1986. First Co-operative Building Association (Washington, DC)

Bank Information

Episode Type
Suspension → Closure
Bank Type
state
Start Date
July 1, 1908*
Location
Washington, District of Columbia (38.895, -77.036)

Metadata

Model
gpt-5-mini
Short Digest
71d75518

Response Measures

None

Description

The association had a receiver (Ambrose) appointed in July 1908 after discovery of missing books/possible embezzlement by the secretary-treasurer J. Barton Miller; articles describe receivership, legal actions, and prosecution rather than any depositor run or later reopening. I correct OCR noise (e.g., Co-Operative used interchangeably).

Events (4)
1. July 1, 1908* Suspension
Cause
Bank Specific Adverse Info
Cause Details
Discovery of missing books/irregularities and alleged embezzlement by secretary-treasurer J. Barton Miller leading to receiver appointment and suspension of normal operations.
Newspaper Excerpt
Ball agt. First Co-operative Building Association; authority to employ counsel and auditor, rent office, hire clerk; attorneys for receiver... order appointing National Savings and Trust Company receiver.
Source
newspapers
2. July 13, 1908 Receivership
Newspaper Excerpt
Receiver Ambrose of the First Co-operative Building Association was authorized by Justice Anderson today to accept $1,179.06 ... This is the first money which has come into the hands of the receiver ... the books of the association have not yet been located.
Source
newspapers
3. July 15, 1908 Other
Newspaper Excerpt
THREE SUITS FILED AGAINST MILLER ... Law suits are piling up thick and fast against J. Barton Miller, the deposed secretary-treasurer of the First Co-operative Building Association.
Source
newspapers
4. June 7, 1910 Other
Newspaper Excerpt
SEARCH FOR LOST RECORDS ... testimony that many of the books of the First Co-operative Building Association were missing when the safe was forcibly opened early in July 1908 ... trial of J. Barton Miller, the former secretary of that organization, on embezzlement.
Source
newspapers

Newspaper Articles (4)
1. July 13, 1908 Evening Star Washington, DC
Article from Evening Star, July 13, 1908

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Article Text

THE COURT RECORD. District Supreme Court. EQUITY COURT No. 1-Justice Wright. Solomon agt. Joyce; commissioners' return to partition of real estate confirmed, complainant's solicitor, L. M. King; defendant's solicitor. A. B. Webb. Ellinger agt. Harvard Laundry Company; authority to employ an accountant and clerical force and operating force; complainant's solicitors, W. E. Ambrose and J. L. Smith. Ball agt. First Co-operative Building Association; authority to employ counsel and auditor, rent office, hire clerk; attorneys for receiver, J. S. Easby-Smith and John Lewis Smith. Harris agt. Harris; order to pay $10 per month alimony and enjoining defendant from removing child from jurisdiction; complainant's solicitor, F. B. Rhodes; defendant's solicitor. Fountain Peyton. Cave agt. Yoder: restraining order granted: complainant's solicitor. A. S. Worthington. National Savings and Trust Company agt. Callahan; order appointing National Savings and Trust Company receiver; complainant's solicitor, George Francis Williams. CIRCUIT COURT NO. 1-Justice Wright. Hills agt. Wagner; leave granted to file amended pleas and supplemental affidavits; complainant's solicitor, H. W. Wheatley; defendant's solicitor, R. P. Shealey. Montrose Lumber Company agt. Heaton: return of money deposited as security for costs ordered; plaintiff's attorney, W. E. Richardson; defendant's solicitor, E. S. Duvall, jr. Fritsch agt Prall: demurrer to defendant's pleas sustained; plaintiff's attorneys, James Gillen, jr., and H. T. Winfield. CRIMINAL COURT NO. 1-Justice Wright. United States agt. Thomas R. Martin; forgery and embezzlement; plea guilty; sentenced to penitentiary for two years; attorneys, Leckie, Fulton & Cox. PROBATE COURT-Justice Wright. Estate of Edwin Harris; will admitted to probate and letters of administration c.t.a. granted to Edwin H. Harris; bond, $1,000; attorneys. Roach & Watkins. Estate of George Bobinger; will admitted to probate and letters testamentary granted to Louise M. Bobinger; bond, $4,000; attorney. Arthur Peter. Estate of Joseph Y. Potts; petition for letters of administration and of collection filed; attorney, R. H. Yeatman. In re Ulysses Stewart et al.: order appointing Susie E. Stewart guardian; bond. $200; attorney, E. M. Hewlett. Estate of Joseph Pospisiel: letters of administration granted to Barbara Pospisiel; bond. $100; attorney. H. I. Quinn. Estate of James H. McGill; order to sell boat; attorney, R. P. Shealey. Estate of Margaret Roche; order for attorney's fee; attorney, J. A. O'Shea. In re Edward J. Roche et al.; order for attorney's fee; attorney. J. A. O'Shea. In re Mabel Harbison: order of allowance; attorney, A. C. Wells. Estate of Mary C. Carr; will dated October 1, 1902, filed. Estate of Martha V. Hilburn; will dated August 17, 1899, filed.

