The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1877-02-22
The Money King and the Bank.

JUNE w hE1SE uCtbl a SCOlC vi yCdlS dSO,
l think, read the story, then fresh. 1t
has been recalled to my mind by its tell
ing in my presence to an English gentle
man, who assured us that he could per-
sonally v0uch for its truth, he having had
business with the old lady Of Thread
needle street while the transaction was in
progress; and, from this assurance of an
eyewitness, l deem the thing worth re.
peating. think remember it as it was
told to me-
A bill of exchange for large amount
was drawn by Anselm ROthschild, of
Frankfort, on Nathan Rothschild, of Lon
don. When the gentleman who held it
arrived in London, Nathan was away,
and he took the bit of paper to the Bank
of England, and asked him where to dis
count it. The managers were very stiff.
With naughty assurance they informed
the holder that they discounted only their
own bills; they wanted nothing to do
with the bills of "private persons. They
did not stop to reflect with whom they
had to deal. Those shrewd old fellows in
charge of the Change of the realm
should have known and remembered that
that bit of paper bore the sign-manual of
a man more powerful than they-more
powerful because independent of the
thousand and-one hampers that rested
upon them.
:" Umph!" exclaimed Nathan Roths-
child, when the answer of the bank was
repeated to him. Private persons! I
will give those important gentlemen to
know with what sort of private persons
they have to deal!''
And then Nathan Rothschild went at
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, and through the United King
dom, and three weeks were spent in gath
cring up notes of the smaller denomina-
tions of the banks own issue. One MORN
ing, bright and early, Nathan Rothschild
presented himself at the bank at the
opening of the Teller's department, and
drew from his pocket-book a five-pound
note, which he desired to have cashed.
Five sOvereigns were counted out to him,
the officers looking with establishment
upon seeing the Baron Rothschild troub-
ling himself personally about so trivial a
matter. The Baron examined the coins
one by one, and, having satisfied himself
of their honesty in quality and weight,
he slipped them into canvas bag, and
then drew out and presented another FIVE
pound note. The same operation was
gone through with again, save that this
time the Baron took the trouble to take a
small pair of scales from his pocket and
weigh one of the pieces, for the law gave
him that right. Two-threc-tcn-twenty
"a hundred-five hundred pound-notes
were presented and cashed. When one
pocket book had been emptied another
was brought forth; and when a canvas
bag had been filled with gold it was passed
to servant who was in waiting. And SO
he went on until the hour arrived for clos
ing the bank; and at the same time he
had nine of the employesof the house en-.
gagged in the same work. So it resulted
that ten men of the house of Rothschild
had kept every Teller of the bank busy
seven hours, and had exchanged some.
where about e22, 600. Not another cus-
toner had been able to get his wants at
tended to.
The English like oddly. Let man dc
something original and piquant, and they
will applaud even though their own flesh
is pricked. So the people contrived to
smile at the eccentricity of Baron Roths
child, and when the time came for clos.
ing the bank they were not tenth part SC
much annoyed as were the customers from
abroad, whose business had not been at
tended to. The bank officials smiled that
evening, but
On the following morning, when the
bank opened, Nathan Rothschild ap.
peared again, accompanied by his nine
faithful helpers, this time bringing with
him as far as the street entrance -four
heavy two horse drays, for the purpose OF
carting away the gold, for to-day the Baron
had bills of larger denomination. All
the officers of the bank smiled no more
and a trembling seized them when the
banker monarch said, with stern SIMPLE
ity and directness:
"Ah! these gentlemen refuse to take
! my bills. Be it so. l am resolved that
will keep not one of theirs. 1t is the
house of Rothschild against the Bank OF
England!''
The Bank of England opened its eyes
very wide. Within week the house Of
Rothschild could be demanding gold
which it did not possess. The gentlemen
at the head of affairs saw very plainly
that in determined tilt the bank must &c
to the wall. There was but one way out
of the scrape, and they took it. Notice
was at once publicly given that thence.
forth the Bank of England would cash the
bills of Rothschild as well as its own.-
". Y. Mail.