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BANKER GONE; COURT ACTS. Receiver Appointed for Institution After Disappearance. Atlanta, Ga., Dec. 14.-The Farmers and Merchants' Bank, of Milan, Ga., has been taken over by the courts and W. E. Wilcox apointed receiver, following the disappearance of C. C. Dukes, president and cashier, who has been missing since Monday. No reason for Dukes' disappearance has been given. The bank is in good condition, according to the State Banking Department.
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Brother of Missing Milan Man Declares He Was Exemplary, Without Financial or Other Troubles The search for Clifford C. Dukes, the youngest bank president in the United States, who disappeared mysteriously a week ago from room No. 517 at the Ansley hotel, led out of town Monday morning: and, in the opinion of his brother, P. M. Dukes, will soon disclose what has happened to the missing banker. An auditor employed by W. C. Wilcox, vice president and receiver of the Farmers' and Merchants bank, of Milan, Ga., of which Clifford C. Dukes was president and cashier, began a thorough audit of the books of the bank Monday morning. "We have found absolutely nothing wrong," said Mr. Wilcox, at 12 o'clock Monday, over long distance telephone to The Journal P. M. Dukes, brother of the missing banker, arrived in Atlanta Sunday from Tueson, Ariz. "Like my brother's wife, I firmly believe he is in the hands of a gang of crooks from Tampa, Fla, who have him doped and are trying 10 make him sign over big sums of money in the shape of checks, said Mr. Dukes. Mrs. Dukes has returned to her home in Milan, Ga., to see her chil dren, one of whom is three years old and the other 16 months. But she probably will be back in Atlanta by Tuesday to assist her brother-inlaw and the Pinkertons to solve the mystery, which presents some of the queerest aspects that ever puzzled the police here. Both she and her brother-in-law who has gone into the case minutely since his arrival from Arizona, have rejected all theories except that the missing banker, who is president of the Merchants' and Farmers' Bank, of Milan, has fallen into the hands of four confidence men, traced to Atlanta from Tampa, Fla., and that they have taken him out of the city in a doped condition. Other Theories Probed Detectives who are working on the mystery are investigating along these lines, but they are also working on other theories. They are convinced Mr. Dukes has left Atlanta, and have carried their search for him to other cities. southern The Farmers' and Merchants' Bank, of which he was president, was placed in the hands of the vice president, W. E. Wilcox, last week, as receiver But this was simply to prevent a run on the bank. A statement made in September had showed it to be in sound condition, with $15,000 capital, $15,000 surplus and $6,000 undivided profits At the state banking department at the capitol, however, it was said Monday morning that Mr. Wilcox, the receiver, had employed an out. side auditor to go over the bank's books carefully and determine exactly its condition today P. M. Dukes, who arrived Sunday from Tucson, Ariz., where he is a railroad conductor. gave an interview Monday morning which goes even more thoroughly into the puzzling case than the statement made by the missing banker's wife Saturnight. day "I know it seems queer," said Mr. Dukes, "to think of confidence men doping a man right here in the heart or the city and spiriting him away without a soul knowing a thing about it. It's more like a tale from the underworld than actual reality But I have investigated every phase of the case and it's the only explanation I can find. I am convinced my brother is in the hands of crooks who are trying to bleed him of all the money they can. No Other Trouble "Let's look at the case the way I have First of all, let's look at the business reasons. Was there anything in the way of finances that could have made him voluntarily disappear? "I know there absolutely isn't. because the bank is sound and his small investments in cotton were on an absolutely firm basis. "Could it have been domestic troubles? That is absolutely out of the question because I have never seen a more devoted couple than he and his wife. "Could his disappearance have been the result of some wild escapade? That's even more impossible He's never touched a drop of liquor in his life: he's never smoked, or used tobacco in any form: he's never played cards. and he's the most moral man I've ever known. 'You know. he added, "there's always a pick in every family and he' the pick of our family He didn't have a thing to worry him, a thing to make him unhappy. a thing to cause him to leave home. and I can see no possible explanation of his disappearance except that he has been the victim of crooks Mr. Dukes was in room No. 517. from which his brother disappeared On the floor was a black handbag open just as the missing banker had left it. This bag and a raincoat were the only personal effects he brought to Atlanta except the clothes on his back. Wherever he is now he is without even a change of linen, unless he has bought other clothes. He left everything behind him. even his watch, which the maid at the hotel found Tuesday morning under his pillow. "As you've already told." continued Mr. Dukes, "my brother left his home in Milan, Ga., Monday morning to come here on business. He intended to return to Milan Tuesday morning. but his wife got a letter from him by the Tuesday morning train, saying that he had been delayed and wouldn't be home until Tuesday night. Suspect Confidence Men "She tried to reach him Wednesday at the Ansley by long distance telephone, but the answer each time was that he was registered at the hotel, but was out just then. When she came to Atlanta Thursday she found the grip, raincoat and watch in his room. but no trace of him. Since then we've found that four notorious confidence men had been traced to Atlanta from Tampa by the police and that they are known to have registered at one of the Atlanta hotels Monday night. We believe those men got him and have him in their power now. 'From what we can learn, he must have left the hotel some time