USA > Indiana > Wayne County > Richmond > Memoirs of Wayne County and the city of Richmond, Indiana; from the earliest historical times down to the present, including a genealogical and biographical record of representative families in Wayne County, Volume I Pt. 2 > Part 2
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The trial of Benjamin F. Simmons for the killing of a man named Webb in a livery stable at Richmond, came next in order. This trial commenced Oct. 16, 1899, lasting five days, and resulted in an acquittal. It appeared that Webb charged Simmons with be- ing intimate with his (Webb's) wife, and for this had threatened him. Webb went to the livery stable to see Simmons, and when standing near the entrance of the stable, after some words had passed, Simmons seized a shotgun and killed him. After the trial Simmons married Webb's widow, which turned public sentiment much against him and made his acquittal a matter of regret.
Next in order comes the trial of William Gates. Gates, with his wife and some friends, went to gather blackberries south of Richmond. They entered on the land of Rariden Meek, without his consent. Meek saw them and ordered them to leave his prem- ises. Some hot words passed between Gates and Meek, when Gates struck Meek with his fist. As a result of the blow an artery in the brain of Meek was ruptured, causing him to drop dead. Gates was arrested in Richmond, was indicted for involuntary manslaugh- ter, and put upon trial, Dec. 3, 1900. The trial lasted four days, resulting in a verdict of guilty. A new trial was granted on ac- count of the misconduct of one of the jurors. Gates' second trial commenced April 28, 1901, and resulted in a verdict of assault and
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battery, with a fine of $50, which was certainly very mild under the circumstances. Shortly after the second trial Gates died.
The trial of Robert Futrell, a colored man, who, becoming jeal- ous of his sweetheart, killed her in a room on South Sixth street, in Richmond, comes next in order. This was a willful, deliberate, and cruel murder. Futrell desired that he should suffer the death penalty for his crime and so said. His trial began March 11, 1901, and lasted two days, resulting in a verdict of murder in the first degree, with life imprisonment. Futrell was much dissatisfied with the verdict and desired a new trial, in order that he might receive the death penalty.
The next trial was that of James Shook, who shot and killed a man named Ryan in a saloon at Cambridge City. The trial com- menced April 9, 1902, and lasted four days. He was found guilty of manslaughter and received an indefinite sentence of from two to twenty-one years in the penitentiary, where he is now confined.
We now come to the case of the State vs. John Knapp. A young man named Leonard Geisler was marshal of Hagerstown, and against him, so it appeared, Knapp had a grudge. One night Knapp armed himself with an iron rod, laid in wait for Geisler, and without any warning struck him a blow on the head, from the effects of which Geisler died. The act was unprovoked and without any excuse. The trial commenced Oct. 4, 1905, and lasted ten days. The jury returned a verdict of murder in the first degree, with life imprisonment. This case was appealed to the Supreme Court and affirmed.
Mack Proffit was the next man tried for murder. He shot and killed a colored woman for disturbing him in a disorderly way after he had gone to bed and desired to sleep, shooting her with a re- volver. The trial commenced April 19, 1906, and continued four days. He was convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to from two to twenty-one years in the penitentiary.
The next case of homicide tried in Wayne county was that of Alonzo Fisher, a colored man, who shot and killed his wife in a fiendish and brutal manner on Main street in Richmond. Fisher was indicted and pleaded guilty to murder in the first degree, July 24, 1907. Upon this plea I had the power to sentence him to death or to imprisonment for life in the penitentiary. I did not care to take the responsibility of taking the life of the prisoner, so I sen- tenced him for life to the penitentiary, where he is now confined.
One of the most atrocious cases of homicide that ever occurred in this county was the last one in which I sentenced a prisoner for
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life. Charles A. Revalee was a young man about nineteen years of age who was born near Milton, Ind., and reared there. In the year 1910 he came to Richmond and obtained work at the Brunswick Hotel. Before that time he had worked for a family named Allison, who lived near Milton. Being out of work and in need of money, on April 5, 1910, it seems he made up his mind to go to Allison's house and rob them. He had always been treated kindly by Alli- son's family. Being out of money, he walked to Cambridge City and from thence to Milton in the evening, and hid himself in Alli- son's barn, where he slept until morning. In the morning, after he saw that Allison had gone to work and the children had gone to school, he went to the house, where he met Mrs. Allison, who kindly invited him into the house, and after some conversation she went into the kitchen to attend to her work. While she was there he searched the drawers in the room, in order to obtain money or whatever valuables might be there, and while he was doing this Mrs. Allison came into the room, saw what he was doing, and at once approached him. After some altercation he picked up a stick of wood, struck her on the head, knocked her down and killed her. After he saw what he had done he went into the kitchen and got a can of coal oil, poured it over her clothes and set them on fire, with the intention of burning the house and the body of Mrs. Alli- son, for the purpose of concealing the crime. After taking what money he could find and Mrs. Allison's watch, he left the house and went to Cambridge, and from there to Richmond. The case at first was shrouded in a great deal of mystery because no one saw him leave the door or had any suspicion that he was the guilty person. After he returned to Richmond, Isaac A. Gormon, chief of police, who had charge of the case, ascertained some clue and circum- stances that led him to suspect young Revalee. He interviewed him as to where he was the day of the murder and afterwards, and at first was thrown entirely off his guard, but after investigation he was convinced that Revalee was the guilty person and finally charged him squarely with the commission of the crime, and under circumstances by which he obtained a written confession, which was afterward published. Revalee was indicted by the grand jury and on April 30, 1910, pleaded guilty to murder in the first degree, and was sentenced by me to the penitentiary for life. He is now con- fined there.
