O. B. Turrell, Red Wood Falls, MN
09/18/1888
An interesting cover from Pine Bend to Redwood Falls. I love it when you can find out a bit about what was going on at the time with the person. Here is an extract from "Lawbreakers of Redwood County" by Wayne E. Webb & J. I. Swedberg.
"One of the County’s most prominent citizens, O. B. Turrell, and his son, Robert, were indicted for shady operations in Citizens State Bank in Redwood Falls in 1895. Turrell had been one of the county’s largest landholders in the 1870’s; he had served as a county commissioner and a state representative; but after suffering financial reverses, he went to work in the bank. At the time of the indictments, he was cashier and his son, assistant cashier. O. B. was indicted on three counts of receiving deposits in an insolvent bank (Citizens State was involved in long, complicated suits due to insolvency), but finally he was found innocent by the jury in two cases and the third was dismissed on insufficient evidence.
Robert was not so fortunate. His indictment was for a shortage of $3,000 in 1893, during a manipulation of notes. He admitted the shortage, denied being responsible, and the jury found him guilty of taking $1,195. Sentenced May 15, 1896 to Stillwater under the “reformatory plan,” he was out on parole by the following October.
Interesting, the receiving cancel on the back seems to be from Hastings.
"One of the County’s most prominent citizens, O. B. Turrell, and his son, Robert, were indicted for shady operations in Citizens State Bank in Redwood Falls in 1895. Turrell had been one of the county’s largest landholders in the 1870’s; he had served as a county commissioner and a state representative; but after suffering financial reverses, he went to work in the bank. At the time of the indictments, he was cashier and his son, assistant cashier. O. B. was indicted on three counts of receiving deposits in an insolvent bank (Citizens State was involved in long, complicated suits due to insolvency), but finally he was found innocent by the jury in two cases and the third was dismissed on insufficient evidence.
Robert was not so fortunate. His indictment was for a shortage of $3,000 in 1893, during a manipulation of notes. He admitted the shortage, denied being responsible, and the jury found him guilty of taking $1,195. Sentenced May 15, 1896 to Stillwater under the “reformatory plan,” he was out on parole by the following October.
Interesting, the receiving cancel on the back seems to be from Hastings.
Favorite: Yes
Needs Research: No
Label Number: 208
Needs Research: No
Label Number: 208
