The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-01-28
A Run ON THE BANK.
How Ward a. Vokes Came to Christen
Their Play.

ldys
The genial William Garen, agent for
Ward and Vokes, was seated in Manager
Fyne's Office at B. +. Keith's Opera House
this morning chatting and listening TO
to some good stories, when he said:
"Weil, perhaps it might be interesting
to you all to know how Ward a Vokes
struck upon the name OF "A Run on The
Bank, especially "a many a run has been
made on the blinds pools in your city
lately"
Continuing, Garen said "a man whose
hair Is now snowy white, and whose ac-
tivity long ago gave place to the slowness
and feebleness of age, told Of how, over
thirty years ago, in fact, nearly forty
years ago, in the days of the gold fever on
the Pacific coast, he stopped run on a
bank by quick. .wittedness, nerve and
boldness.
"'The bank was perfectly solvent he
said, 'but one OF those wild rumors that
used Is float over mining towns insisted
that had no gold, and that deposits
could never be made good. The run
started one afternoon just before the
hour for closing, and it was pretty
naGMs miners were eau ali isi armed, yUa, nDsi and
they swarmed around the house, swear
ing, shouting and bowling desperately.
We continued to pay out money up to the
usual hour Of closing, and then we
stopped. 1t was Just about time to stop,
too, for our supply of gold was nearly ex-
hausted. /.
"'We drove the people out of the bank
and posted up big notice on the door:
''This bank will open at the usual hour in
the morning" They cheered at that,
but they did not disperse. and,
leaving an armed guard in the bank,
/ went home to think over some
possible way of avoiding a collapse. This
was the plan that / had to follow; it was
a slim chance, but my only one: Over
in Oakland, another town, i had an
other bank, no better off for ready
gold than this one. j was in
terested in a Stage Line, and among
the property which / had acquired in a
They were stored over in Oakland. l set
out on horse back at gallop to Oakland,
and had four horses hitched to
stage coach filled several gunny-
bags with washers and loaded
them on the coach. The bluff did not
coach placed half dozen men, armed to
the teeth, to guard the immense treasure.
We went out of Oakland at sharp
trot before daylight, and ar
rived at my besieged bank shortly be-
fore the time for opening. When the
crowd saw the well filled sacks they
chcered like mad, but never said word.
way, and while the armed men carefully
watched the crowd the sacks of
washers were transferred to the
vault-it was a brick and sheet iron affair,
on the same floor with the desks-while
the crowd cheered and cheered. When 1t
was time to throw open the doors for
business / came out to the
steps. "Boys!" / shouted, 81 don't
know how much of run you are
going to make on this bank, SO / have
prepared for you. All have to say is,
start right in. There are plenty of full
SACKS In this bank, and we can get more
il we need them. The bank is
now open for business" Well,
those boys lifted the hair off my head
with their yelling, and there was no run.
A few timid people withdrew their de-
posits, but we were able TO pay them
without having to open our sacks of
washers--,ortuuately for u.s." After the
story was finished Gardn said: "Ward
and Vokes heard that story when playing
dates in variety houses and were so pleased
with the idea of "A Run on the Bank
that the matter was given into the hands
of Mr.. Blaney, who has constructed one
Of the best farce comedies"