Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1891-10-02
Cold Nerve in a Crisis.

"We've got a bank clerk up in our
neck of the woods who some day will
give Jay Gould cards and spades in
the game of financiering and beat
him to a standstill, says Mort Cur
rem. Of Cheyenne. Giles only 10
! wears old but is a hummer. Two or
three months ago. while the president
of the bank was away, the cashier
was taken sick and in few hours
was in a delirious state. The young
Napoleon was left in sole charge OF
the bank. Some cyil-disposed person
started the story one afternoon that
the institution was in a bad way. and
intimatcd that the president had
skipped the country, and that the
cashiers illness was only a 'bluff.'
"Beforc night it was evident there
would be a run on the institution the
next morning. The young clerk knew
there was scarcely money enough to
last an hour. He had no one to ad-
wise him, but he acted promptly. He
called on the leading hardware mer-
chant and held a brief conference.
Then thisyoung Napoleon went home,
where he found committee from the
depositors awaiting him. He did not
wait for them to speak but made his
bluff: 'Irefuse to discuss business with
you. There will be $50, 200 in gold
here in the morning, and there is a
like amount in the safe. You may
draw out every dollar you have depos-
tied and we'll be glad to get rid of
your small accounts Then he turned
on his heel and left the committee.
"Bright and early there assembled
at the bank the creditors. Just be-
fore time for opening the doors an eX-
press wagon was driven up, in which
were seated two heavily armed men,
one of them the Waterman of the
bank. A pathway through the crowd
was made, and the Waterman began
carrying into the bank canvas bags
containing gold coin, as indicated by
the prominent marks. Some of the
bags were marked 'S5. OOO.' and one
or two 100000 The people saw
these bags, heard the clink OF the
metal, and believing the bank was
o. f., were about to move away.
'Just as the last bag of gold was
handed into the door the young finan-
cier threw the bank open. The crowd
did not make any effort to reach the
paying teller's window. Come on
now, every one of you, shouted the
clerk. No one responding, he made
another bluff. You must come and
get your money. We don't want your
id account any more. Here. Jim
BARLEY, take this and sign this receipt
in full. Here, Bill Wyman, come and
get your dust He insisted on their
taking the money. just at this juno.
ture the committee came in and begged
the clerk to stop, for Gods sake
They almost got down on their knees
to ask the bank to keep their money.
The young Napoleon tinallyconsented,
but declared if there ;was ever any
more id nonsense he would throw
every depositor's money into the
street The crowd departed happy
and confident that the bank was one
| OF the strongest institutions OF its
kind in America.
''Their confidence might have beer
shaken had they known that the can
vas bags mared So, 900, gold, etc, etc,
and bedaubed with red sealing wax
contained nothing more or less thar
iron washers which the clerk haG
purchased from the hardware man
who had otherwise assisted in the de
ception, he being convinced OF tho
soundness of the bank. The two me-,
! the young Napoleon insisted on pay
ing, the bank had long wished to gel
rid of."-C2,e,,pnnc Leader