Citizens Trust Company (Fort Wayne, IN)

Episode Information

Episode UID
71002371584
Episode Type
Suspension β†’ Closure
Bank Type
trust
Bank ID
7100237 routing
Routing Number
71-0023
Start Date
December 1, 1931*
Location
Fort Wayne, Indiana (41.131, -85.129)

Metadata

Model
gpt-5-mini (chosen from majority vote of a three-model LLM ensemble)
Short Digest
bc88a01121e6809e

Response Measures

None

Description

Closure followed suicide of the executive vice-president; receivership appointed months later.

Events (3)

1. December 1, 1931* Suspension
Cause
Bank Specific Adverse Info
Cause Details
Bank closed following suicide of executive vice-president Will B. Guelius; later allegations of unsecured mortgage certificates by the president.
Newspaper Excerpt
The Citizens bank was closed about a year ago, following the suicide in the bank basement of Will B. Guelius, executive vice-president.
Source
newspapers
2. June 22, 1932 Receivership
Newspaper Excerpt
was appointed today by Judge Clarence R. McNabb, of the Allen Circuit Court as one of the co-receivers to co-operate with Edward F. Scheumann, Fort Wayne banker, in handling the receivership of the Citizens Trust Company, Fort Wayne.
Source
newspapers
3. December 31, 1932 Other
Newspaper Excerpt
An indictment charging Owen N. Heaton, former president of the closed Citizens Trust Company, with obtaining money under false pretenses was returned by the Allen county grand jury Friday night.
Source
newspapers

Newspaper Articles (2)

Article Text

BLUFFTON MAN BANK RECEIVER W. A. Kunkel, Jr., to Assist in Ft. Wayne Job. Bluffton, Ind., June 22.-William A. Kunkel, Jr., of this city, was appointed today by Judge Clarence R. McNabb, of the Allen Circuit Court as one of the co-receivers to co-operate with Edward F. Scheumann, Fort Wayne banker, in handling the receivership of the Citizens Trust Company, Fort Wayne. He is well qualified legally, having graduated from Indiana University and from the Harvard law school. He is serving at present as receiver for the Farmers' Deposit Bank of Montpelier, and he served also as receiver the Bank of Poneto, a private bank that was closed some years ago and which paid depositors in full. He has extensive business interests and also is owner of farm property in this county. Wells County Band Organized. A Wells County band-orchestra was organized here last night with thirtyfive members enrolled and the lists still are open for further enrollments at the second rehearsal Friday night. Robert Klopfenstein was elected president, Miss Virginia Bell Grice, vicepresident, and Miss Alice Miller secretary-treasurer Rex Arlington, of Huntington, is the director of the organization. Weekly concerts here on Tuesday nights are planned. Relatives at Markle received word of the death of Percy Lee Crain, 28, which occurred Saturday at Atlanta. Ga., after an illness of four years of cancer The body was taken to the home of the mother, Mrs. Emma L. Waltz, of Fort Wayne, and funeral services were held this afternoon at Butler. Mrs. Crain, the widow, formerly was Miss Marie Marshal, of Markle. Mrs. Lela Farling Dies. Mrs. Lela Grace Farling, 32, wife of Samuel Farling, local grocery manager, died last night at the Irene Byron Hospital, Fort Wayne, following an illness of two years of tuberculosis. She had been a resident of the hospital fifteen months. She was born in Wells County daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Nute. Her marriage to Samuel Farling took place in Bluffton December 11, 1924. Surviving are the husband, two children, Mary Ann and Robert M.: the parents, brother, John B. Nute, and sister, Mrs. Ward Sittler. She was a member of the Presbyterian Church and the Pythian Sisters Lodge. Funeral services will be held at 2:30 o'clock Thursday afternoon at the home of the parents, 409 East Washington street here, in charge of the Rev. M. Elliott, of the Presbyterian Church, and burial will be in the Elm Grove Cemetery. Miss Bessie Ellingham, 52, bookkeeper in the office of Grove and Baxter, this city, died at o'clock this afternoon at the county hospital here. She underwent major operation Monday are a brother, Ottis, in the West. and two sisters, Mrs. Dean Ferguson, superintendent of the county hospital here. and Mrs. Maude Douglas, Fort Wayne The contract for the construction of highway department garage in Bluffton was awarded to Anderson, Centerville, on bid of $8,998, by the state commission today at Indianapolis.


Article Text

INDICT HEAD OF CLOSED BANK Owen N. Heaton Is Accused of Taking Funds Under False Pretenses. By United Press FT. WAYNE, Ind., Dec. 31.β€”An indictment charging Owen N. Heaton, former president of the closed Citizens Trust Company, with obtaining money under false pretenses was returned by the Allen county grand jury Friday night. He is accused of issuing first mortgage certificates unsecured by valid mortgages. The amount was said to have been nearly $68,000. Heaton for nine years was an Allen county superior judge, resigning in 1911 to become the bank head. He was a member of Heaton & Vesey, one of Ft. Wayne's pioneer law firms, and for many years was a power in state Republican politics. The Citizens bank was closed about a year ago, following the suicide in the bank basement of Will B. Guelius, executive vice-president.