Click image to open full size in new tab
Article Text
land had no railroad. Up to date he has not succeeded in fetching one in. A railroad into Highland would do a thriving business these days hauling in creditors of Marcell's bank. Marcell is great on display. He likes to stick a feather in his hat and go on dress parade. He was grand marshal of the Fourth of July celebration last year. Widows seemed to be Marcell's special prey. If there was one in this section of the country who was not caught in the bank failure it was because she had no money to deposit. Several of them lost every cent they had. Two or three churches lost their surplus cash. The Christian church, of which Marcell was treasurer, lost $900. However. it has not much room for complaint, as Marcell gave it $1,500 a short time ago for a new building. As evidence of Marcell's boldness, one instance is here given. D. B. Williams, a grain buyer, was a heavy patron of the bank. His office was right across the hall from that of Mr. Overlander, a capitalist. Marcell is said to have forged Williams' name to a lot of paper and sold it to Overlander. Williams and Overlander were regular chums and were almost constantly together, yet Marcell worked his scheme right under their noses. Last week a cattle buyer bought about $8,000 worth of cattle and hogs of farmers near Severance. He gave them checks on the Bank of Highland. He shipped the stock to St. Joseph and sold it. All of his checks are back protested and the farmers are holding the bag. He has failed to put in an appearance up to date. St. Joseph, Atchison and Kansas City banks dealt liberally with the Bank of Highland. Whenever they would demand more security, Marcell would say "certainly," and turn over a few more notes to them. Now it has been found that these notes were forged. Most of the forged notes held by outside banks bear Marcell's guaranty as cashier of the bank. This binds the bank. Wednesday forenoon Deputy Bank Commissioner Crummer drove from Denton to Highland. A mule buyer, who was a heavy creditor of the bank started at the same time. When they reached Severance, Marcell had just arrived from Troy. He got a team and the three rigs raced clear to Highland. Marcell beat Crummer there and was fixing up some accounts when the latter arrived. The mule buyer was third in the race. Crummer stopped all proceedings when he reached the bank and took charge of everything. Marcell showed his nerve when he started for the Troy jail accompanied by the sheriff. Without any display et feeling, he kissed his wife and children and lighted a cigarette and started off As the buggy started his little boy threw him a kiss and told him to come back soon. The forgeries were discovered by accident. The Atchison Savings bank, which held three $10,000 notes of Hutt & Shonyo, mule dealers at Highland, sent an inspector to look after the paper. The inspector found that two o the notes were forgeries. He went straight to Marcell's bank. Marcell said there had been some mistake made and without quivering, went to the safe, go $30,000 in cash and took up all three notes. This transaction became noised about and the run Monday was the result. It is now estimated that the amount of forged notes will reach a quarter of a million dollars. Representatives of va rious banks are appearing daily with Marcell's forged notes. A representa tive from Atchison brought a bundle amounting to $55,000, and another from the Mechanics' bank of St. Louis ar rived today with an even larger budget Nearly all the forged paper is held by parties away from Highland, yet a little was floated even here at home The persons whose signatures have been used most frequently on the forged notes, and the approximate amounts SO far turned up agains them ,are: B. D. Williams, $90,000; Hut & Shonyo, $40,000; Bottiger & Hutt $30,000; Mrs. V. M. Johnson, $35,000; o D. and G. W. Moore, $7,000; J. H Lynds, $15,000; Cas Winkler, $13,000; W H. Noble, $1,400; W. R. Gilmore, $1,400 H. C. Pierce and J. B. Muzum, $2,000 W. S. Gaust, $1,000; Mr. and Mrs. J F. Bottiger, $2,000. B. D. Williams and Hutt & Shony are mule firms doing an extensive bus iness. Bottiger & Hutt were mule buyers but have dissolved partnership Mrs. V. M. Johnson is the widow o the late Highland banker, J. P. John
