Volume 11 , Issue 17

1908 - Fugitive Banker of Alva Dead

Does anyone out there remember L. A. Westford, a defaulting cashier of a bank at Alva, Oklahoma? He allegedly was a fugitive of an Alva, Oklahoma bank and was found dead in Tennessee. What was his story? In The Oklahoman, dated August 12, 1908, page 6, these headlines were found: "Fugitive Banker of Alva Dead In Tenn." - "Ticket For Europe and Money in Two Banking Institutions."

The article reads, "A special from Lafollette, this state, tonight says that a young man who died there two weeks ago under peculiar circumstances has been identified as L. A. Westford, defaulting cashier of a bank at Alva, Okla. Westford arrived at Lafollette a month ago and acted peculiarly, seeing few persons and talking less. Two weeks later he became very ill.

The article goes on to say, "Westford was a nervous wreck when he reached the town and was taken with pneumonia and died suddenly. He claimed his name to be L. A. West, while papers in his possession bore the name L. A. Wallace. There was a steamer ticket to Europe via Seattle and Asia in his possession and in a Lafollette bank he deposited $1,500 on his arrival and held a slip showing a similar deposit in a Chattanooga bank. An Investigation resulted today in the establishment of his identity."
  |  View or Add Comments (0 Comments)   |   Receive updates ( subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

---