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mm " WILLIAM PAGE I AS A WITNESS Trial of Case Against Officers and Directors of The Bank FARMERS BANK OF AYNOR Incidents of a Bank Failure Which Stirred People in 1Q1A AAA A %W A V Mr. William Page was sworn here as a witness for the plaintifl* jn case of W. A. Freeman, Receiver, against the officers and directors of the old Farmers & Merchants ftnnk. This is the case in which the Receiver is seeking to recover from officers of the bank the big loss that was sustained by the bank by the stockholders who put their money into it. So far as the depositors in the Hank are concerned they have already been paid 75 per cent and they will be paid in full before it is over as the stockholders are liable for an amount equal to their shares of stock in order to pay the people who deposited money there. Mr. Page was examined by Mr. F. L Wilcox, of counsel for the plaintiff, and he testified as follows, in subyjtance: "I a?^ seventy-eight years of age on next Monday. I was an original stockholder to the amount of $500.00, and T subscribed $50.00 for a little granddaughter. "At the meeting of the stockholders at which the directors were selected, I was present but I do not remember that I was elected as a director. I ^as nominated but word came afterwards that I could not serve on account of living so far away from the bank. I know that W. R. Lewis was the president, W. W. Russ vice-president, and W. P. Hardwick cashier and George Officer .assistant cashier. 1 cannot name the directors. "I was here at a meeting of the stockholders when they voted to pay a dividend of 4 per cent. I cannot 0 jrive the date. There was no other dividend ever paid. I think all the directors were present when the dividend was declared. ^ A imna?4- x?rn n ?i/l a o 4- f n . n i t wan uuiui; at tuat meetinp to *he board in words. I got $20 And a little over for my sh^re of th?? dividend. At this meeting George W. Hardee asked Percy Hardwick if the bank was out of debt. Hardwick f?v>swe^od that it was. He was then asked if M*e building had been naid for and if the safe had been paid for and he answered yes. He was then nsked if the Walter Porter property had been p'?;d for and he said that it had been. K*o said that the bank was entirely out of debt and had made ? per cent, but they would only pay < per cent. W. R. Lewis, or someone else, ir.rde a motion to keep the A jei cent in the bank, but this was votec down and they decided to pay the dividend. These statements by Hard wick at that meeting were not ques tioned by any person present. T can not remember whether W. B. Cbestnn was present, but recall that W. R "Lewis and W. P. Hardwick were botl there. Myself and W. R. Lewis wen brothers-in-law. I came to Conwa] often at that time, oftener than T d< now. We were the best 6f friends, went to the bank sometimes when camo to Conway to see Mr. Lewis, usually found him in the bank. I wa here one night and saw Percy Hard wick and Percy wanted me 'o com around to the bank on the followinj morning to see how they did busings? 1 went. They were certainly taking i the money, and I saw them taking i in; but I never did see how it got oui I did my banking business at tha bank. \ did more there than I di fit A < AAf T tl'o o t<M Vva^ U tin Imi ??v * jl ? av> in uuvu uaiirv?"> uu ffrd most of my business at Conwaj as I had confidence in this hank. I cannot give the exact date, bu shortly before this bank broke, I mc H. L. Buck on the street, and f.ii ^omethinp about the prospects of 1fc Bank of Aynor, the Farmers' Stat Bank, and Mr. Buck said that the cor dition of the Aynor Bank was notl Jng to. compare to the bad conditio of the bank at Conway. This was th first time I had heard of this bur. being in a failing condition. Refoi the Aynor bank became involved had hpftivl rumnv that fit** nr ers* State bank was not so prood *<r about the first statement I hea* about this bank in Conway was tf one made by Mr. Buck. It was a sho time before the bank was closed, left Buck and went hurriedly into tV bank and found in there Mr. Lew and Mr. Officer. I spoke to Mr. Lew about my money on deposit, and 1 and Mr. Officer both pot on their fe and said the bank was all right ai to let them alone and no* withdra the funds. Mr. Lewis pulled out bank statement and said that it w; sworn to. I did not look at it. I paid the bank was in good conditu 50 ooot> CIGARETTES ioc ^ GENUINE 2&M "Bull" PWM DURHAM ft <ftir ^ TOBACCO * I ,-v , . , t md that they had plenty of money. I ] told him that what I wanted was not l money but wanted to know that it ) was in good shape .and feel satisfied. I then went to the depot to take the 1 train home but the train was one-half I * hour late. This Rave me more time < and as I was not satisfied 1 went back I to the bank and called W. R. Lewis to the front while Mr. Officer remain- | ( ed on the inside and could hear what l we s*?id I told him that I was not i satisfied. He said to go and ask , i Frank Burroughs if I did not believe what he said. I told him that. he. Lewis, was in better condition to know the bank and its condition than F. A. Burroughs and that I had co'^e to him. He repeated that