Farmers & Merchants Bank (Walton, NE)

Episode Information

Episode UID
76090471468
Episode Type
Suspension β†’ Closure
Bank Type
state
Bank ID
7609047 routing
Routing Number
76-0904
Start Date
April 12, 1922
Location
Walton, Nebraska (40.799, -96.562)

Metadata

Model
gpt-5-mini (chosen from majority vote of a three-model LLM ensemble)
Short Digest
5e7172984bebf8b9

Response Measures

None

Description

Bank was taken over by the State Department and placed in receivership after cashier defalcations.

Events (3)

1. April 12, 1922 Receivership
Newspaper Excerpt
was taken over to-day by the Department of Trade and Commerce and a receiver will be appointed
Source
newspapers
2. April 12, 1922 Suspension
Cause
Government Action
Cause Details
Taken over by the State Department of Trade and Commerce after inability to recover from transactions of former administrative officers (defalcations).
Newspaper Excerpt
The Farmers and Merchants State Bank of Walton, Neb., was taken over to-day by the Department of Trade and Commerce and a receiver will be appointed
Source
newspapers
3. December 27, 1923 Other
Newspaper Excerpt
Receiver Whitney of the closed Farmers & Merchants' bank of Walton, this county, today filed a brief in the supreme court, denying that any liability under the depositors' guarantee act exists with respect to the claim of the United States Fidelity & Guarantee company for $7,594.0
Source
newspapers

Newspaper Articles (4)

Article from The New York Herald, April 13, 1922

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Article Text

BANK IN WALTON IN TROUBLE. LINCOLN. Neb., April 12.-The Farmers and Merchants State Bank of Walton, Neb., was taken over to-day by the Department of Trade and Commerce and a receiver will be appointed, according to J. E. Hart, secretary. The bank was unable to recover from the transactions of former administrative officers, Mr. Hart said.


Article from Daily Drovers Journal-Stockman, January 1, 1923

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Article Text

21 STATE BANKS CLOSED DURING YEAR Nearly Five Millions Paid Nebraska Depositors. MILLION BALANCE IN FUND Proposed Amendment to Guaranty Law Opposed by Bankers. Lincoln, Neb., Jan. 1.β€”(Special.)β€”Assessments upon state banks for the guarantee fund, from January 1, 1922, to January 1, 1923, will amount to $2,250,000 or eight-tenths of 1 per cent, according to figures compiled from estimates in the office of the State Department of Trade and Commerce, drawn off the books of R. A. Chase, of the bank examination division. This leaves a balance of $1,000,000 in the fund. These balances are kept by the various state banks subject to the draft of J. E. Hart, head of the department, to cover losses. Deposits in state banks closed amount to approximately $4,750,000, all of which have not been paid for the reason that banks that were closed late in the year have not settled with the department. "It usually takes from 60 to 90 days to close up the affairs of a bank when receivers are appointed," Mr. Chase said. There were fewer failures this year than last year; or, to be exact, it was not found necessary to close as many banks and to administer upon their affairs. During 1921, the department closed 23 banks. This year 21 banks have been closed. No law is perfect, but one feature is encouraging, so the department believes; namely that no depositor has lost a cent by the failure or closing of banks. From time to time bankers and financiers have advocated amendments to and changes in the law; but such propositions have come to nothing because the State Bankers' association has opposed any "monkeying with the law," feeling that such changes and amendments might be taken as a lack of confidence in the present statute. In banking circles there is such sentiment for an amendment which will incorporate the features of the South Dakota law into the Nebraska statute. The South Dakota law practically prevents the closing of a bank at the discretion of the state department. Especially when there is any chance to tide the bank over. Banks Taken Over This Year. The following banks have been taken by the department during the year: the Goodrich Bank at Fairbury; the Farmers State Bank at Bayard; the Exchange Bank at Ogallala; the Homer State Bank; the Farmers and Merchants Bank at Walton; the New Castle State Bank; the American State Bank at Long Pine; the Bank of Waterloo; the Endicott State Bank; the Nebraska State Bank at Milligan; the Shelton State Bank; the Wayne County Bank at Sholes; the First State Bank at Hemingford; the Farmers State Bank at Benedict; the Waco State Bank; the Gering State Bank; the Farmers Bank at Bennett; the Southfork State Bank at Chambers; the Citizens' State Bank at Kimball, and the American State Bank at Omaha, which was the last bank of any importance to fail. One year of which the department is proud is 1920, during which there were only five banks closed. So far the record is, 49 banks closed by the department during the past three years. In the great majority of these instances, banks were closed, not because of any criminal mismanagement, but simply be-


Article from Beatrice Daily Sun, December 28, 1923

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Article Text

Walton Bank Receiver Denies Liability For Cashiers Raid On Funds Lincoln, Nebr., Dec. 27β€”Receiver Whitney of the closed Farmers & Merchants' bank of Walton, this county, today filed a brief in the supreme court, denying that any liability under the depositors' guarantee act exists with respect to the claim of the United States Fidelity & Guarantee company for $7,594. The bank was operated by L. A. Berge, the cashier. He was also the administrator for the estate of Wm. Schultz and as such there came into his hands the sum of $5,084. He deposited it in the bank to his credit as administrator, and the next day drew it out. What he did with it is not revealed. Berg disappeared, and is now a fugitive from justice. The surety company made good the defalcation and now seeks to hold the bank and state guarantee fund responsible.


Article from The Omaha Morning Bee, December 29, 1923

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Article Text

Receiver Files Appeal in Walton Bank Case Lincoln, Dec. 28.-Receiver Whitney of the closed Farmers and Mer. chants bank of Walton, this county, has filed a brief in the supreme court, denying that any liability under the deposit guarantee act exists with respect to the claim of the United States Fidelity and Guarantee company for $7,594. The bank was operated by L. A. Berge, cashier. He was also the administrator for the estate of William Schultz, and as such there came into his hands the sum of $5,854. He deposited' it in the, bank to his credit as administrator, and the next day drew it out. What he did with it is not revealed. Berge disappeared and is now a fugitive from justice. The surety company made good the defalcation and now seeks to hold the bank and state guarantee fund responsible. on the ground that the bank knew of Berge's defalcation, Berge, it says, being to all intents the bank itself. The lower court held in favo rof the receiver, and the guarantee company appealed.