, 1870-04-03

CoIs0psc OF the Financial Bubble. In
Florence
\ correspondent OF q London paper, at
Florence. gives the following particulars Of the
lreaking up OF tho Runo scilla banks, ggan-
tic and curious EWindle which has attracted
much attention and surprise.
FlonEscE, Sunday, Feb. 20.
The great object Of converuation here is the
catastrophe Of the banks at Snrlcs. Of which
your readers hare doubtless 1es.d something
already. The first OF Lcse establishments was
opened some tine back by certain II. KutIo
Scilla, whose success WAS euch that he had soon
ar many as eighty imitators. Fur time every-
Thing went on e3tm.ninElv. Fifteen rer cent
Ter month wAs the 1east that WI. offcrcd to the
aerositors; thoee who wero last in TIC field
wing for the favor Of their dtr,es by even still
more magnificent promises It l. trus thai
several journals from the fr1t called tho whole
scheme by It's right nAmc, warned tho police to
be E'g1lant. and implorcd the interference Of
the government 10 save the people from their
cwn folly. Still. II large portion OF the public
Preferred to believe the bankers: the deposits
went on increasing; and the rery evening lefore
the bubble burst worthy people could be heard
tondemning the conduct Of the press as An nm
fair attack On the credit u{ man who waa en-
1'chlnE his countrymen in the easiest and most
agreeable manner pe*Hih!c. II was tr7,e the
rrotits offered seemed large. and, il you chose
to ray 60. incredible; hut not mora 70 than the
Resources and the genius OF NJ. Scila The
next morning came the news that II. Sells
"1k, with lis comrade Costa. in his rrorcr
V'ace-in jAil. OF his eighty comretitorr.
lorty have been already arrested, eight are in
hiding. and the rest for the time continue their
ayMents under the strict Surveillance OF the
police. Tue sumB entrusted to the banks arc
s1id to have amounted to neAsly ~, 900, 900
sterling, the moneys scizcd to about ,E100. boa.
These events have. of coursc. caused the ut
1neFt excitement in Saples: and the public in
dignation. which had tecn in pa1t appeAsed bv
the prompt apprehension Of the bankers, is
noW dsreesed with full fury against the scarcely
less csarAble collectors These are said to
ciety. Tie accuEAtion against them is that
they hid the bankers under contribution. and
cxActed large sums as tho price Of their
silence.
The chief victims Of this gigantic bubble
have teen. As usual, tho country clergy, peas
ers !, in fact, MI that largo Class Of persons
whote means are 10 small that ANY schcmc
that promises to inc1eaee them quickly recon-
mcnds itself to their limited intelligence. Some
OF the t2I-collectors nlso, who had been rash
enough to cntrust to the bankers whit had
been paid 10 them On tho account Of tho gov
er'ment, dnd themselves in an embarrassing
Iso-t,iou. The kilograms which had been sent
TO the provinces began to produce theis eject
on Wednesday, hy the arrival Of crowds Of de-
iotatols IN the CITY, hoping to eAyc something
out OF The wreck Of their lttle fortunes. In
come districts the number of the travellers WAS
20 large that two engines had to be put On TO
the trains just a. is the case On tho oocasio1s
81 grand spectacle at Naplca- AL these
country people, as fast - they arrived, took
| thsf stand round the ofice Of the
seen, win conn,enances % Of STUPID a de.p,iE ne
eaang upon the seene Of thci1 misfortune.
Among them we're I number Of women, who.
unknown to their husbands, had invested The
| family funds entrusted to their keeping. AND
I ~hose distraction was aggravated BY Ito though,
OF ne reception that the ncus Of tho loss
would procure them ut home In manv Of thr
gTouPs priests predoninatcd; indeed. i w,s
| reported th.t in many villages no mass WA said
on Wednesday, owing to tie absence Of ali IN
Clergy in Naples- And whAt, pezhaps, sives /.
! vivid An idea Of the extent Of the dissster, il
the fact that the theatre Of San CArloe Va.
Icing taken With commissions on learning the
1oes Of a considerable sum which she had
| placed in the hands OF II. ScillA The same il