The Durham daily globe. (Durham, N.C.) 1889-1894, 1894-01-23
CCLO NERVE AND WASHERS.
How a Young Clerk at Cheyenne stopped
IA Run on the Bank.

how q Young Clerk at Cheyenne stopped
a Run on the Bank.
We've got a bank clerk up in our
neck O woods who some day will give
Jay Gould cards ana spades in the game
Of fnanciering and beat him 10 a stand
still" says Mortz Curren- Hes only
nineteen years old but is a hummer.
Two OF three months ago., while the
president Of the bank was away, the
cashier was taken sick and in q few
hours was IN q delirious state. Tie
young Napoleon was left in full charge
of the bank. Some evil disposed person
started the story one afternoon that tho
institution was. in d bad way, and init
mated that the president had skipped the
country and that the cashiers illness was
only a bluff. Before night it was evident
there would be a run on the Institution
the nex 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
merchant and held a brief conference.
Then this young Napoleon went home,
where he found a committee from the
depositors awaiting him. He did not
wait for them to speak, but made this
bluff: 4 refuse to discnss business with
you. There will be $50. 900 in gold here
in the morning, and there IS a like
amount in the safe, You may draw out
every dollar you have deposited, and
we'll be glad to get rid of your small &C
counts Then he turned on his heel
and left the committee. Bright and
early there assembled at the bank the
creditors.
Just before time for opening the
doors an express 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 con-
tanning gold coin, as indicated by the
prominent marks. Some Of the bags
were marked $1,000 and one or two
$4,000 The people saw these bags,
heard the chink Of the metal, and be-
lieving the bank was 90 <" were about
to move away
Just as the last bag Of gold was
handed into the door the young fnaE-
cier threw the bank open. The crowd
did not make any effort to reach the
paying ~teller's window. Come on, now,
every n 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 accounts
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 juncture 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 finally
consented, but declared if there was ever
any more nonsense he would thrCS
every depositor's money into the street.
THE crowd departed happy, and con-
fdent that the bank was one Of the
strongest institutions Of its kind in
America. Their confidence might have
been shaken had they known the canvas
bags marked 5000 gold. etc, and be
daubed with red sealing wax, contained
nothing more nor less than iron washers,
which the young clerk had purchased
from the hardware man, who had other
wise assisted in the deception, he being
convinced of the soundnes5 Of the bank.
The two men the young Napoleon in
sisted on paying in full the bank had
long wished to get rid of."-Cheyenne
Leader.