The Sylvester Family of Plainview, Minnesota*

"They’d better not bring Sylvester back to Plainview" say citizens

January 30, 1926

PAGE 180

on March 4, four days after he disappeared, the Plainview State Bank was voluntarily closed and state examiners came to Plainview to begin work. On the following day the search for Sylvester was placed in the hands of authorities.
On March 9 a warrant was issued for Sylvester, charging embezzlement. The shortage then was placed at $45,000. Later further investigation brought to light more shortages until the total amounted to $120,000.
According to records in the office of A. J. Viegal, commissioner of banks, it is charged that Sylvester took mortgage loan papers of depositors from safety deposit boxes and placed them in the bank as assets and appropriated the proceeds therefrom.
On March 19 Sylvester’s double was located near Madison, Wis. The rumor that this man was Sylvester came from a small boy, living in a town near Madison, who had frequently visited relatives in Plainview and who had often seen Sylvester. The boy saw a man in a restaurant who looked like the missing banker. The authorities took the trail, but found the man was not the missing banker, although there was a striking similarity in appearance.
On March 27, Arthur S. Kennedy, former Rochester man, was arrested on a charge of embezzlement and on May 12 the Wabasha County grand jury met to begin its investigation into alleged irregularities in connection with the closing of the bank.

Officers of Bank Under Indictment
May 14 the grand jury returned indictments against E. L. Sylvester, his brother, George Sylvester, Arthur S. Kennedy and Adolph Stoltz. Some time later George Sylvester died at Plainview. Last November Arthur S. Kennedy was tried on a charge of making false entries in the bank’s records. He was found guilty by a jury at Wabasha and was sentenced to the state penitentiary. He is now serving his sentence there.
Shortly after his trial came the trail of Adolph Stoltz, assistant cashier. The case lasted more than a week, and much sensational evidence of Sylvester’s peculiarities was introduced during the trial. Many transactions by which Sylvester acquired funds were gone over in great detail and explained to the jury. The jury disagreed however, and County Attorney Foley announced he would try Stoltz again next May. Stoltz was charged with accepting deposits in the institution while knowing it to be insolvent.
On November 7, at Winona, bankruptcy proceedings were heard before Herbert M. Bierce, referee in bankruptcy at Winona. At this time sensational disclosures were made by Senator James Carley representing the bank’s depositors. He revealed, among other things, the amount of money spend by Mrs. Sylvester and by her son Edwin and went into great detail.
Keep Sylvester Away From Here Says Plainview
Plainview Folk "Tickled" at News of Capture of Missing Banker
"They’d better not bring Sylvester back to Plainview." This is the threat made in the village of Plainview today when its citizens learned that Edwin L. Sylvester, their banker, who is alleged to have embezzled approximately $120,000 of the bank’s funds, was captured last night at Gulfport, Mississippi.
The town of Plainview was jubilant over the news of Sylvester’s apprehension. As soon as word was received is spread like wildfire, and in a few moments everyone was talking about it.
"It’s the best news we’ve heard in a long time," said one citizen. "We’re all tickled down here."
Some of the citizens were inclined not to believe the report when it was first received. "It’s only another rumor," they said.
"Don’t Give Him Bail"
But when confirmation came from County Attorney John R. Foley, the man who has been behind the search for the missing banker, the citizens were gratified and

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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."