The Portland daily press., 1878-08-17
ONE OF THE WICKED BANKS
Result of a woman's Investi2aiiou.

JONES COURT, Aug II, 1878.
Mr.. EDIToR:-I have been much troubled OF
late by reading in the papers SO much scanda
connected with our national banks, which l
have always been wont to.regard with great
deal of reverence. for they always seemed to
me to be environed by a certain aura of indie
soribable something's. in which responsibility
and justice were perceptible elements Why,
my boy Johnny, when he accompanies me to
''Our bank" as he calls it with affectonate
pride, always clinss to my hand tighter than
usual, when be sees the staid and silent cashier
behind the plate glass windows, curtained with
green baza, much like one of Raphaers
cherubs, in that holy of holies not to be pro-
famed by outside barbarians, evidently being
more awed than when in the presence OF our
good minister, and L must confess that have
myself shared in this wholesome awe. But
when l came to read the new paper which
Miss Brown, my next door neighbor, lent me
fewsdays since, which is called, 1 think, the
NeU Era, and the Argus also, which the
grocer brought in to me. my feelings under
went great change. Now, you must know,
Mr. Editor, that my late lamented husband,
john, left me, Some years since, four shares of
the Merchants Bank stock, which cost him,
he told me, a little over four hundred dollars,
all of which be earned at the carpenters bench,
and 1 have been receiving ever since from
these four shares, four dollars each every six
months, or eight dollars a year on each share,
and no more; 50 that when read in the papers
named that these bank people were "bloated
thieves" 'lecherous vilains," ''achite liyered
knaues." &c., SC, &C., and that these banks
had been paying somebody, ard not me,
seventeen and eighteen yes. according to one
man, thrsy-fvs and forty per cent per
annum; or thirty-fVe and forty dollars
share, instead of the paltry eight dol
lars which l had been receiving,
you must believe that was-not pleased-to
speak as lady should. l al once put on my
nat and taking Johnny Who doubled up his
didn't do the square thing by Ma" went
down to Exchange street and marched boldly
to the window where the sober cashier was
hard at work, Ct thought at the time perhaps
robbng widows and orphans like us) and asked
II might speak to him moment. He put
his pen behind his ear, and, greatly to my sGr-
prise and Johnpy's delight, asked me in; and
Tor the first time in my Lille, found myself in
that awful place, the directors room. There
WAS plE uatuWpUu tdulc WltuUut huy OiOtu VI
it in the middle Of the room, with some COM
mon looking chairs around 1t; indeed, it looked
much like any ordinary work room from the
papers and letters scattered about. l was
offered one of these chairs and sat down on it,
johnny. taking the presidents chair, as l
learned it was. Then the conversation began.
said, "Mr Cashier, l understand by the pa
pers that this bank has been paying some PEG.
pie q. good deal more than it has paid me, and
that haven't had my share, so came here to
ab0ut il ~ hannV n IA
madame, but | assure you" he said, that
nobody has been paid more than yourself"
Hasn't somebody" l asked, connected with
this bank, BEEN FATTENING ON THE vIrALs OF
THE PEOPLE for years, and am not one of
these people?' "Not at all, madame" said
the now smiling cashier. "Then", said /,
"what do the papers mean about 'BLoATED
THIEVES. 'LEcHER s VILLAINS, I, WHITE VIII
exclaimed the cashier, 81 see. You have been
reading some of the romances of the greenback
scribblers. L cannot speak for other banks;
but can show you in few minutes who own
this bank So he took down large book and
asked me to pat down on piece of paper who
the owners of the Merchants Ba k are, and
here it is:
The Bank has 1000 shares Owned by 23l per-
sons, as follows:
Females (widows, orphans, teachers, &c.,.
Charitable and Educational Societies. :. s9i
corporations, Industrial, protective, char
Trustees and unsettled estates involving
the interests of widows and orphans. 3l7
in all 2701 shares, leaving 1899 shares only
which are owned in small amounts by mer-
chants, sea captains, mechanics, lawyers, min
listers. manufacturers and others Of almost
every occupation known. "But," said, rather
confused by the array of figures, ''the directors
perhaps make the money in some way
They have DO advantage in any way" said
the cashier "Tbey are paid nothing for their la
Dor. All they get is what small honor they may
imagine belongs to the faithful administration
OF the trust reposed in them. l can conceive of
nothing else. OF course had nothing more to
say, and, thanking the cashier, went home,
fully persuaded that zone bank" was all right.
Johnny seemed quite as well satisfied as my
self, for. as he went out into the yard with
big piece of bread and butter in his hand, 1
heard him say in his usual gentle tone of
voice, bully for our bank L suppose, Mr.
Editor, that what the papers say about other
banks may be true; but I am sure that ''one
bank is all right.
Yours truly, i