2. July 15, 1908 The Washington Times Washington, DC
Article from The Washington Times, July 15, 1908

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Article Text

THREE SUITS FILED AGAINST MILLER Attorney for Deposed Official Makes Statement Scoring Receiver Ambrose. Law suits are piling up thick and fast against J. Barton Miller, the deposed secretary-treasurer of the First Co-operative Building Association. In the Supreme Court of the District today, Richard Travers files suit alleging that he went to Miller and asked him to buy a certain plot of land on P street, giving him checks for $1,200, understanding that he would secure absolute title to the land. Travers alleges that last Friday the land was offered for sale at the direction of the National Savings and Trust Company, which held a note secured by a deed of trust on the property. Office Furniture Attached. This morning the Connecticut Pie Company attached the office furniture of the Miller-Shoemaker Real Estate Company, a corporation of which J. Barton Miller is president. The pie company attachment involves the sum of $252 alleged to have been collected in rents by the defendant. George N. Young, a well-known Georgetown ice dealer, obtained a warrant for Miller, charging him with embezzlement. The Ice dealer alleges that he gave Miller $500. with the understanding that he was to purchase certain property for him. Miller has failed to explain the matter satisfactorily, Young claims. Lawyer Scores Receiver. Henry E. Davis, counse] for Mr. Miller, in a public statement today. criticises the course followed by the receiver in his efforts to obtain the books of the association. Once, says Mr. Davis, he was inclined to co-operate with the receiver in his effort to untangle the affairs of the concern, but now he feels inclined to do the reverse. Mr. Davis, who has hitherto kept silent about the case, says of Mr. Miller's arrest: "I make no pretense of disguising my resentment at the action of the receiver in visiting Mr. Miller's house and submitting him and his devoted young wife to the indignity of yesterday's proceedings. I had personally assured both the receiver and his counse] that any search of the house would be vain, and that any talk about Mr. Miller's leaving the city or attempting to evade any process upon him was idle, if not malicious. The receiver was good enough to say that he would accept my assurances, but I suppose that he doubted Mr. Miller's good faith with me. However that may be, the disposition which I have had from the start to be helpful to the receiver and the association in the endeavor to untangle its most unfortunately complicated affairs has been seriously affected by this proceeding, and I am almost tempted to say that my inclination in the matter is quite reversed. Surprised at Newspapers. "And I am at a loss to account for certain expressions which I have seen in the newspapers indicating some hesitancy on my part to respond to the receiver's requests. The fact is that I informed the receiver, in advance of any formal call by him upon me, that any such call would be useless, and, when, on Monday at noon, he served me with a written demand for certain bocks and documents. of some of which I had not before heard, calling for their production by 3 o'clock of that after(Continued on Eleventh Page.)

3. July 29, 1908 Evening Star Washington, DC
Article from Evening Star, July 29, 1908

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Article Text

FIRST MONEY TURNED IN. Receiver of, Co-Operative Building Association Accepts Settlement. Receiver Ambrose of the First Co-operative Building Association was authorIzed by Justice Anderson today to accept $1,179.06 from Adolph Behrmann in satisfaction of the association's claim under a deed of trust on parts of lots 60 and 61 in square 1197. Mr. Behrmann borrowed $2,000 from the association on his property in March, 1902, and has made payments to reduce the sum to $1,179.06. The receiver was ordered to release the property from the operation of the deed of trust. This is the first money which has come into the hands of the receiver, with the exception of about $250 found in a local bank to the credit of the association at the time of the appointment of the receiver. The books of the association have not yet been located.

