The Augusta daily herald. (Augusta, Ga.) 1908-1914, March 30, 1913, Page THREE, Image 27

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SUNDAY, MARCH 30. M. C. Dowling Tells Herald Man That He is Innocent, But Will Not Come Back Because of Feeling Against Him Reporter Went To Fairfax and Talked To Man Indicted in Connection With the Citizens Trust Companv ARE ALL THERE.” HE SAID TO REPORTER When Told That if Priorities Were Allowed Depositors Would Get Nothing, Dowling Said if He Had Been Given Time Could Have Collected Money. The hearing of the demand of Georgia authorities for the granting of requisition papers, by which Mr. M. C. Dowling will come from South Carolina to Georgia, toAgive bond to satisfy indictments returned by the Richmond county grand jury in con nection with the failure of the Citizens Trust Company of Augysta, July 18th, 1912, is* set by Gov. Cole L. Blease of South Carolina ,for Thursday of this week. The illness of Attorney S. G. May field, of Bamberg, has necessitated the delay. Mr. Mayfield is said to be one of Gov. Blease’s warmest sup porters. Mr. M. C. Dowling is residing in Fairfax, S. C., managing a hardware ■tore. "I do not wish to make a statement tv.;;, time,” r-epHed to a request for one by a Herald reporter who went to Fairfax to see him on Friday last. “When you are under a doctor’s charge, you usually take the medicine. That’s my fix now. I have been strongly advised, by my attorneys, against making any statement for the public, and for the present X shall fol low their advice. “My reasons for resisting extradi tion are two-fold. In the first place, I am innocent of the offense charged and see no reason why I should be taken to Augusta. In the second place, I could not get a fair trial with the public mind in the present state, and until I feel I can, I shall continue to resist.” Mr. Dowling was reminded that priority claims allowed would mean that depositors would get nothing, but that 20 per cent, might be realized if these priority claims were set aside, and he was asked where the assets of the company were. To which he responded: “The as sets are all there. If we had been given time we could have realized on them and averted the failure." Further than this Mr. Dowling would make no statement. He is living in Fairfax, where ho has been known all his life, and where his friends hold him in highest es teem. In Fairfax, it is said that there are any number of persons not only will ing but anxious to go on his bond, and it is further stated that at a few mo ments notice a bond from SIOO,OOO to $200,000 could be raised. He Has Many Friends. It is said by friends of Mr. Dowling, that he has received hundreds of let ters from other friends in many parts of the South, and even from New York, requesting that they be allow ed to sign his bond when necessary. Mr. Dowling admits that he has re ceived many such letters. It is understood that Mr. Dowling has made the statement that the fail ure of the Citizens Trust Company was due to no certain person “getting away with the hag,” but was more the combination of circumstances and "hard luck” than anything else. As for the management of the bank by Mr. G. Sherwood Dunn, Mr. Dowling is quoted as saying: "I would rather admit to almost anything else than this, but I was certainly fooled by Dunn.” He asks himself the ques tion that Mr. Samuel H. Myers asked soon after the indictments were re turned, friends say. That question was: "Why am I the goat?” Mr. Dowling is living in Fairfax row with his family. He was born near that place, and until he moved to Augusta, 17 years ago, he spent most of his life there. The business men of Fairfax have implicit confi dence in him. The Bank of Fairfax, which he organized last May, before the failure of the Augusta institution, and of which he was a director until the Augusta institution failed, at which time he resigned, for the sake of the Fairfax Bank, is in a flourish ing condition, and that with the fair ness, honesty and courtesy' with which he meets his business associates in the surrounding country have more than established a possible momen tary ebb of their confidence. Plan' ar? afoot to move the hardware com pany of which he is manager, into new quarters so that the business can be carried on on a larger scale, the stock increased, etc. Several fine brick stores have been erected in Fairfax recently and the town Is thriving and bustling Mr. Dowling takes an active part in the business life and the merchants state, enjoys the full confidence of his associates. It is evidently Mr. Dowling's belief that public sentiment is against the officers of the Citizens Trust Co. From his statement it would seem that he does not feel he*could secure an un biased Jury, but certainly that he is not going to run the risk. Attorneys