A large majority of the homicide cases mentioned in this chap- ter, to my certain knowledge, were the results of the use of intoxi- cating liquor. Intemperance is the parent of crime.
CHAPTER XVIII.
WAYNE COUNTY'S FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS.
STATE BANK OF INDIANA-OTHER FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS OF RICI1- MOND-FINANCIAL ORGANIZATIONS OF CAMBRIDGE CITY-BANKS OF CENTERVILLE-BANKS OF MILTON-BANKS OF HAGERSTOWN-FOUN- TAIN CITY BANK-BANKS OF GREEN'S FORK, WILLIAMSBURG, DUBLIN. AND ECONOMY.
THE STATE BANK OF INDIANA. i :
The first bank in Wayne county was a branch of the State Bank of Indiana. It was chartered in 1833 and began business in 1834. There were seventeen branches of this bank in the State, the State owning half of the stock and borrowing the rest on its bonds in New York. Each was organized with a capital of $100,000. This was all taken by honorable men and the control always remained in such hands, thus accounting for the great success of these banks.
The branch at Richmond started Dec. 1, 1834, with a capital of $100,000 and an issue of circulating notes limited to $300,000. The business was very heavy and the hours long, so that the officers fre- quently had to remain until late at night. The largest stockholder was Robert Morrisson. Achilles Williams was elected president. He was an old and highly esteemed citizen and added greatly to the character of the bank. He served only about two years, when he resigned to take a seat in the Indiana State Senate. Albert C. Blanchard succeeded him as president, which position he held until the expiration of the charter, a period of about twenty-three years. Elijah Coffin opened the doors of the bank as cashier and remained until 1855. He died in 1862, three years after the expiration of the charter. He was a well known and leading man of Richmond. Charles F. Coffin was teller. He entered the bank in 1835 and re- mained in the banking business nearly fifty years.
This bank was located on the northeast corner of Main and Pearl, or what is now Fifth street. In 1855, when it was nearing
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the time for the expiration of the charter, a new charter for "The Branch Bank of the State of Indiana" was granted, but the busi- ness continued under the same management. The branch at Rich- mond, under the new charter, was organized with Albert C. Blanch - ard as president and Charles F. Coffin, cashier. They remained in the place of business of the old State Bank, but owing to the uncer- tainty of the war and heavy taxation on State banks, the stock- holders were led to close the institution in 1865.
THE PEOPLE'S BANK OF RICHMOND.
This bank was organized under a general banking law. It was not even a corporation. Lewis Burk was the owner. He began busi- ness about 1850, with a capital stock of $10,000. Burk was presi- dent until the bank was closed. Charles McCorkle was cashier. He held this position until about 1859, when he was forced to leave on account of trouble over the bank's money. He had invested this without the knowledge of Burk. After this was found out Burk paid all losses and the bank continued business just the same.
Clement W. Ferguson was elected teller after McCorkle left. He remained until the bank sold out, in 1862, to The First National Bank. The deposits were about $35,000 when Ferguson entered the bank, and before it sold out he had raised them to about $75,- 000. The bank was located on the corner of Main and Franklin streets. The building was owned by Lewis Burk.
THE RICHMOND NATIONAL BANK AND TIIE CITIZENS' BANK.
