The Sylvester Family of Plainview, Minnesota*

Hettie Sylvester claims no knowledge of banking issues and financial source

November 13, 1925

PAGE 161

insurance which was introduced at today’s hearing and asked by Mrs. Sylvester’s attorneys to be exempt from the assets of the estate."
At the Saturday hearing Mrs. Sylvester on the witness stand described the financial methods used in the Sylvester family as that of simply drawing checks upon the Plainview State Bank whenever funds were required. She stated definitely on the stand that she knew nothing about the bank and was never behind the counter of the institution.

No Knowledge of Source
During the cross examination by Senator Carley, Mrs. Sylvester stated that she had no knowledge of the source of the money she was spending. The checks she wrote, she declared were always good and were taken care of at the bank.
"Mrs. Sylvester," Senator Carley continued, "today on the witness stand stated that the money to rebuild or remodel the Sylvester home, which according to the appraisers, appointed by the court, is worth $10,000, came from her dead soldier son’s insurance, but the bank records show this money to a large extent was used to meet notes of the family."
The following statements give the disposition of this insurance money as Sylvester bank records have it, according to copies of bank examiner’s reports submitted by Senator Carley:
Life Insurance Reports
Report of Life Insurance policies of Byrl Sylvester, payable to his mother, Hettie D. Sylvester.
Banker’s Life Insurance policy check dated July 28, 1918 – $5,000.
This check was issued as follows: Note of B. E. Sylvester dated May 14, 1917, Paid July 2, 1918 – $5,000.
Interest on above note – $30.00.
Note of Hettie D. Sylvester Dated May 9, 1917 – $2,000.
Proceeds of note deposited to R. Chapman estate paid July 2, 1918 – Interest on above note – $120. Certificate of deposit $2,350.
The certificate of deposit of $2,350 noted above was cashed on July 11, and $350 credited to the account of E. L. Sylvester and the remaining $2,000 placed in another certificate of deposit.
The new certificate was cashed on July 19, 1918 and $1,000 was placed in the Building account of Hettie D. Sylvester.
On the other policy check dated July 3, $5,020.55 was received.
This amount was placed on deposit July 6. It was used as follows:
Meta Holmes (a daughter) note - $1,700.
Interest on note - $91.57
Meta Holmes Note - $2,000.
Interest on Note - $107.72
Certificate of Deposit - $1,311.95
Balance made up by check of E. L. Sylvester - $190.69.
This last certificate of deposit was cashed and the fund used to increase the surplus of the bank from$20,000 to$30,000 September 23, 1920.
The Building Fund, around which the hearing in federal court at Winona Saturday revolved, consisted of $1,850 that can be traced to Mrs. Sylvester’s deposits, according to Senator Carley, and the remainder of the $6,500 in the fund comes direct from the missing president’s account.
"We have checks and receipts to show," Carley added, "that E. L. Sylvester himself paid the greater part of this remodeling or rebuilding expense."
Kept Accurate Records

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* SOURCE: Manzow, Ron (compiler), "The Sylvester Family of Plainview, Minnesota - a collection of information taken from the Plainview News, other newspapers, letters, and diaries beginning in 1884": Plainview Area History Center, 40 4th St. S.W., Plainview, MN 55964. Compiled in 2001.

NOTE: from Ron Manzow, December 2001: "Feel free to reproduce the pages for anyone who wants a copy. It was compiled to be shared... All I ask is that they consider sending a check to the [Plainview Area] History Center to help us out. That should be enough."