The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1877-03-22
The Money King and the Bank.

point, and went away wiser men.
The Money King and the Bank.
Somehow near a score years ago,
think, read the story, then fresh.
1t has been recalled to my mind by its
telling in my presence to an English
gentleman, who assured us that he
could personally vouch for its truth,
he having had business with the old
lady Of Threadneedle street while the
transaction was in progress; and,
from this assurance of an eyewitness,
deem the thing worth repeating. |
think remember it as it was told to
me.
A bill Of exchange for a large
amount was drawn as Anselm RothS-
child. Of Frankfort, on Nathan ROths.
child. of London. When the gentle
man who held it arrived in London,
Nathan was away, and he took Dlt OF
paper to the Bank Of England, and
asked him where to discount it. The
managers were very stiff. With
naughty assurance they informed the
holder that they discounted only their
own bills of s.private persons They
did not stop to reflect with whom they
had to deal. Those shrewd old fell
lows in charge Of the change of the
realm should have known and remem-
bered that that bit of paper bore the
; sign. manual of man more powerful
than they-more powerful because in
dependent of the thousand-and-one
hampers that rested upon them.
..Umph - exclaimed Nathan ROthS-
, child. when the answer Of the bank
t was repeated to him. ''Private per-
sons! l will give those important
gentleman to know with what sort OF
private persons they have to deal =
And then Nathan Rothschild went to
l work. He had an object in view-to
humble the Bank of England-and he
meant to do it. He sent agents upon
$ the Continent, land throughout the Unit
t ed Kingdom, and three weeks were
r spent in gathering up notes OF the
, smaller denominations OF the bank ::
r own issue. One morning, bright an6
e early. Nathan Rothschild presented
t himself at the bank at the opening Of
: the Teller's department, and drew
}. from his pocket-book afive-pound note
o which he desired to have cashed. Five
sovereigns were counted out to him
l the officers looking with astOnishmen
d upon seeing the Baron Rothschilt
troubling himself personally about 81
: trivial a matter. The Baron examin
t. ed the coins one by one, and havln,
It satisfied himself of their honesty il
d quality and weight, he slipped then
p into canvass bag, and then drew GU
and presented another five-pound note
n The same operation was gone throug
with again, save that this time tn
!, Baron took the trouble to take SINAI
4, pair Of scales from his pocket an
weigh one of the pieces, for the la,
or gave him that right. Two-three-
= ten-twenty hundred-five hundre
t, pound-notes were presented and casf
re ed. When one pOckeJ-book la
a. been emptied another was brougt
'e forth and when canvas bag ha
lg been filled with gold it was passed t
a servant who was in waiting. An
Id so he went on till the hour arrived f6
ut closing the bank !; and at the sam
time he had nine of the employees
/, the house engaged in the same worl
I'D So it resulted that ten men Of tf
m house of Rothschild had kept ever
an Teller Of the bank busy seven hour
Le- and had exchanged somewhere abO'
j. $4,000. Not another customer M
ry been able to get his wants attendt
lis The English like oddity. Let ma
If, do something original and piquan
ole and they will applaud even thoue
lid their own flesh is pricked. So Il
tie people contrived to smile at the ecce
nd tricity of Baron Rothschild, and wh'
sar the time came for closing the bal
er they were not tenth part so much
noyed as were the customers fro
"a, abroad, whose business had not be-
rs; attended to. The bank officials smll
that night, but
he On the following morning when t
'ut bank opened, Nathaniel Rothschild a
peared again, accompanied by his nj
-. faithful helpers, this time bringi
with him as far as the street entran
four heavy two-horse drays, for t
purpose of carrying away the gold. t
ing to-day the Baron had bills Of a larg
ar. denomination. All, the officers OF
in. bank smile no more, and trembll
ion seized them when the banker mOnar
said, with stern simplicity and dire
mes ness:
-ell ssAh, these people refuse to take
hat bills. Be it so. / am resolved tina
at will keep not one Of theirs. 1t Is {
ary house Of Rothschild against the ia
by of England -
to The Bank Of England opened It's e1
, to very wide. Within week the not
day of Rothschild could be demanding g
e a which it did not possess. The gent
men at the head of affairs saw We
as plainly that in determined tilt I
ing bank must go to the wall. There y
ESQ., but one way out Of the scrape, q
the they took it. Notice was at once p'
,ve- Icly given that thencefortn TIE ba
had of England would cash the bills
the Rothschild as well as its own.
mo Public opinion is big thing. nn
cod a person falls dewr he always loc
~, to see If any one observed him Defs
I'LL ;, he examines whether he is hurt