the bank was all right. I went home and in a few days T heard it was closed. When the 4 per cent dividend was paid it was stated by some present that it should have been done in or; der to keep the men in heart. Both W. R. Lewis and George Officer told me when I deposited my < money in the bank, and also afterwards, tlvif the bank was all right. I do not think I had more than two or three hundred dollars in the bank when it failed. I had intended to check the balance out when Hal L. Buck told me what T said he did, and < I went at once to Lewis and Officer and wanted to take it out but I did not check it out because they said the bank was pood/' On cross-examination, Mr. Pape stated that The Farmers' State Bank of Aynor, of which Percy Hardwick was president, had failed before the Farmers' & Merchants did that he, ' Page, had been a director of the Bank of Aynor and tried very hard to pet Percy Hardwick out of it and that 1 Hardwick was induced to tender his ; resignation and witness thought that it was accepted but later Steve Lewis, who seemed to favor Percy, manaped to pet the resignation withdrawn and Percy remained on until the bank failed. ; Mr. Page also told in a very amus| inp manner a story of one occasion ; when he had pone to Aynor to attend a meetinp of directors at the hank at that place and while he was standinp > nearby, Percy Hardwick and Georpe ' Officer had come up to attend the ; meetinp also. The bank examiner ' was expected to be present but it ! turned out that he did not come. No meetinp was held. Mr. Officer had in his hands a small canvas bap, described by Mr. Pape as resemblinp an old i time shot bap, and accordinp to him, ( it was about one foot lonp and four to five inches in diameter. Witness , did not see the money on the inside ' of the bap but it looked like it con, tained money and if it had been fy ps . in the bap he would have known it I from the impression on the canvas. | He stated th.nt it was a money bap | and looked like it had money in it and | that it was full to the very brim. He .? i . i _ . went on to say that wnen it was oe? cided that the examiner would not be 1 there and that no meeting would he ? held that Mr. Officer turned to Mr. r Hardwick and said, "Well, what do 1 you want me to do with this," and ? that Hardwick answered and said: - "Take that on to Conway; we will - not want that here any longer now." Witness stated that he had every t confidence in the world in W. R. Lew. is. He said he had not the least idea i that W. R. Lewis profited one cent 5 at the expense of the funds of the i Farmers' & Merchants Bank and that i W. R. Lewis was his friend and relaI tive, and worthy of being trusted, or I words to that effect. He said that he T could not tell who got the money or s where it went. He had seen some of - it deposited and he knew that the r stock had been paid in, but he never saw it mid out and he did not know who got it. n After the examination of two witt nosses, Messrs W. A. Freeman and t. William Page, the reference was cont tinued until ten o'clock on Wednesday (\ morning, January 17th, when the ^ hearing will go on. RELIGIOUS CENSUS TO BE TAKEN It The religious census of the town will be taken by the three Sunday e schools next Sunday afternoon. 0 The visitors consists of fifteen from each church and will meet at the Methodist church at 2 o'clock Sunday " afternoon and there will go out three i toerether. representing each of the Sunday schools of the town. The C committees have the work mapped out in fine shape and expect to complete ^ the work in about three hours. ie MILLIGAN-COOPER rt X Mr. J. Perley Cooper, of Dunn, N. ,e C., and Miss Zella Millipan, of Allsis brook, S. C., were happily married is Sunday, December 24th, at 2:30 ie o'clock in the afternoon. et The marriage was quite a home 1(j affair and only a few relatives and ,w close friends witnessed the ceremony a Mr. L. W. Cooper, uncle of the a.s ffroom officiated. le The bride is the daughter of Mrs >n Harriet Millipan and is one of the most popular younj? women of hei community. Mr. Cooper is mana^ei of the Southern Marble Works, o1 Dunn, and is a promising younpj husi nesa mail wnu imr> mauc iimuy niciiu: here since moving to Dunn about i year ago. The bridal couple wpant the holiday: B. B, VAUGHT J. T. BOOT* > Free Shampoo! We are giving a free shampoo witl each haircut, except Friday and Sat urday, beginning next Monday, Jan uary 15th. Look up the shop next t Candy Kitchen. Come one?Come all?To VAUGHT & BOOTH BARBER SHOI This offer lasts till February 15t MAN STRIKES Cnfa.0 , WITH AUTOMOBILE While on his way from school, little Paul Quattlebaum, Jr., was struck by the left fender of an automobile driven by Beaty Gillespie, and came near being run over. The Chief of Police, who was standing nearby, on Main Street, immediately placed Gillespie under arrest on a charge of reckless driving and placed him under a bqnd of SI0.00. In the Mayor's court Gillespie drew a fine of $7.50. STARTING OFF RIGHT The Conway Baptist Sunday school of the first church made a good year's start last Sunday, having every officer (seven in number) present, every teacher (twenty-two in number) present. and