Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1881-08-25
The WonderrnI RAM " morocco.

u Woodman gives this "reminiscences
in the TrpfessmaA's Mosfhlg Adams Z
Gu and the Adams express company
did a very profitable business In receiv-
ing from brokers and others notes of
the several banks OF the country and
presenting them for redemption, chafg-
ing double rates for this business At
that time there were class Of bank SIN
Indiana known as free banks. Any per
son 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 re-
deemable Only at the counter Of the
bank. It was an object, therefore, to
the bankers to place the bank where ID
would be difficult to get at, and then
loan ont its notes and let them circulate
as money. Under instructions kept
three or four men ready to start on
moments notice to hunt up these banks
and present their notes. Many OF them
were located in towns which had no ex-
istence except on paper and were very
difficult to find. At one time when all
my men were away, except one who was
sick, I received package containing
81, 900 on the bank of Morocco. This
bank, learned from the state auditor,
was located on the Grand Prairie, about
fifty miles west OF Lafayette and one
hundred and twenty-five miles from
Indianapolis. The Lafayette and Indi-
annapolis 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, I started west
through the prairie with scarcely track
to guide me, with 81 900 in my pocket,
and I did not find a person who had
ever heard Of Morocco until 1 reached
the little town of Rensselaer,, where
finally got some information.
Pushing on until nearly night A saw
before me two log buildings, and riding
up to one, which proved to be a black
smith shop, I inquired the way to Nor
occo. The smith told me was already
in the town, and I inquired where the
bank was located. He informed me
that he kept the bank in his house, and
asked what I wanted. i told him. It
was then dark, and I had no alternative
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 prairie to grazes
and / got very good supper at bis
house. It was yery warm, and hemade
d bed on the prairie, where we both
slept. YVES little uneasy about Sleep
ing out on the open plain with money
in my pocket, and he offered to put IL in
the bank and did SO. In the morning
after a very comfortable breakfast, we
proceeded to the business for which I
came. He went to one corner of the
log cabin and commenced taking pota-
toes out of barrel andafter taking
out bushe1 on more. produced "A bag of
gold which was marked SD 600 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 with the epotatoes. After
receiving my money asked him for his
bill for meals, lodging and horse feed,
but be refused to take anything and re-
marked You are the first person who
ever found the Bank Of Morocco. and IL
YOU will keep its location to yourself AZ
am satisfied" lpromised to dose and
\ left for hOme MI Dunn c1aitor OF
state, told me afterward that several
persons had tried to find the Bank Of
Morocco, but lie thought was thu only
one who had succeeded.