The National tribune., 1881-08-27
A WONDERFUL BANK,

/ Adams q Co. and the Adams Express Com
pany, did very profitable business in receiving
from brokers and others notes of the several banks
of the country and presenting them for redemp-
ton, charging double rates for such business At
! that time there were a class of banks in Indiana
known as free banks. Any person who could
purchase $4,000 worth of bonds could deposit
them with the Auditor of State and receive that
amount in bank notes ready for circulation when
signed by the banks president and cashier and
these notes were redeemahle only at the counter
of the bank 1t was an object. therefore, for the
bankers to place the bank where ii would be diff
ficult to get at, and then loan out its notes and
let them circulate money. Under instructions,
/ kept three or four men ready to start on mo-
ment's notice to hunt up these banks, and present
their notes Many of them were located in towns
which had no existence except on paper, and were
very difficult to find At one time when all my
men were away except one, who was sick, re-
ceived package containing 81 600 on the Bank
of Morocco The bank, learned from the State
Auditor was located on the Grand Prairie, about
fifty miles west of Lafayette, and l25 miles from
indianapolis The Lafayette and Indianapolis
Railroad was then running about fifty miles of
that distance, and the rest of the way had to be
travelled on horseback and coach. Procuring
horse at Lafayette, | started west through the
prairie with scarcely a track to guide me, with
81 900 in my pocket, and [ did not find person
who had ever heard of Morocco, until | reached
the little town of Rensselaer,, where finally got
some information.
Pushing on until nearly night, / saw before me
two log buildings, and riding up to one, which
To no 7 tba
way to Morocco. The smith told me I was al
ready in the town, and inquired where the bank
was located He informed me that he kept the
bank in his house, and asked what | wanted. |
told him. 1t was then dark, and had no alter
native but to stay with him all night, though he
told me his accommodations for travellers were
very poor. He turned my horse out on the pra-
rie to Craze and | got a very good supper at his
house. 1t was very warm, and he made bed on
the prairie, where we both slept | was little
uneasy about sleeping on the open plain with
81 900 in my pocket, and he offered 10 put it in
the bank, and did So In the morning after very
comfortable breakfast, we proceeded to the bust
ness for which | came. He went TO corner of
the log cabin and commenced taking potatoes out
of barrel and after taking out bushel or more,
produced a bag of gold, which was marked $1,000
and counted out fifty $40 gold pieces, and handed
them to me, and put the notes and his bag Of gold
back into the barrel and covered them up with
the potatoes After receiving my money | asked
him for his bill for meals lodging, and horse feed
but he refused to take anything and remarked
You are the first person who ever found the
Bank of Morocco, and if yOu will keep its lOca-
ton to yourself | am satisfied" Mr. Dunn, Audi
tor of State told that several persons had tried
to find the Bank of Morocco, but he thought |
was the only one who had succeeded.