In the same year that the old State Bank closed (1859). the Richmond National Bank started. This firm was composed of Charles F. Coffin, president ; Albert C. Blanchard, cashier ; and Rob- ert Morrisson. They had only a nominal capital of $20,000, but owned the control of the State Bank, called the Citizens' Bank, or- ganized in 1853, and sometimes called the Morrisson-Blanchard Company. The business of the Citizens' Bank was the same as that of the chartered bank, except no notes for circulation were issued. They carried a large capital, usually about $200,000. The banking room was located on the northeast corner of Pearl and Main streets, adjoining the old State Bank, with a directors' room in common. These combined banks carried on a large and prosper- ous business under the same management. Many interesting tales are told of the hardships of these old banks and their queer meth-
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ods. The reserve consisted largely of Spanish and Mexican dollars, which were kept in kegs, holding $20,000 each, and often as high as fifty of these kegs were in the vault at the same time. The books were kept by a system called "Journalism." Every item was car- ried in full and the ledgers had no balance columns. These balances were carried daily on large slates and everything had to be in place before the bank closed in the evening.
Charles H. Coffin entered the old State Bank in 1863 and re- mained until the close of the Richmond National, in 1884. He was teller and was considered the best detector of counterfeits in the State, many of which were in circulation. The Coffins were good business men and the bank became the best known and trusted bank by all kinds of business. Many of the deposits consisted of the small savings of the working class of Richmond. A statement of the Comptroller of Currency, in 1870, shows their total resources to have been $516,715.71, and this had been larger at times, but at the time the bank closed the deposits were only about $250,000. The funds had slowly been used up, so that in June, 1884, the bank was forced to suspend. This money had all been used in specula- tion by the officials of the bank, so that in reality there was no re- serve back of the bank. It was conducting its business on county funds only, and when these were taken away the crash came. The money was not only tied up, but was gone and the stockholders stood liable for the total amount. These liabilities were $257,000. The Coffins were held for this amount, but they claimed that they were without funds after taking the $600 exemption allowed by law.
Augustus D. Lynch was appointed receiver and made an as- sessment of 100% on the stock, but none of this was paid. After the sale of all fixtures and the collecting of all resources, about seventy-five cents on the dollar was paid. The remainder was a complete loss to the depositors. It caused one of the greatest panics that ever occurred in the county, for the loss of the money fell heavily on the poorer class.
THE FIRST NATIONAL OF RICHMOND.
This bank was organized June 15, 1863, and began business July 13, 1863. The charter number was seventeen. This shows it to have been one of the earliest national banks in the country. On the expiration of this charter it was reorganized, with charter num- ber 2,680, but in answer to a letter written May 28, 1910, by A. D. Gayle, the president of the bank, the following reply was received
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May 31, which granted the request for the restoration of the old number :
"As it appears that the charter number of the original First National Bank of Richmond was 17; that at the expiration of char- ter of said Association there was no authority for the extension of corporate existence of a National Bank, and that the present First National (charter 2,680) was organized in 1882 for the purpose of taking over and continuing the business of the expiring Association, the charter number of the bank is hereby changed from 2,680 to 17, and you are hereby authorized and directed to use number 17 as the charter number of the Association."
(Signed)
Respectfully,
LAWRENCE O. MURRAY, (Comptroller.)
The original officers were James E. Reeves, president; and Thomas G. Yarrington, cashier. The presidents up to the present time have been James E. Reeves, John M. Crawford, June W. Gayle, and Albert D. Gayle, who is now in office. Mr. Yarrington was cashier until 1869. He was succeeded by James E. Reeves, who held this position until 1897. John F. Elder was then elected and served until 1902. Charles R. DuHadway then was elected and held the position two years, until 1904. He became involved in trouble over the loss of some of the bank's money; this loss was made good by the stockholders, and DuHadway left the bank. The present cashier, Frank M. Taylor, was then elected.
The original stockholders were William E. Reeves, Lewis Burk. James S. Reeves, Thomas Novducett, James VanNuxem, John Yaryan, Isaac P. Siddall, John Grubbs, Isaac R. Howard, George W. Vannerman, William G. Reid, Cris C. Beeler, Curtis B. Huff, Andrew F. Scott, Y. Pleasants, Elwood Hadley, Albert Payne, George W. Barnes, C. H. Strickland, J. W. Haines, F. A. Mc Whin- ney, William G. Goode, David Nordyke, Isaac P. Evans, Daniel B. Crawford, James H. Moorman, James Coffin, William Kenworthy, A. Earnist, and Joshua Halland. The surplus in 1869 was made $100,000. In 1895 this was reduced to $50,000, again in 1897 to $25,000, in 1898 to $11,000, and then in 1899 it was raised to $14,- 000, and the last raise was made in 1909 to $70,000. The first capital was $200,000, which was reduced in 1904 to $100,000, and is that at the present time. The dividends paid on capital up to the present time have amounted to about $900,000. The total resources at regular intervals of ten years since the bank started are as fol-
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FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS
lows : 1869, $651,210.27 ; 1879, $718, 162.42 ; 1889, $867,248.27 ; 1899, $472,814.46; 1909, $1,311,494.14. This bank is located on the north- west corner of Main and Seventh streets, where it has been since it began business.
