The Sylvester Family of Plainview, Minnesota*

Edwin Sylvester now "feeble old man, with white hair and calloused hands"

February 1, 1926

PAGE 183

communication with friends he would immediately board a train and move. This would leave the detectives in the dark when they tracked the letters addressed to him.

To Find Changed Man
When County Attorney John R. Foley and Deputy Sheriff Ed. Fitzgerald meet Sylvester in the officer of Sheriff Duckworth here this afternoon, they will find a changed Sylvester.
Instead of the man who had the confidence of the entire Minnesota community, walked with his head erect and dressed in the clothes of a prosperous business man, they will find a bent and feeble old man, with white hair and calloused hands, dressed in the clothes of a hotel fireman.
What Sylvester will tell the Minnesota authorities is not known, but from the statements he has made so far, it is apparent that he will make a clean breast of everything and aid the authorities in cleaning up the tangled affairs of the closed bank.
He readily admitted the shortage in the funds of the bank but declared that the shortage was much less than claimed by Minnesota authorities.
"The losses were occasioned by land speculations," he said. "I purchased the land for purposes of speculation and a declining marked brought about trouble. When the decline became so pronounced that an early improvement in the market seemed unlikely, I used the bank funds to cover it up."
Puts Shortage at $60,000
Sylvester placed the actual shortage at about $60,000 or about one third of the amount that Minnesota banking officers stated has been discovered.
The matter of who will receive the reward for the information leading to Sylvester’s arrest is a question here. The news of his whereabouts was doubtless first carried to Minnesota Governor Christianson of that state, by G. W. Huffstetter, a local businessman. Mr. Huffstetter, however prefers not to discuss the matter until he talks with County Attorney Foley upon his arrival here this afternoon.
See Untangling of Affairs
Plainview, Minn. Feb. 1 – On the face of information coming out of Gulfport Miss., where Edwin L. Sylvester was arrested, prospects today are brighter than they have been for months for a speedy untangling of the affairs of the closed Plainview State Bank.
Three outstanding developments in the last 24 hours lead men close to the affairs of the bank to be very optimistic here today. They are as follows:
First – That Sylvester is ready to talk and has already admitted the shortage, although he states that it will only be about $60,000.
Second – That Sylvester has been in touch with what has happened here since his disappearance through letters and newspaper clippings sent by his family and friends.
Third – That many matters in question, which may increase the assets of the closed bank, can easily be untangled by the missing president, who had charge of marking most of the loans of the bank.
Plainview today has settled down after Saturday’s excitement to await word from County Attorney John R. Foley regarding the details of Sylvester’s statement. The town had a general celebration Saturday night.
To Arrive Last of Week
Wabasha, Minn. Feb. 1 – E. L. Sylvester will not arrive here until the latter part of the week Friday or Saturday, Deputy Sheriff John Jacobs stated this morning. County Attorney John R. Foley and Deputy Sheriff Ed Fitzgerald expected to reach Gulfport tonight. No additional information regarding Sylvester has been received by Wabasha County authorities.
Wife Returns Home
At the conclusion of the bankruptcy hearing here Saturday, Mrs. Hettie Sylvester,

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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."