eighty-four per cent of the total enrollment present. The Primary department was full and running: over, having 64 present out of an enrollment of 70. Thf? Jwnior and Intermediate department, with 12 classes had perfect attendance in six and only one absent in easn of the other six. The adult ladies class were all present except one and she was sick. The Annex class was forced to get more chairs in order to seat the number present. The folks were there on time with a smile and seemed to be happy on the first Sunday of the new year. Even the pastor could not keep still. It had been previously announced that Miss Lucy Spivey would have charge of the opening- exercises. She being- in the W. M. U. Training school at Louisville, of course was not present, but she had her program there, including songs, prayer and a short address to the Sunday school. The program was carried out by Miss Wolf and Miss Evelyn Snider. Her prayer and address were both short, but impressive. When Mr. Chon, our secretary made his quarterly report, it showed a perfect attendance of all the officers except three .and they had only1 missed one Sunday each; teachers average of 88 per cent and a long list of pupils who had been present every Sunday .for the quarter. The Annex Class will have charge of the opening exercises next Sunday morning and the ladies of the choir have been asked to give the singing over to 4/a. men on that dav. We un derstand that the boys of the Annex Class have been asked to bring: every musical instrument from the whistle of the mocking bird to the base drum. We are looking ford ward to one 6f the bet:t programs we have had recently. Everybody is cordially invited to be with us next Sunday. J. C. SPIVEY, Supt. o DRUNK AND DISORDERLY Ike Johnson was before the Mayor on a charge of being drunk and disorderly. He contributed $10.00 to the. town in the way of a fine. o WIFE-BEATER FINED Stevon P.almley was up before the Mayor on a charge of beating his wife. He was fined $10.00 and was warned not to come up again for that offense. o Trespass signs on stiff card board wil| protect your land in 1923. -Buy these cards at Tho Herald office. * * * * * Writing tablets that are different at The Herald office. with friends in Horry and Marion Counties, S. C., returning to Dunn Saturday, December 30th, where they will make their future home. Their friends wish for them a long and happy life. o TAX RETURNS FOR 1923 The County Auditor of Horry County will attend the following places at times specified for the purpose of taking returns for the fiscal year 1923, of all personal property, also _ 11 x J* -w-% ? n A a ? ?. an transrers 01 iceai estate wnicn have been made since last return. All able bodied male persons between the a^es of 21 and 60 years are required to return poll tax. Executors and Administrators are required to make returns of all property under their control. Failure to make returns within the time specified subjects the delinquent to a penalty of 50 cents on the dollar. Monday, January 15th. Gallivants Ferry 9:00 to 12:0C Aynor 1:00 to 3:00 Cool Spring 4:09 to 5:00 Tuesday, January 16th. 1 Wampee 9:00 to 11:0 l Little River 1:00 to 2:0(1 Brooksville 8:00 to 4:01 , Wednesday, January 17. I Daisy 9:00 to 10:M Nathan Bellamy's Store 12.00 to 1 KM Ebenerer 2:00 to 3rfH Red Bluff 4:00 to 5:0< ; Thursday, January 18th. ) ' Stalvey 10:00 to 11:(M ? Burgess 12:00 to 2:0( p Cooper's Store 8:00 to 4:0< Friday, January 19th. ~ Bayboro 9:00 to 10:01 A llcKr/tnlr 1 1 'Aft tn 1 9 'ftl < ft I IHI/I V/\# I\ # < A A V v W AM |V' Loris 2:00 to 4:<X Tuesday, January 23rd. ^ Rehohoth 9:00 to 11:0' - Mt. Pis^ah 12:00 to 1:0' Hinson's Store 2:00 to 4:G * r# Wednesday, January 24th. j . Stevens X Rds 9:0G:il> lliO* | Jollies X Rds 12:00 to 1Y0 [ F'oyds Schoolhouse .... 2:00 to 4:0 Thursday, January 25th. Spring Branch 9:00 to 11:0 11 Grassy Bay 1:00 to 2:0 Friday, January 26th. * Green Sea (BufTldn's Store) * 9:00 to 12:0 Jem. X*fets.? 1:00 to fc:0 The balanpg of the time at <th Auditor's office m^ConWav. Rem em | ber the time is out on February 20tl r N. C. ADAMS, . _ , County Auditor. k 12)21 |22~4t. / ^ ' I - . 1, = WALK A BLOCK ANE BANK] SA NOW GOING < CONWAY DE 1 BARGAINS I BY THE ORDER OF THE \ MUST BE SOLD. MEN AND This is your opportuni Don't let it si You know as we merchant must make ?otherwise he couldn This store does n IT WAS ORDERED T II AND SELL WE MUS No matter what ] you pay no more th chant pays for it at some cases you buy we bought it for less THIS IS LOADED WITl I ABOUT 5000 PAIR SHO ill MEN'S AND BOYS'SUITS :|| DREN'S COATS TO SELL J COME ONE! CONWAY Dl x<l H I ?BANK 0 "Upper Main St. New Spr vmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm / , SAVE A DOLLAR [ RUPT I F '^1 A ^1 ON AT THE PT. STORE galore"! TRUSTEE! HIS STOCK REGARDLESS WOMEN ty to save money!? I lip by you! . I 11 as we do that a I a profit on his goods, I 't stay in business. I ot ask any profit,? I > O SELL the STOCK | irou buy in this store | an the biggest mer- I ' t wholesale,?but in I it for less, because I >TORE H NEW GOODS. I ES, and more than 1000 I i and LADIES AND CHIL- 1 COME ALL! I :PT. STORE RUPT? irey Block, Conway, S. C.