Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 40, Number 34, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 January 1908 — THE LIFE 0F ZIMRI DWIGGINS [ARTICLE]

THE LIFE 0F ZIMRI DWIGGINS

The Chicago Tribune today contained the following substantially correct account of the life of Zimri Dwiggins, bo fur M his banking career vm concerned, except that it Ja understood here the Ool* umbia National paid ont about SO cents on the dollar. The article reads: Zimri Dwiggins, who will be re* membered by Ghicsgdans as a banker of a meteoric career, died yesterday in Lincoln, Neb., where he had resided for tux years. He was 55 years old. Dwiggins came into prominence in Chicago thru his connections with the old Colombia National bank and a string of banks in small dries in Indiana, all «f which failed in th§4*6oic of 1893. He came .to Chicago in 1888 from Oxford, IndL, where he was born, and where be had achieved a considerable reputation as a banker. P\ In this'eity he jizst formed the United States bank, with a capital of $200,000, bat after a short time the name was changed to the Colombia National, with Dwiggins as president, and the capital was increased to $1,000,000. The stock was sold broadcast turnout the country by brokers. At the same rime Dwiggins expanded his chain of country banks. When the panic of 1893 struck the west the Colombia National and the Dwiggins country banks were among the first to go under. On May 16 the Columbia closed its doors with liabilities of $2,500,000. W. C. Niblack was appointed receiver, and lit-1900 the affairs of the institution were finally wound up after a payment to the creditors of 73 cents on the dollar. Dwiggins was indicted by the Benton county (Ind.> grand jnry in 1894 on charges of the misuse of the funds of bis string of country banks, but the case never came to trial. In 1894 he left Chicago, going first to lowa and later to Nebraska, where he became agent for a life insurance company. Personally Dwiggins is recalled by those who knew him intimately as a lovable man with the optimism of a Col. Sellers. He died without realizing his lifelong dream of riches. In Chicago he resided at 3638 Michigan afipipe. . . Mr. Dwiggins resided in Rensselaer for many yearaAmThiß wife was a daughter of Archibald Por cupile, and a sister of Henry Purcupile, Mrs. F. J. Sears. Mrs. Joe Hardman, and Mrs. A. F. Long. Mrs. Dwiggins and two children, Miss Linda, and Frank, survive, and reside in Lincoln. Lfke all failed bankers Mr. JD Wiggins, was bitterly despised by many who lost money in his banks, bat he is said to have been a most exemplary man, and to have failed because of the fearful, conditions that prevailed daring the 1903 panic, and not because he squandered the depositor’s money nor took bad investment chances. He has devotedall the years of his life fol lowing the failure of the banks in in effort to repay tnope who had lost money in hie banka. He and his brother R. 8. Dwiggins were associated for some years in the old Citizens Bank of Rensselaer, which ‘ weathered the 1903 failure. The funeral w|ll be held in Rensselaer, probably Thursday.