THE SECOND NATIONAL BANK OF RICHMOND.
The next bank to organize in Richmond was the Second Na- tional. It was organized May 28, 1872, and began business June 15, 1872, with charter number 1988. At the end of twenty years it re- organized under the same number. It began business on the north- east corner of Eighth and Main streets, but remained there only about eighteen months, when it was moved to the northwest corner, where it is now located. While its present modern fire-proof build- ing was being erected the bank was temporarily located at the northeast corner of Eighth and Main streets. The contract for the new building was let to Stilwell & Company, of Lafayette, Ind., and the structure was completed in the summer of 1911, at a cost of $90,000. It was designed by Architect Albert Pritzinger, is 40 feet wide by 100 feet deep, and extends back to the alley. It is four stories high, the bank occupying the entire first floor. The fire and burglar proof vault was purchased of the Remington & Sher- man Company, of Philadelphia, Pa., and is one of the largest and best in the State. The stairways are of slate, and the banking room is wainscoated with marble and furnished with solid mahog- any. It is the most modern office block in Richmond and Wayne county and one of the best in the State.
The bank commenced business with a capital stock of $200,000. This was reduced to $150,000 in 1876. It was found more profitable to do business on a capital of $150,000 up to the year 1907, when they raised it to $250,000. Even while they had the smaller capital it was by no means the smaller bank in the volume of business it transacted. In 1863, when the Farmers' Bank failed, the Second National was the only bank in Wayne county that offered any as- sistance to the unfortunate bank. Zachariah Stanley, of Boston, Wayne county, and Ellis Thomas, of Richmond, being the only re- sponsible men connected with the Farmers' Bank, applied to the First National, the Richmond National, and the Second National for funds with which to pay off the depositors. Both the First Na- tional and Richmond National promised aid, but when called upon declined to help the unfortunate officials. The Second National then furnished all funds necessary to pay the depositors of the Farmers' Bank in full.
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MEMOIRS OF WAYNE COUNTY
In 1884, when the Richmond National Bank failed, all funds belonging to the city, the school board of Wayne county, and the Wayne county officials, were locked up in the failure and suspen- sion. The Second National came to the rescue of these departments and furnished funds with which the schools were kept open, and the county and city were able to meet all demands until the fall taxes were collected. Its ability to settle all debts and relieve the situa- tion and save the city and county the embarrassment of defaulting on payment of their debts gave this bank such a prominent place in the banking business of the county that, for seven years, its de- posits exceeded in amount that of all the other banks of Wayne county combined.
The death of many of the old stockholders during the years intervening between 1876 and 1907 caused the stockholders to reach out for new blood, and accordingly, in 1907, the capital was increased from $150,000 to $250,000. This stock was all taken by new stockholders-men who were active in the business circles of Richmond and vicinity.
The first directors of this bank were Andrew F. Scott, Jacob B. Julian, William G. Scott, Oliver Jones, John M. Gaar, Joseph W. Jackson, C. C. Beeler, James Forkner, Robert Cox, and J. M. Yoe, all men of great business ability. The original officers were: An- drew Scott, president ; John B. Dougan, cashier ; and James Thomas, teller. They were elected by a meeting of the directors, June 10, 1872. Andrew F. Scott was president until his death, in November 1895, when William G. Scott was elected his successor. Mr. Scott was followed, in 1897, by John M. Gaar, who held this place until August, 1901, when the present president, John B. Dougan, was elected. Mr. Dougan was cashier up to the time he was elected president. Daniel G. Reid, George H. Eggemeyer, and Clement W. Elmer were elected vice-presidents. Samuel W. Gaar succeeded John B. Dougan as cashier and William C. Seeker was elected as- sistant cashier. The directors now are: John B. Dougan, presi- dent; Daniel G. Reid, of the Liberty National Bank, New York, and George Eggemeyer, vice-presidents ; Samuel W. Gaar, cashier ; Howard Campbell, president and general manager of Gaar. Scott & Company ; C. W. Elmer, vice-president of the Richmond City Water Works; Clem Gaar, dealer in live stock; Henry Gennett, president of the Starr Piano Company ; John J. Harrington, whole- sale saddlery and leather goods ; Elgar G. Hibberd, secretary of the Richmond City Gas Company ; E. G. Hill, president of the E. G. Hill Company, wholesale florists : John R. Howard, of I. R. Howard
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FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS
& Company : Frank B. Land, vice-president of Gaar, Scott & Com- pany ; George W. Miller, of Pogue, Miller & Company; P. W. Smith, president of the First National Bank, Decatur, Ind., Henry C. Starr, vice-president of the Chicago, Cincinnati & Louisville railway ; and S. S. Strattan, Jr., secretary of Gaar, Scott & Com- pany. The surplus and undivided profits are $428,911.47. The divi- dends paid since the bank started are $462,500. The gross profits of the bank have been $891,411.47. Dividends are paid quarterly by the bank on the first of January, April, July and October. The divi- dend paid last year was twelve per cent.
