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BANK CASHIER ARRESTED HERE Brooksville Man Taken Prisoner For Alleged Embezzlement. W. A. Stevenson, cashier of the Farmers Equity Bank, Brooksville, Ky., was arrested here early Sunday morning on warrants charging embezzlement and perjury. He was returned to his native town last night by Everett Moore, sheriff of Bracken County. Altho the amount Stevenson is alleged to have embezzled has not been revealed, Sheriff Moore said it would run into a considerable sum. First intimation of Stevenson's alleged shortage was discovered several weeks ago and President Jeff Teegarden requested the State Banking Department to conduct an audit. After several days' checking it was found, Sheriff Moore said, that the surplus fund of the institution was short and it was deemed necessary to voluntarily close the bank Friday, September 12. Late that day rumors of the shortage had reached the depositors and there was a run on the bank, Sheriff Moore said. Stevenson left Brooksville Thursday night, and is alleged to have visited Governor Fields to see if that executive could extend time for him to make good the shortage. When this was refused, the cashier came to Louisville, it is said, with a view of raising funds here. At a hearing of the grand jury Friday, Stevenson, according to Sheriff Moore, was indicted on embezzlement and perjury charges and warrants issued for his arrest. Learning that Stevenson was in Louisville, Sheriff Moore, late Saturday night, telephoned Capt. E. P. Moore, night chief of police, to arrest him. He was taken into custody at 1 o'clock Sunday morning at the Brown Hotel, where he was stopping. Stevenson told Captain Moore he was surprised that the warrants had been issued as he had been promised at least a week within which to straighten out his affairs. According to Sheriff Moore, Stevenson is alleged to have sold a large amount of Liberty bonds deposited in the bank by farmers in the vicinity of Brooksville and that these bonds had been traced to banks in Cincinnati. It is also alleged, Sheriff Moore said, that he had accepted payments for notes which he had sold and given receipts to show that they had been paid. Immediately following Stevenson's arrest, Captain Moore notified Bracken County authorities and Sheriff Moore left Brooksville in an automobile early Sunday morning to return the prisoner. Heavy rains had made the roads almost impassable and the trip here was delayed for hours when the car was flood-bound by rushing torrents near Cynthiana. The Farmers Equity Bank was organized by Stevenson in 1907, and he was made cashier. Before that time he had taught in the Bracken County schools. When organized, the bank had a capital stock of $25,000, but had since grown until at present the books show a surplus of $12,500. Total deposits are said to amount to $219,000.
