Company shipped $37,400 in gold Monday and took in $28,200 in gold and gold certificates Tuesday. Postal Deposits Boom "The public should be complimented on the way it has acted during the banking emergency," Dickson said. "There is a certain service the banks owe the public and while the President's proclamation prevents this service in full, the public has accepted the situation graciously." Postal savings deposits Tuesday were six times greater than withdrawals, Postmaster Leslie D. Clancy said today. Deposits were $24,842, and withdrawals $4,459, he said. Money orders sold totaled $28,916, while those cashed amounted to $154,642. One of the federal reserve system member banks reported that its deposits Tuesday exceeded withdrawals by more than $500,000. One of the clearing house banks reported cash deposits six times as great as withdrawals. Cash deposits at the Merchants National bank Tuesday were twice as great as for any other one day in the history of the bank, which was founded in 1865, according to Otto Frenzel, cashier. Withdrawals were slightly under normal, he said. Cash Deposits Heavy The Indiana National bank and the Union Trust Company both had the heaviest cash deposits in their history, according to Arthur V. Brown, president of both banks. "Cash deposits in the two banks were five times as great as for any one other day in history of both banks," Brown said. "This fine spirit of the public is a direct indication of an early revival of business. "The present system of banking was praised by the public, and President Roosevelt, Governor Paul V. McNutt, and other officials who helped plan the system deserve high commendation. "The liquid condition of the banks at the present time is a forward step in renewal of business." Other Banks Reopen Reopening of the banks today was almost complete. In addition to the Class A banks reopened Tuesday, the Northwestern State bank and Central State bank reopened today in this class. Six other banks were reopened in Class B, limiting withdrawals to 5 per cent on old deposits, but ac(Turn to Page Two) 4 Cless!