The total resources for periods of about ten years are: 1879. $304,134.32 ; 1889. $815.515.88: 1899, $1,522,670.00; 1900, $1,907,- 1 19.00 ; 1905, $2,139,691.00 ; 1908, $2,411,674.00; 1910, $2,436,045.00. The original stockholders were: Jacob B. Julian, Oliver Jones, John K. Jones, Isaac Eliason, F. V. Snider, James Forkner, Jesse Cates, Andrew J. Scott, George W. Vannerman, C. C. Beeler, Wil- liam G. Reid, William G. Scott, E. A. Jones, J. M. Yoe, Albert Shoemaker, Abraham Gaar, Isaac Gaar, George Julian, Joseph Jack- son, and T. Nordyke.
THE RICHMOND SAVINGS BANK.
It began business about 1874 and continued for a period of about two years, when it closed and paid np all deposits. The direc- tors were: A. Cogle, Mark E. Reeves, James Van Nuxem, and Wil- liam W. Dudley. William W. Dudley was president and Mark E. Reeves was cashier. They paid interest on deposits not subject to check, and interest as high as ten per cent. and eleven per cent. was paid. This bank started on account of hatred for the First Na- tional. The promoters seemed to think that by paying interest on deposits not subject to check they would be able to draw deposits away from the First National, but such business did not pay, so the bank was closed. This bank was located at 33 North Eighth street.
THE FARMERS' BANK OF RICHMOND.
The next bank in order of organization was the Stanley, Esteb & Company. This was organized about 1877. It continued only a short time as a company and then was reorganized into the Farm- ers' Bank. The Druleys and Estebs had sold out to Stanley & Thomas. The firm now consisted of Zachariah Stanley, presi- dent : James E. Thomas, cashier : and George Detch. teller. The
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business was all placed in the hands of James E. Thomas. No at- tention was ever paid to his books by either Mr. Stanley or the others, as they had all confidence in him. This state of affairs con- tinued for about a year. One morning Mr. Thomas was taken sick and John B. Dougan was called to look over the books. As soon as he saw the books he made the statement that this bank would have to close. The money was practically all gone. The deposits had reached as high as $75,000. The liabilities showed more than $75,000. This had all been caused by the speculation and bad man- agement of Cashier Thomas. The Second National came to their aid, as before stated. The bank was closed for thirty days to settle up, and it was then advertised that all depositors would be paid in full. The fixtures were offered for sale. John B. Dougan took the furniture, and the safe went to the Second National Bank, where it is still in use. This sale paid only a small part of the losses, the remainder being paid by Zachariah Stanley and Ellis Thomas, an uncle of the cashier. The losses of Stanley and Thomas were com- plete and they were financially ruined, yet all creditors were paid in full. This bank had been in operation only a little over a year. It was located on the South side of Main street, between Sixth and Seventh, number 269.
THE UNION NATIONAL BANK OF RICHMOND.
This is the next bank in order of organization. It was the out- growth of the Centerville National. It was moved to Richmond and re-organized Nov. 4, 1885, with charter number 3,413. It began business in the building formerly occupied by the old Coffin Bank. In June, 1887, when the Kelly Building on the southeast corner of Eighth and Main was completed, the bank was moved there, where it is now located. The first directors were Jesse Cates, George M. Stevens, Jonathan Baldwin, Joseph C. Ratliff, Micajah C. Henley, John K. Jones, Oliver G. Davis, Eli Roberts, and Daniel W. Harris. The original officers were: Jesse Cates, president; M. C. Henley, vice-president ; John K. Jones, cashier ; and George L. Cates, assist- ant cashier. The present directors are George L. Cates, Edwin H. Cates, M. C. Henley, Elwood McGuire, Charles A. McGuire, Daniel G. Reid, William H. Loehr, Irvin M. Ridenour, and Elgar G. Hibberd. The present officers are: George L. Cates, president ; Edwin H. Cates and M. C. Henley, vice-presidents ; H. J. Hanes, cashier ; and Henry J. Koehring, assistant cashier.
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