The Findlay Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Hancock County, Ohio) 1870-1881, 1872-12-20
any special attention. Bu, The pexl

notes.o
4 1t may be supposed that Nichol
r Biddle turned his eye glasses upt
!. the second warning with curious
: terest and when the next week-ar
r the succeeding week-snd ever
q week-the steady, wholesale disa
a pearsnce OF Savannah Branch not,
n from circulation was thus proved, v
o fancy we see the Nicholas Bidd
4 place the right diget aside his nos
h and thoughtfully ponder. No or
but himself knew Of those signs of
storm coming from all quarters. Jul
D what it all meant he could only cues
!, but he hit the truth. So, keepin
4 his own counsel, he quietly shippe
5000, 900 OF specie to the Savanna
. Branch, with letter to the Pres
dent, who was directed to keep b
1 eyes wide open and his mouth clos
shut. Meanwhile Broker Clark ws
: gathering them in" and ehucklin
, over the success and secrecy of b
! labors. What he did he mear
, should be thorough, and when b
. started to squelch the Savanna
Branch he intended to snuff 1t sll ou
, sure; and so he made no undu
haste, and took no perilous risk
not he.
Il One fine sunny day, at a time Q
the year unknown to this deponent-.
only all sunny days are spscially fin
in Savsnnah--a strange gentlemal
entered the quiet Office Of the United
States Branch Bank in Savannah anC
] inquired for the Presldent-sn oc
currence not unusual. Coming init
the presence Of the great man OF the
bank, the stranger introduced him.
self as "Mr. Clark, OF New York.
Mr.. President courteously claspee
the hand of Mr.. Clark, who recipro
Gated. Seats were now taken, snC
the first general chat of such meet
ings ensued. At last something like
the following took place:
"Mr. President, am broker, snG
have some OF your notes for which /
want the specie.''
Certainly, Mr.. Clark. What
amount have you ?"
swell, perhaps l have more than
you anticipate
"Why, Whist sum is it?'
"Very much larger than you usual
ly have presented, / presume"
This catches the ear of the Presi-
dent, who recalls "Old NIck's'' letter
OF instructions Mr.. President, with
a bland smile, remarks:
ave shall be most happy to give
you the specie, Whatever the amount,
Mr.. CLARKE
It is Mr.. Clsrk's turn now to in
dulge in q soft inward smile. How
little does the President dream OF
the crushing bundle OF Savannah
notes now impending over the DOOM
ed hank! With nonchalGnee which
only broker can put on, Mr.. CLARK
finally replies to Mr.. Presidents in
quirs:
"One hundred and seventy three
thousand dollars"
Strange to Mr.. Clark, the Presi
dent never WINGED. With look ot
some surprise, he said:
"That is a very extraordinary sum
of our notes for even broker IC
have. How came you in possession
of such an 6mOunt of Savannah notes
Mr.. Clark %
81 don't know that need to make
any explanation, sir. All l ask is the
specie"
81 hope, Mr.. Clark, that this does
not cover any malicious attempt to
injare our bank"
IL repeat, Mr.. President, 1 came
for the specie for these notes, and
would be obliged if you would let me
have it.n
"Oh, certainly. Cashier!"
The Cashier presents himself, pen
on ear.
'rhis gentleman says he has Sl73,
600 of our notes, for which he wants
the specie. Please. count his money
and give him specie. suppose, how
ever, you will prefer drafts for most
of this, Mr.. Clsrk2 How will you
have them--on New York or Pills
delphia? or are you wanting to
place funds in New Orleans p
81 want the specie"
Every well. Drafts on New York
will be specie to you, OF course.
What amount Of drafts will you have,
and how much specie ?"
Il want no drafts at all--only
specie, sir"
"But SO much specie will cost you
q very large sum for insurance and
transportation.
"That is my lookout, sir.'
"Ob, very we'll; / beg your par
don. Give him the specie, Mr..
Cashier
Smilingly the polite Cashier re
ceives Mr.. Clarks pile of notes, counts
them, announces the amount correct,
and returning to the back room calls
one or two clerks to the vaults and
attacks the specie kegs. And now
they roll out, the memorandum clerk
calling out in q clear voice, "Five
thousand'-''tent thousand"-"6fteen
thousand" "twenty thoussnd'-
s'twenty five thoussnd"-snd yet
steadily the kegs rolled out, and the
clerk called aloud the accunulating
specie.
At first, Mr.. Clark, broker from
New York, admired the cool and
easy way in which the President
PLAYED his 'bluff for, IN his heart,
Mr.. Clark was sure it was sheer
bluff. There could not be fifteen
thousand dollars specie in that bank,
by any possibility. And so, when
the President, after his directions to
the Cashier, commenced social chat
on general topics, Mr. Clark respond
ed. No sign was made by either
which indicated the real thoughts of
each.
Clark was sure he had Mr.. Presi-
dent foul, and Mr.. Presidentknsu Mr..
CLARK was hopelessIy his victim
"Twenty FIVE thousand % called
the memorandum clerk
MIR. CLARK talked--but he was great
ly surprised, inWardlY.
Forty five thousand"'
Mr. Clsrk's talk was not SO easy.
He was a listle--or, rather, 8 good
deal-disturbed. Perhaps those kegs
did not hold specie. He didn't be-
lieve they did. II was a ruse OF some
kind. But there was an astonishing
air Of matter-of-isct business 10 the
way those kegs rolled out, and in
the ominous voice that announced,
"Sixty five thousand" And 1t was
provoking to see the sweet serenity
which sat upon the face OF the chatty
President. He paid no more atten-
tion TO those kegs than il they had
been paving stones.
"Seyenty-five thousand p Eighty
thousand - "Eighty-fve thousand y
and the stream Of crushing kegs was
still rolling out. Clark, from New
York. could hold in no logger. Those
I kegs might not contain specie, Dut
then they might, and be wanted 70
break The bank, not specie; and the
Leos looked aud rolled and behaved
iust as though they were honest
kegs. .r,5..