The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1899-07-17

Yet even If that were the ultimate
result, the present loss was sufficiently
unfortunate. Boyds' bank was a house
OF very old standing but il had never
been in a very large way-not large.
thst Is, compared with the more inn
portant city banks, and II could not
comfortably aSbrd-as many of them
could-to be out of e50.O0O for an in
dennlte period. Further. also the loss
Defell at particularly unfortunate
time. The date at which il occurred
happened to be just after the memor-
able Barring crash, when the financial
weather was unusually gloomy, and
even some OF the largest houses were
feeling trifie uncomfortable Boyds'
was not. indeed, involved to any ex-
tent with 'Baring's; but the shock
caused by the latter's embarrassment
was far-reaching. Ii affected all banks
in more or less degree. Everybody was
rendered apprehensive and suspicious
If Baring's are rocky, In whose SOL
vency can we trust?" That was the
prevalent feeling in the city and else
where. A look. a breath, a whisper
was almost sufficient TO cause a run
on any financial house Just then: and
this loss of $50, ,000-which the bank
ala Its best to keep secret, but without
aVail-leaking out and getting into all
the papers. unfortunately created a
run on Boyds'. To make matters worse.
the evening papers of Saturday, not
having precise Information. had large
ly exaggerated the loss. SONG put il
at seventy-fve, some even at a hun
dred thousand. panic ensued ON
Monday morning, long berore the bank
opened. a crowd of customers had as
sembled outside the doors. all eager to |
withdraw their money. Unhappily,
these panics gather as they go. So now. |
The crowd outside Boyds' attracted at |
tention. At once the report "A run /
on Boyds was all over the city. BY /
noon the crowd was larger than ever; /
indeed, If the police had not been there |
In force TO marshal the people in a
queue, there would have been such a
struggle at the doors as would have
made entrance or exit simply impos-
sibe.
In the nreantimc. inside the bank. al
was Dustle and confusion. Several |
clerks were, for the nonce. pressed into
the service as cashiers. and were busy
cashing customers checks as fast as
the money could he counted out. All
looked worried and agitated. knowing.
Or at least guessing. that they would
never last out the day. II the run con-
Linued at the present hot pace. No
ace, however,. wore quite such ha-
'assed expression as that of Mr.. Blake.
l
Dom, impotently chewing the feathers
II his quill pen and drumming with the
ingers of his left hand upon the writ
ng table. He knew very weli-what |
he majority OF the clerks only conjec-
ured-that the bank had not sufli-
lent cash In hand nor the means OF
aising II at an hours notice, 90 meet |
ne demands OF all their customers
All such securities as
we're Immediately available for the
purpose had been pledged that very
morning with the Bank Of England TO !
ecure large advance Nothing else |
vas left that could be turned. without
lotice. into cash: and 10 was certain
nat, unless a miracle intervencd. the
ahk doors would not remain open
III o'clock.
Nor was this. bad as lt was. the only
hing that harassed him The pr0prie-
)rs OF the bank had shown an unrea.
enable disposition 60 blam, hin for
he loss OF the c50.0O0 on the previous
aturday. and he was no, Gitrr-a bsurd
5 the idea seemed-th9t th' ppn' did
~ hdlf suspect him of bNing Mpiica-
'd in the loss. The ,ircuasuucrs Of I
~ robb ~ were such. inleFl.us might /
'dsonnbly arouse siis., uus Ii 'ullu- | ;
ON ON the part Cr soWp ouo inside
ie bank But ths. hr. "a man uf tried !
roblty, who had ben manager ot i
uXds, FOR more man I'm yrlI~. should | ,
+ suspected OF theft was almost more d
van Mr.. Blake could believe Yet n I
td an uncomfortable freline that h. v
hs under surveillance AT least. he had / {
Iiiccd he sasiD two men. ruFrIclously Z
,e nIhcers IN plain clothes loit- !
ing near his private residence o
sunday and. unless h. was much g.
isiskcn. they had followed him 20 The
INK that very ufDrnfnu