New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-12-29
FINANCIAL FlNRssR.

i
made weekly returns to the mother bank
including the amounts irrespective braDcl
notes received during the week. This KEEP
"Oid Nick" always informed of the genera
amount of notes in circulation from eacl
branch, as we'll as a birds-eye view of thu
circulation and business of the whole. Neces
sarily these weekly returns were critically
scanned and compared An understanding
of this part of the business system pursued
by the principal bank will make what fol
lows clear, and incline US to feel curious
over the success of one Clark, a New YOrl
broker employed by the enemies OF thu
bank, in his search for Savannah Branch
notes.
OF course 'FOld Nick was constantly OF
the alert for cunning and powerful foes
Like spider in the centre Of his net, be
watched sharply to see where and how i
was threatened. Studying over the usua
weekly returns one day, he observed this
in the return from one branch.
I'VE return you less than our average o
| Savannah Branch notes"
This was not calculated to arrest any spe
cial attention. But the next week two
| branch returns said:
Our return this week shows less than
the average of Savannah Branch notes"
1t may be supposed that Nicholas Biddle
| turned his Eyeglasses upon this second
warning with curious interest, and when
the next week-and the succeeding week
| and every week-the steady, wholesale dis
appearance of Savannah Branch notes from
circulation was thus proved, we fancy we
! see Nicholas Biddle splace the right digit
aside his nose, and thOughtfully ponder.
| No one but himself knew of these signs of
| storm coming from all quarters. just what
| it all meant he could only guess; but he hit
the truth. So, keeping his own counsel, he
| quietly shipped two hundred thousand dol
IL, 80 +N4 ~, wit
d letter TO the president, who was directed
| to keep his eyes wide open, and his mouth
| close shut. MEANWHILE Broker Clark was
| gathering them in,' and chuckling over
| the success and secrecy of his labors. What
he did he meant should be thorough; and
when he started to sQuelch the Savan-
| nah Branch, ne intended to snuff it all out,
sure; and so he made no undue haste, and
took no perilOus rislz-not he.
One fine, sunny day, at a time of the year
unknown to this depOnent-only all sunny
days are especially fine in Savannah
strange gentleman entered the quiet office
of the United States Branch Bank in Savau-
nah, and inquired for the president-an oc-
currence not unusual Coming into the
presence of the great man of the bank, the
stranger introduced himself as Mr.. Clark,
Of New York Mr.. President courteously
clasped the hand Of Mr.. Clark who recipr0-
Gated. Seats were now taken, aud the first
general chat Of such meetings ensued. Al
last something like the following took
place:
'sGIr President, I an broker, and have
some of your notes, for which l want the
Certainly, Mr.. Clark. What amount
have you p
Wen, perhaps I have more than You an
ticipate."
WHY, what sum is it,"
every much larger that You usually have
presented. ] presume
This catches the ear of Mr.. President, who
recalls "Old Nick's" letter OF instructions
Mr. President, with bland smile, remarks:
I'VE shall be most happy to give you the
specie, whatever the amount, Nj Clark"
1t is Mr.. CIark's turn now to indulge in a
soft, inward smile. How little does the
president dream of the crushing bundle of
Savannah notes now impending over his
doomed bank. With the nonchalance which
only a broker can put on. Mr.. Clark finally
replies to MIR. Presidents inquiry:
"One hundred and seyenty-three thousand
dollars"
Strange, to Mr. Clark, the president
never winces. With d look Of some SUP
prise, he said
That is a very extraordinary sum of our
notes for even a broker to have. How
came you in possession Of such an amount
OF Savannah notes, Mr., Clarke
81 don't know that ] need make ally s7xs
PLANTATION. sir. AL ask is Che specie
u hopeo Mr.. Clark shat this does not
cover any malicious attempt to jDiure ouy
bank
81 repeate Nro President, came for the
specie Tor these notes. and wuul9 be obliged
il you would let me- have it,
"Ohe certainly Cashier"
The cashier presents HIMSELF pei on ear.
''This gentleman says he has $l7s.900 %
our notes, for which he wants She specie.
Please count his money and give him She
specie | suppose, however you will pretey
drafts for most of tltis, Ms, Clark How
delphia! or are YOU wanting 80 place 5uH%s
il New Orleans!"
OF want the specie
Every wello Drafts on New York wifi Sc
specie to sou, of course. What amount of
draft will you have, and how much specie7"
81 want no drafts at ali only specie sir
0Bue so much specie will cost you very
tom
oTbat Is any lookout, sir.
och, very well. beg your papelopo Give
him the specie, Mr. Cashier
Smilingly the polite cashier received Mr.
Clark's pile of 0otes, counts them. an
Che amount correct, and returning
10 the bank rooea calls one or $wo clerks to |
=.
And now they roll QUE, the memorandum |
clerk calling out in a clear voice, Five |
Ten theusaDd,' "Fifteen thou !
sand,' Twenty thousand "Twenty-fye !
thousand and yet steadily the kegs rolled |
out, and the clerk called aloud the accutnu- |
lating specie.
At first Mr.. Clark. broker from New York, I
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
Of specie in that bank. by any possibility. /
And so, when the president, after his direc-
tons to the cashier, commenced social
chat on general topics, Mr.. Clark respond |
I'd. No sign was made by either which in
-licated the real thoughts of each.
Clark was sure he had Mr. President foul,
and Mr.. President knew Mr.. Clark was
aopeIessly his victim.
Twenty-Five thousand called the
clerk:
Mr.. Clark talked, but he was greatly SIM
orised inwardly.
"Forty-five thousand
Mr.. Clarl1's talk was not so easy. He was
4 little-or, rather good deal disturbed.
Perhaps those kegs did not hold specie He
1ldn't believe they did. 1t was ruse of
some kind. But there was an astounding
ilr OF matterOf-fact business in the way of
hose kegs rolled out, and in the oninous
Foice that announced "Sixty-fve thou
and And 1t was provoking to see the
|eet serenity which sat upon the face Of
he chatty president. He paid no more at
entlon to those kegs than as il they had
yeen paving stones.
'oeyentv-iVo thousand "'-"eighty thou
ana "-elghtY-6ve thousand and the