Brothers in Chicago area grapple with bank over $520,000 mistakenly deposited in their late mother's account

Jet, Sept 25, 1995

Five brotbers in Chicago recently refused to accept the latest terms from a bank trying to recover $520,000 accidentally deposited in their deceased mother's bank account.

Members of the Evanston, IL, family reported the deposit error to their mother's bank--the Harris Bank in Wilmette (IL)--but were informed that the bounty was theirs to spend. About $189,000 was spent and the rest invested in certificates of deposit.

Lawyers for the bank, however, filed a motion to recover the full amount and were negotiating with the Turner family's attorney, Patrick Foley, who hinted the matter would be resolved in a court of law.

"They made a mistake, and now they want us to pay for it," John Turner, 46, of Chicago, a hospital administration worker, said in the Chicago Sun-Times.

The brothers' mother, Dorothy Turner, who retired in August of 1994 after working 35 years as a housekeeper for wealthy developer H. Harold Anderson, originally shared the account with her son Glenn. The multi-millionaire continued to send her $520-a-month pension payments through American National Bank. But in March, a whopping $520,000 wire transfer was made in the account.

Glenn Turner, 39, an Evanston postal worker, said he left the money untouched for three months until he received word from Harris Bank-Wilmette informing him there was more than $520,000 in the account and it was theirs to spend. In July, th $520,000 was divided among the five brothers.

Anderson was gravely ill and his company did not detect the error until Aug. 1. Meantime, Mrs. Turner died on April 4.