The bank and check books were in a private drawer in the fireproof of which Mr.Freeling had the key.

So there was no means of ascertaining the balances in bank.
At one o'clock it was thought best to break open the private drawer and see how matters stood.

Freeling kept three bank-accounts, and it was found that on the day before he had so nearly checked out all the balances that the aggregate on deposit was not over twenty dollars.

In looking back over these bank-accounts, it was seen that within a week he had made deposits of over fifty thousand dollars, and that most of the checks drawn against these deposits were in sums of five thousand dollars each.
At three o'clock he was still absent.

His notes went to protest, and on the next day his city creditors took possession of his effects.