Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1852-11-20
A +" Wild Cat Bank"

"ln tho Autumn of 1895, having been
cheated out of the previous summers earn
ings, hy the captain of the steamer in which
| lad been employed running away with
the money, was, like the rest of the men,
left without amy means of support during
the winter, aud therefore had to seek enI-
ploymcnt in the neiglibOrng towns. went
to tic town of Monroe, in tie State OF Mi
clligan, and willie going through the prnri-
pal streets looking for work, passed the
door of tho only barber in the town, whose
shop appeared TO be filled with persons
waiting 10 he shaved. As there was but one
Iuau al work, and us had, while employed
in the steamer, occasionally shaved a gcI-
ilrmnn who could not perinrm that office
himself, it occurred TO me that might get
employment here MS iourneyman barber.
] therefore made immediate application for
| work, hut the barber told me he did not
need u hand. But | was not to he put off
go easily, and after making several offers to
| work clrnp, | frankly told him, thnt il ho
would not employ me, would get n room
near 10 him, anA set up an opposition estab.
shmcuf. The threat, however, made no
impression OF the barber; aud us was lea
wing, one of the men who were waiting TO
he shaved said, III you want n room in
which 10 commence business, | have one on
the opposite side Of the street." Tic man
followed me out; we went over, aud look
ed at tie room. lie strongly urged me to
set up, at tie same time promising to give
me his influence. took the room, purcln-
scd an old table, two chairs, got pole with
red stripe painted around il, and the next
duy opened with n sign over the door,
Fashionable llair-drcsscr irOm New YoIk.
Emperor of the West" need not add that
my enterprise was very annoy ing TO the
"shop over the way" especially my sign
which happened 10 he the most extensive
, pnrt of the concern. OF course, | had To
, tell all who came in that my ucighbor ON
the opposite side did not keep clean towels
that his rU2Ors were dan, and, above all, lac
had never heen to New York 10 see the
, fashions. Neither had |. In u few weeks
had the entire business of the town. To the
great discontinue of the other barber. Al
: this time, money matters IN the Western
Stnics were in n sad condition. Any per
son who could raise small amount of mo
, nry was permitted tn establish II bank, unt
allowed 10 issne notes Tor four times the sun
raised. This being the ease, muny person,
, borrowed money merely long enough To cX
hihit 10 tho bank inspectors, aud the bor
rOwed money was rerIrned aud the banl
WI htilNNN " A'llNI w us NNlllS. IL lllUctt
il had vault about the promises. The re-
suit was, than haiiks were started all oyeI
the Western States, aud the country hoOdrt
With worthless paper. These were knowI
ms The wild Cat Banks" Silver coin he
Ing very scarce, and the banks not being al
, lowed |" issue notes for n smaller unoull
Iinn one dollar, several persons put on
notes from 6 TO 75 cents in value thos,
were called "Slinpastcrs." The Shinpas
G terra was in the shnpe Of prolnlssory note
made payable on demand lave often seel
G persons with large rolls of these bills, rh
r whole nnt amounting to more than five dol
Il lars. Some weeks after had commence,
II business on my Gown hook" | wns on
G evening very much crowded with customers
e aud while ihcy were talking over the event
+ OF the day, one of them said to me, "Em
! relor, you seem 10 be doing a thriving busi
8 ness You slIouId do us other business men
: Issue your Shhpiascrs" This, of course
] as Il was intended crcnled hugi; bn
, with nc it was 80 laughing matter for from
that moment began TO think seriously 0
! becoming n banker | accordingly went
lew days nilcr to printer, aud ho WISHING