Article Text
WINSLOW BANK WITH BRANCHES CLOSED DOORS LAST SATURDAY The Bank of Winslow, Winslow. Arizona, failed to open its doors Saturday morning. At the same time the two branch banks of the Bank of Winslow. one at Holbrook, county seat of Navajo county, and one at St. Johns, county seat of Apache county, were ordered closed following the arrival of State Bank Examiner A. T. Hammons, to investigate the condition of the Bank of Winslow. Bank Examiner S. J. Dodson is now in charge. Hammons was called in to take charge Friday evening, after a meeting of the bank's directors at which it was decided that the bank's reserve for the third time within two months had fallen below the legal limit. On both former occasions the reserve was built up to the satisfaction of the state official. The call to the examiner was made at that time to best conserve the interests of depositors and investors. Not a trace of suspicion is attached to the management of the bank, and confidence is expressed that within a few weeks or months the bank's affairs will have been straightened out and depositors will be paid dollar for dollar. No excitement prevailed either here or in the towns of the branch banks, depositors facing the tie-up of their resources with a greater patience and less ill-feeling than probably was ever manifest in the unexpected failure of a financial institution the size of the Bank of Winslow. Immediately after it became known Saturday morning that the bank had been closed. hurried efforts were made to interest Phoenix people in taking over the affairs of the bank. so that the close would be made as brief as possible. Negotiations were entered into with H. J. McClung, president of the Phoenix National, also president of the Arizona Central at Flagstaff with branches in several northern Arizona cities, and also an officer in a large Los Angeles bank. The stress of other business prevented Mr. McClung making a trip to Winslow as he had hoped he might. A message was received from McClung last evening from Los Angeles, by Sam Proctor, publisher of The Winslow Mail, as follows: "Find it impossible to postpone my trip which will require about two weeks. Sincerely trust everything will be worked out satisfactorily to all by the time I return." A meeting of depositors was held at Masonic hall last Sunday afternoon at which time a petition was sent to Governor Geo. W. P. Hunt, asking that in the event the appointment of a receiver was necessary that an outside man, and one who is an expert in banking matters be appointed. Another meeting of depositors was held Tuesday evening in the city hall at which a committee was named to conier with Mr. H. J. McClung in the event that he should come to Winslow to investigate affairs. At that time Mr. McClung had stated that it was possible that he might arrange his affairs so as to make the trip here. However, a larger business matter pending, which called him to British Columbia developed, and the wire of last night precluded the possibility of Mr. McClung's visit here for a matter of at least two weeks. On May 12, this year, the Bank of Winslow was reorganized, with the absorbtion of the Arizona State Bank of Winslow, and the Merchants and A Stockgrowers Bank of Holbrook. branch was established at St. Johns at that time. The bank was capitalized at one hundred fifty thousand dollars. Resources totaled more than one and three quarter millions. The last statement issued, at the close of business June 30, showed deposits subject to check of more than seven hundred fifty-one thousand, and total