Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1881-08-04
IC. Woodward in ENpressman's Monthly
"reminiscences of Wild Cat Banking.

Adams a Co. and the Adams Express
Company did very profitable business IN re-
ceiying from brokers and others, notes OF the
several banks Of the country and presenting
them for redemption, charging double rates
for this business At that time there were
a class of banks IN Indiana known as free
banks ANY person who could purchase
SjU. .OOO 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 rcdecmable
only at the counter of the bank. 1t was an
object, therefore, to the bankers to place
the bank where It would be difficult to get
at. and then loan out its notes and let them
circulate as money. Under instructions |
kept three or four men ready to start on a
moments notice to hunt up these banks and
present their notes. Many Of them were To-
Gated in towns which had no existence eN-
crpt on paper and were very dlfhcult 70
find At one time when all my men were
away. except one who was sick, | received a
package containing $1,000 on the Bank Of
Morocco. TINS bank | learned from the
State auditor. was located on the Grand
Prairie. about fifty miles west OF Lafayette,
aud - miles from Indianapolis. The La
fayctte and Indianapolis Railroad was then
running about nifty miles Of that distance,
aud the rest Of the way had 70 ht Travelled
on horseback and coach. Procuring horse
at LAFAYETTE. | started west through the
prairie with scarcely track TO guide me,
with $1,000 IN NV pocket and l did not
find a person who had ever heard OF Moroc-
co. until reached the little town oi Kens-
seaer. where | finally got some lniorma-
tlon.
Pushing on until nearly night saw be
fore me two log buildings, and rldmg up
to one. which proved to be a blacksmith :
shop. | inquired the " ay to Morocco. The
smith told me was already IN the ,own,aud
| INQUIRED where the bank was located. lie
informed me that he Kept the bank IN ms
house, aud asked what | wanted. told
him Il was then dark. and had no alter
native but to STAY with hlm all night, though
he told me hIs accommodations for travellers
were very poor lie turned my horse out
on the praIrIe to Craze, and | got very
good supper at his house It was very
warm. and he made a bed on the prairie,
where We both slept. was little uneasy
about sleeping out on the open plain with
. -
II IN the bank and did so. In the morning
after very comfortable breakfast We pro
crc,lrd 10 the business for which came.
IL vent 10 one corner Of the log cabin and
commenced taking polatoe, out Of a barrel,
and after taking out bu>hel or more, pro
duccd B. bag pt gold, which wds marked -,
900 and counted ont fittS 80 gold pieces,
and handed them to me and put the notes
aui hi. bag ~ gold back into the barrel, and
covered them with the POTATOES. After re-
my IN, none, asked him for his bll
for meals. lodging and horse feed, but he
refused To take uNthing. and remarked
"lou are the tir,t person VII" ever found
the Bank Of Morocco, and Il YOU will keep
IL !. alton ID Yourself | am satisfied
p...u -rd to 10 ana left tor humt. Mr.
n.u, tuJrur Of state told me atter~arts
tA., .,..r.. PERSON, had tried TO fnd the
E.u> .. ii rocco. but ne thought ~as the
. uu., u.., VINO had ,uccrrdcd.