The First National Bank ~ Medicine Lodge
Posted by: 
YoSam.
N 37° 16.828 W 098° 34.767
14S E 537281 N 4126069
From 1880 to 1884, all sorts of tragedy. Robbery's, killings, hangings, crashes, then things settled down.
Waymark Code: WM9531
Location: Kansas, United States
Date Posted: 06/30/2010
Views: 3
Marker Erected by: The Medicine Lodge Guest Tax Committee
County of Marker: Barber County
Location of Marker: Main St. & Kansas Ave., Medicine Lodge
Marker Text:
The Merchants' and Drovers' Bank was the first bank in Medicine Lodge, established in October, 1880, by H.M. Hickman from Wellington. It closed on January 10, 1882. Two days later the Medicine Valley Bank was formed with Wylie Payne, President; George Geppert, Cashier; and Frank Chaplin, Assistant Cashier. In August, 1882, construction was begun on the corner of Main Street and Kansas Avenue. A fine bank building was completed in March 1883. Tragedy struck on April 30, 1884, when the marshal of Caldwell, Henry Brown, his assistant, Ben Wheeler; and two cowboys, John Wesley and Billy Smith attempted to rob the bank killing Payne and Geppert. Chaplin had gone to the post office prior to the robbery. A posse pursued the robbers into the gyp hills, trapped them in a box canyon, captured them and brought them on to jail. Later that night, townsmen demanded to see the robbers, who tried to escape. Brown was shot and killed and Wheeler wounded. The three survivors were hanged from an elm tree on Spring Creek at the bottom of East 1st Avenue. In May, 1884, the directors of the Medicine Valley Bank elected new officers. Frank Chaplin remained as Assistant Cashier. Then in October, 1884, The First National Bank succeeded the Medicine Valley Bank and continues to remain vital to the community.