Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1859-09-22
A Bank Presidents Sharp Practice.

n Ds1uk fEeSiueuG Onarp ffacLlce.
/ During the yesr 1857, the President of
certain Bank, situated not more tn an hun
dred miles from great city, became con
vincec that his institution was rather shor
of specie, and, in consequence, be found i
rather difficult to make up his returrs unde
oath, each week. After devising one mean,
after another, for months, he finally hi
upon new process, which succeeded admi
rably. Having an acquaintance of lons
standing with gentleman who occupied al
important position in the Post Office, hi
accosted him one morning, as he was pass
ling his Bank. by saving:
"My good fellow, want you to accom-.
modate me little, without discommodine
yourself in the least"
The officer replied:
81 have no objections to doing so, upon
such favorable terms, but tell me how il
can be done"
The President. putting his lips close te
1.-The ear Of his. friend, very bIaadly said:
"ln your official capacity in the Post
Office you retain in your possession large
sums of money from week to week. Now
what want you to do is to let me have
ten thousand dollars in gold, which | car
use to swear on, in making up my returns,
and whenever you want it, I'll return it,
"But cannot do that my dear sir-the
thing is impossible. have to make out my
returns as well as you have And you
might, by mistake, use some OF this coin,
and thus ruin me-
"Not at all, my friend. You can put il
in bag and seal it up and can return il
on the days you may want it, and thus
make it serve for US both in making up oul
accounts"
The officer could not be induced to gree
to the agreement then, but did finally Con.
sent to retain the proposition a few days
and then give the President an answer.
In the course of a week, the President
called upon his friend and asked him for
the result OF MS delay.
He answered:
SNOW, if do this thing, yoa must under
sta nd that an exposition would ruin me for
ever, whilst my doing it is certainly to your
advantage. l will therefore consider you
under the greatest obligations to fulfill your
promise of never opening the bag
"Of course, sir" the President replied;--
ssI will here swear to you, upon the honor
of a gentleman, that the bag shall never be
opened whilst in the Banks custody or of
it's officers, and that it shall be returned to
you whenever required"
"Very well; recollect that shall want it
every Saturday morning" said the official,
at the same time handing the President a
very heavy bag of coins, superbly sealed up.
The parties shook hands and parted, well
pleased with each other and the rest Of
mankind.
The President kept his oath to his friend
most regularly every week; he sent for the
bag on Wednesday morning and returned
it on Saturday morning. with The seal un-
broken. This continued during the sum
/ mer and fall of 1857, nearly mp to the ime
o the general suspension Of the Banks
On the Friday of the Neek before the gen
era suspension, the bank ID question expe-
rienced quite run from its note holders
and depositors, which continued dur ing The
I morning. and to about 2 o'clock, when The
/ specie of the bank became short.
The President was wa king backward and
forward in his bank office. when the teller
tcame in and informed him that the specie
was gone, and some must be obtained or
close the doors. In great trepida; zion the
worthy President went TO the safe, and
dragged out the Post Office bag. He hastily
broke the -se.l. and commenced pnuring ouI
the coin, when, with eyes wide open and
face quite red, he exclaimed:
"Why, these are all cents."
Putting on his hat he rushed to the Pos,
Office, and confronted his official friend
who sat in his chair, very calmly examining
some papers, saying. in savage tone o
voice:
"Sir, YOU have ruined me. You have
ruined me! shall hold you accounta BILE
for the abominable piece of work!''
The official, turning in his chair. and
SIN milingy looking his excited friend in the
face, said:
"What's the ma tier, Mr.! You seen
excited. Pray sit down and cool yourself
off," -.
"No, sir, I'll not sit down in your pres
ence! You're scoundrel, and shall be made
to regret your conduct"
"What have done, Mr., that yo'
should talk to me in this manner!"
"Done1 hav'n't you made me swear 70
weeks past to cents being gold. Is not tha
enough to make gentleman excitedl"
"Well. sir, supposing have, how did yo
know that they were cents and not gold!
81 opened the bag and detected the swim
dle." .....-......
"You did, eh!" -
ayes, did,"
"Did you not swear to me that you woul
not do it! think am the one to use har
names, and not you. III had given you gol
] you would have ruined me. by using tina
e which did not belong to, and that which
n have no business to let you have, and nov
: you come here and acuse me. You swor
s that you believed you had SO much gold
e and no doubt you did believe it. If de
n ceived you, did not do it with the inten,io
Q of injuring you. but TO save myself, for if
n had ever been found out that had let yo
d have $4,000 of the public money, even
It you had never touched it, should hav
h been ruined; but as it YVES, ] let you hsv
d my own. AS it has turned out, feel yer
much pleased with my precaution."
The President looked wild for a whil
and then nuftin nm his hat left the off,