4. June 7, 1910 Evening Star Washington, DC
Article from Evening Star, June 7, 1910

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Article Text

SEARCH FOR LOST RECORDS Defense Tries to Show Books Could Not Be All Together READING OF CHECKS RULED OUT Edgar Frisby Tells of Audit of Accounts-No Way to Confirm Accuracy of Entries "estimony that many of the books of Co-operative Building Associa the First missing when the safe was tion forcibly were opened early in July 1908. at in the its whe nsuspicion of irregularities of time affairs provoked an investigation. was the fered by the government today in sectrial of J Harton Miller. the former charge retary of that organization. on Stafford a in embezzlement before Justice of criminal Court No. 2. George 11. Lee the Edgar Frisby, the members associati of auditing and committee of the this, the principal witnesses at when second were the day of Millers' trial, and the both safe stated they were present of all of and they made a list list was the documents opened found at that time, the adbeing placed in evidence. the spirited controversy occurred over when A of evidence John missibility Davis and E Attorneys Henry introduce evidence Laskey sought that a great number of for the defense across the checks had been sociation cashed and subsequently deposited ter of the by Miller as cash. Checks as Evidence. Justice Stafford ruled that the evidence checks constituted the best themselves before the jury, thus upholding Attorney to go contention of District the and Assistant District Attorney of Wilson the questions asked Proctor that not proper Auditor Lee were court permitted the defense ruling amination note The a series of exceptions to prove the Miller's attorneys devoted by no the little govtime to an effort the safe in the witnesses that was ernment's of the building association the storoffice small to permit entirely too walls the great age within its iron deeds and other records been of books. which had of the organization. when the exits amination cheduled as into "missing Miller's conduct of affairs was made. Director J. H. Lee Testifies. Joseph H. Lee, a director and committee one of of the auditing Asthe members First Co-operative Building called sociation, of the was the first witness of this morning by the government Without attempting to indicate Mr Lee any realleged fradulent entrie of specimen ferred the to an enlarged clation copy cash book. page from the an exhibit on the which was posted as He explained in wall of the methods courtroom of bookkeeping length vogue during the the regime of the defendant. Milier. identified his own of signature the months to the Witness statements the August end and Septemof May, June. July accounts of the assober. clation 1907, had that been the examined and approved as correct. book of the association the entries was The cash Mr. Lee read of acin evidence. the monthl audit showing that September 1907. and down counts after been made by himself Prof. to June. 190S, Edgar had Frisby, his associate on was and the finance committee present in the rooms Lee said association he when the safe had been was of the at the time suspicion the organizaopened the solvency of aroused of of the book: tion. He declared Witness submitted most a list of the missing books found in tenure the safe. of office. Mr Lee were clation During none his of the funds of the deposited assothe testified authorized to be Meand Farmers elsewhere than in town. Replying to chanics' Bank. Justice Georget Stafford. witness a question of was found in the safe at the said time no money it was forcibly opened. Lee Under Cross-Examination. cross-examination by Attorney Laskey Under and Davis, for the defense, entire Mr was required to canvass the list Lee of books kepu by the association other and the records of deeds and to state deposited by borrowers when securities loans were negotiated. It was the evi- that purpose of the defense to show dent the books and records of the organi- in the all could not possibly be kept safe zation its office at 1245 Wisconsin venue cross-examination northwest was carried, at considerable The length. into the technical associaof the accounts between the were moties tion and its stockholders or in terrupted borrowers. while The proceedings illiam E. Ambrose mentarily the First Co-operative Building ceiver for gave into the custody list of the Association. all of a certain the clerk assoc of the court dation's checks 1. 1907. issued and between June the dates January of the checks 1908 Subsequently introduced some in evidence to were sought to be show that they had by the defense across the counter of the asbeen cashed and subsequently deposited in tion bank office by the association as cash. Reading of Checks Ruled Out. was made by District AttorObjection Wilson that this line of questioning A ney not properly was debate occurred before Justice of spirited finally ruled out any reading Stafford when the checks themselves the checks clearly to the jury what disposishowed had been made of them tion five exceptions in row were Four by or the attorneys for the defense noted the disputed point was abandoned member before Prof Edgar Frisby, who was committee association auditing from of the September 1907, to the the second date wittroubles eulminated, was He testified briefly the ness of the morning method of auditing the regarding association's accounts. se-axamination the defense no Under considerable point of Mr way Frisby' that he statement made that there the was accuracy or inaccuof racy knew to some confirm of Miller's entries in the cash book Initiative of Attorney Davis, the Mr On the He stated that Lee was recalled. from the book known bers. tries in as question "secretary came s account with memPresident Benjamin Testifies. Charles F. Benjamin. president of the the Perpetual Building and he Association, described a was meeting next witness. officers of different building assoof the held at the time when the first ciations beset the First Co-operative difficulties Associ Under objection the sub by Building Mr Benjamin related this meet the defense ement made the finanstance a Miller. namely that over ing by Mr. out an_excess ctal troubles grew of the demands for money by the stock. rent receipts holders of matured and maturing