Advise Against Talking. In the meantime he is advised against making a statement, though he states that he had written one for the press. His attorneys also advise him against acceding to the demands for requisition. It was stated in Fair fax this past week, that Mr. Dowling bad been misrepresented on the mat- ter of the first arrest, which in real ity never existed. It was said that Sheriff John W. Clark of Augusta went to Fairfax and told Mr. Dowling that the grand jury had returned in-' dictments against him, but that for personal reasons, the sheriff did not allow’ the service of the papers to be left to a deputy. He alighted from* the train and went over to Mr. Dowl ing, it was said, and asked Mr. Dowl ing if he would go to Augusta with out requisition. Mr. Dowling is said to have replied that he would not, but that he would call his lawyer at Barn well over phone and have this matter decided. It was decided they should go to Barnwell by automobile, which they did, and there the attorney ad vised against returning to Georgia without the proper process of law. Therefore, Sheriff Clark returned to Georgia and Mr. Dowling to Fairfax. The story, said the informant, that Mr. Dow’ling went part of the w’ay and stopped had the above foundation, What the Grand Jury of Richmond County Alleges Against Dowling Indictments Found on 13 Counts Charging Embezzlement and Other Offenses. Books Showed Over $178,000 on De posit. On Friday, February 21st., 1913, the grand jury of Richmond county re turned 35 indictments against six of ficers and directors of the Citizens Trust Company. Mr. M. C. Dowling, the vice-presi dent ol the citizens Trust Cmtip.in.. was indicted on 13 counts, the great est against any one officer of the in stitution. Bench warrants were immediately issued for the arrest of the indicted officers, and with the exception of the Dowling, Dunn and Willard warrants, the arrests were promptly made and bond arranged. The Dowling, Dunn and Willard bonds were fixed at SIO,OOO each, but he afterwards reduced them to $5,000 each. With the exception of Mr. Dowling all indicted have given bond. Mr. Dunn supplied a $5,000 cash bond and Mr. Willard a corporate security bond. Mr. Dowling is fighting extradition, having gone to Fairfax, S. C„ some 72 days after the failure of the hank, and some several months before the indictments against him were found. Of the 13 indictments against Mr. Dowling, five are with W. B. Pace, president and C. A. McGarlane, as sistant treasurer; four are with W. B. Pace, president; three are alone and one with D. H. Willard. Three charges are for embezzlement and the remainder for responsibility of the hank affairs, or violation of the state banking laws. Specifically the charges are as fol lows; “M. C. Dowling, that on April 2nd.: 1912, as secretary and treasurer of the Atlantic States Life Insurance Company, did at divers times during the years 1911 and 1912 collect large sums of money, aggregating In amount $60,000, and failed and re-' fused to pay to the Atlantic States Life Insurance Company $1,982.50. The indictment reads: ‘At divers, tjmes during said years did embezzle, steal and fraudulently take away and car ry, with Intent to steal the same, the said sum, etc.’ “M. C. Dowling, that on October Ist, 1910, as cashier of the Citizens Banl<[ he collected from J. w. Vales, sls in money and refused to pay over the same. The charge in this indictment is embezzlement. "M. C. Dowling and D. H. Willard, that on Aprii 2nd, 1912, as secretary treasurer and general manager, re spectively, they did, as such officers during 1911 and 1912 sell stock of the Atlantic States Life Insurance Com pany, aggregating $.10,000 without the consent of the Atlantic States Fife Insurance Company and without pay ing the said life insurance company on demand the full value thereof. “M. C. Dowling and W. B. Pace, on April 30th, 1912, as vice-president and president, respectively, of the Citizens Trust Company, did unlawfully and fraudulently loan to one D. H. Willard an agent of the said corporation, sl,- 138.42, without the consent of the ma jority of the hoard of directors of the Citizens Trust Company. "M. C. Dowling and W. B. Pace, as officers above named, on July 18th, 1912, loaned to D. H. Willard $2,- 349.43, without the permission of the majority of the board of directors. "M. C. Dowling and W. B. Pace, as officers above named, on May 20th, 1912, loaned to one C. A. McFariane, an officer and agent of said icorpora tion, $1,350, with the consent, etc. "M. C. Dowling and W. B. Pace, as officers above named, on March 27th 1912, loaned D. H. Willard $2,406.07. without the consent and permission, etc. "M. C Dowling, W. B. Pace, and C. A. McFariane, vice-president and treasurer, president and assistant treasurer, respectively, of the fjtlzens