The Burlington weekly hawk-eye., 1862-12-27
A "conxo,, Bank.

An old broker, who is writing series OF
sketches in the Boston Bulletin, tells the fol
lowing story of "colored'' bank formed by
number Of 'sgemmen,' in imitation ofthe old
United States Bank at the time that institution
was in operation.
These bank transactions remind me OF lit
tie story that friend (not Lincoln) used to
tell of fnancier of New Bedford, 8 'gem man
Of color"
He was runaway slave Of more than usual
intelligence and cunning, and might possibly
have picked up his banking ideas from zone Oh
desc berry Baltimore msssas hisself" Perhaps
while brushing Buehansn's coat or waiting up
on round table of bank corsairs, that new
wrinkle went through his wool.
At all events, in New Bedford he found
community Of "contrabsnds'' well to do in the
world, and some of its members occasionally
very greasy with, money after the whslers ar
rived. He started the project of Congo
Bank "white men have bank, why not de
niggs?" Colored individuals institution en-,
tirely. se ge
Magnificent project-s big thing-into which
the darkies hoated like flies to lump of liver,
and deposited their .'idle currency" with the
self elected president, who made whites ofeyes
saucerier than ever by the marvellous dexteri-
te with which, like Russel's grave-digger, "he
gathered them in"
.sDe Bank and de Presumdent" were glori-
Gus sources Of endless turkey gobbling and
pride amongst the depositors-a great success,
in fact,-until one day q certain mig made
draw upon the institution for ST., 100 to pay
| for schooner he he had just bought, when it
scochituated" and closed its doors. /
| A Toured niger wasn't circumstance TO
the whltened condition of him who aroused ''de
cullered population with the astounding in
telligence ''dat de bank had done gone bust"
A mass meeting was convened at once, and
| the crowd demanded instant explanation as to
the Whereabouts of the assets, receiving the
usual lucid and highly satisfactory statement
which bank presidents generally give on such
occasions, viz. "that the report will be ready
in few days"
But that did not satisfy the Ethiopeans, who
held out their hands fog truth, and cheating
was misunderstanding in fact The hon.
or Of Mr.. Johnsing was touched by so malig-
nsnt an accusation, and he indignantly replied:
"Cheating? Who say dat? Who cuse me ob
cheating dem? No, sar! All fair and 'bove
board in dis bank"
"Look at dat!
Hauling out si1 penny pass book, he held
it up to the rolling sea of eyes before him.
sYou see dat Well, ebery man dat eber put
in dollar into de bank, got his name put down
in dis book Ebery ting am square"
sLook 1t am all down in de book!'
Throwing that document iuto the swsying
field of ebony and wool, it was soon torn into
shreds by the ignorant victims in their anxiety
to see if each ones name was safely entered;
and in the midst of the row the President
stalked out and over to the illegal adviser of
the Bank who published for him notice, to
wit: lowing to the wanton destruction Of the
bank, by an unprincipled crowd, composed
doubtless of the enemies of the institution, it was
impossible to furnish depositors with state
ment of its affairs, until after the lapse Of Q
few weeks And in the mean time all parties
are cautioned against sacrificing their claims
for less than the full amount Of the same and
interest"
As for Johnsing, he always insisted that sit
am all down on de book; and upon any at
tempt to make him disgorge, or in reply to any
slurs on his honesty, he Immediately put up
that shield, and froze his antagonist with his
honor and rectitude in putting sit all down in
1