San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1895-10-27

consequence of the great weight.
"The halfpennies were coin of
the realm, and in those days a
legal tender for any amount, so
the anxious depositors could offer
no objections when it was thrust
at them. The story has it that
the method pursued broke the run
by breaking the backs of the
frightened ones.
ROASTED THE COIN.
"Better still, perhaps" he con-
tinued, sis the case narrated of an
other English bank, the directorsof
which, when run was instituted,
secured a vast quantity of SUBJ
sidiary coin, shillings and six
pences, counted them out to the
value of pound and caused them
to be heated to an unbearable de-
gree. At this temperature they
were dumped on the counter in a
heap by shovelfuls, which the de-
positOrs were compelled to count.
The counting process was sufficient
to delay the depositors and cause
the run to terminate.
"COming down to a more modern
instance of similar nature" he
added, "there is we'll anthem
ticated case of a bank in Plainfield,
n. j., which played with great
success a very neat game on its
depositors at the time of a run.
at was a bitter cold day in
winter. The bank building was
peculiarly constructed. A hallway
led from front to rear. On one
side was the counting room, with
the pigeon holes of the cashier,
tellers and bOokkeepers; ON the
other blank wall. A partition
rising to the ceiling, formed of
sliding sashes and glass panes,
formed the counting roomside of
the passageway.
"The bank officials got wind of
the prospective run early in the
day and made preparation for it of
a unique character. They closed
the movable sashes and then threw
both doors wide open. Near the
rear door they fastened a fierce
bulldog attached to a chain ten
feet long.
The thermometer without regis
tered below zero, and the temper
allure of the passageway soon fell
to the same point. Inside the
counting room a cheerful fire
burned in the open fireplaces. The
anxious depositors, crowded in the
cold passageway, could see the
blaze, but felt no warmth.
A GAME OF FREEZE OUT.
"They attempted to close the
doors, but so great was the crowd
that this was impossible in the
front of the building and the bull
dog near the rear door tugged and
strained at his chain and growled
ominously at any one who dared
to approach him.
meanwhile the tellers worked
slowly. The bank had laid in a
vast supply of subsidiary coins
half cents and cents and silver
three and five cent pieces. Each
depositor was made to take a pro-
portion of these, which were count
ed slowly and deliberately, while
the poor victims shivered without.
''To further tantalize the depoS-
itors, the bank officers, directors
and clerks had a fine dinner spread
at the noon hour in full sight OF
the cold and famished men. The
men inside laughed and chatted
merrily over their meal. The
freezing, chattering, frightened de-
positors standing in the bitter cold
stamped their feet and swOre fear
full oaths, but without avail.
CAT last many of them chose
rather to risk their money than
their lives. They gave up the
waiting in the pitiless cold and re-
turned to their homes to thaw.
This, to my mind, is the most
satisfactory way of stopping a run
on bank of which | have ever
heard-it was, in fact, a regular
freeze out"
III seems 10 me-" SAID q mer-
chant who had Joined the group in
time to listen to the last story,
"that the method was supremacy
cruel. You bank men seem to for
get that often all the money you
have is not entirely your own. A
vast proportion of it belongs to the
depositors. Under the strict inter
probation of right and wrong they
are entitled to it, come what may.
"Of course l don't infer that /
would, if l were a bank president,
tamely submit to a run on my in
stitution by a herd of individuals
with no more sense than a flock of
frightened sheep. L think would
pursue, however, more humane