Trust Co., on July 17th, 1912, did take and accept from the Rinker Deas Co., $341.11. knowing that the aaid corpor ation was insolvent. The said depos itor demanded the return of the said money deposited within three days and was refused. M. C. Dowling, W. R. Pace and C. A. McFariane. as officers above named on July 16th. 1912, did accept from James G. Walton, $1,012.50 for gene-nl deposit, when they knew the said hank was Insolvent, etc, and was re fused refund upon three days demand M. C. Dowling, W. B. Pace and C. A. McFariane. on July 16th, 1912, did accept from W. .1. Croak, for general deposit. $250.73. when they knew the bank to be Insolvent, and was refused but the story that he spent the night in a lockup was without foundation. Manager Hardware Company. Mr. M. C. Dowling, the indicted vice-president of the defunct Citizens Trust Company of Augusta, is man ager of the Fairfax Hardware Com pany, a corporation composed of Mr. Dowling, his brother and Mr. T. T. Sparks of Fairfax. The Fairfax Hardware Company is situated on the corner of Main street. The Seaboard Air Line trains and the Charleston and Western Carolina trains pass the door. The present building in tvhich the com pany is Is of brick and well built, but the management is arranging to move into larger and more substantial quarters across the street, a store with big plate glass windows, fret ted metal ceilings and well finished walls. It Is "the” side of the street for business. The Fairfax Hardware Company handles a full line of agricultural im plements, bicycles, automobile sup plies, and as the name implies, a stock of hardware. The company ap pears to be in a flourishing condition, notwithstanding the fact that there is another hardware store in the town. The company was organized a few months ago. same on three days demand. M. C. Dowling, W. B. Pace and C. A. McFarlane, on July 16th, 1912, did accept from the Elks Club, a corpor ation, $231.50. knowing that the bank was insolvent, and refusing same on three days deihanu. —• — Mr. Pace and Mr. McFarlane have both stated through the columns of Tho Herald that they had absolutely nothing to do with the lending of money by the Trust Company and both assert that they are Innocent of any wrong doing. The receiver, Mr. J. P. Armstrong, has asserted that tw’onty cents on the dollar would be paid depositors if prtontres were not allowed, otherwise depositors would get probably noth ing. The amount on deposit at the Citizens ns shown by the books was as follows: Commercial and Savings Deposits $129,333.36; Certificates of Deposit $16,173; Cashier's Cheeks out at time of failure $3,466.78, a total of $178,975.14. Are You Constipated? If so, get a box of Dr. King’s New Life Pills, take them regularly and your trouble will quickly disappear. They will stimulate the liver, Improve your digestion and get rid of all the poisons from your system. They will surely get you well again. 25c at all druggists.—(Advertisement. BALK’S Millinery Department Offers Novelties in fine Hats for Ladies, Misses and Children. New Tam o ; Shanter shapes, New Boot shapes, New Long Back Sailor shapes, New Turban shapes, New Mushroom shapes, in Tagal, Hemp, Chic, Milan, Leghorn, and Panama Braids, at $2, §3, $4 to $lO. We trim our hats free of charge, and give Purple Stamps with cash purchases, and also on bills paid on or before April 10. C. J. T. BALK 600 Block Broadway. (Look for the Orange and Green Store Front) THE AUGUSTA HERALD. AUGUSTA. GA C PHONE 2036 AND SAY “SEND ME THE HERALD” TODAY—AND EVERYDAY II Did you ever stop to think that you person ally are a business institution? You add a certain amount to the world's wealth by supplying a certain demand. You make profits just like any other busi ness. What would you think of a business that spent every cent it made? Wouldn’t you decide there was something wrong with the management? You know that such an institution would be in bankruptcy eventually—a complete failure. Exactly the same thing happens to the man who spends every cent he makes. Fortunes in private life, like profits in business, come largely through economies. Don't forget that you are a business institu tion yourself. How much clear profit did you have to show for 1912? What 1 not a cent ? Then you turned over a new leaf on the first day of the new year. What became of your resolution? To the man who wants to get ahead of life, every day is New Year's Day, every hour the time for new resolves and higher aims. “After a while" it will be just as hard to save as it is at the present time. Why not start your account NOW ? One Dollar will do it—and we always welcome small accounts, for the small accounts of “today" will be the big accounts of “tomorrow" And you'll find a spirit of real “homey" friendliness at the UNION SAVINGS BANK THREE