The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-01-14
BRASS BAND ~ 4 BANK RUN.
Of Milwnuk-e's Money Riot Thirty
eight Years Ago.

did you ever hear Of a run on a bank WHERE
the runners were headed with a brass hand" asked
a stranger in Wall Street after he had inspected
some Of tn. big places and hed had explained 10
him some of tie methods in vogue there. lie is a
business man from Mrnnsha, the town in Wiscon
sin where washtubs are made by The hundred
thousand, aud where most ~ the population is
employed in that work, In talking with his guide
Of a mob with n brass band
Il; was thirty eight years ago. and in Milwau-
kee. Alexander Mitchell was the money King Of
the town, and President of what was known as
the Wisconsin Marine and Fire Insurance Com
pany Bank The banks in the interior 4 the
State had issued So many circulating notes that
they became discrcdited The people became
alarmed, ana there were runors Of a run ON the
Milwaukee banks, as well As on the country hanks
The Milwaukee banks headed of, or tri.d 10. the
threatened run by agre"ing 10 redeem notes up To-
a certain date. six months from NE noicc This
eased The public for a while, aid business men
took the notes. which became curren, PARTICULARLY
among the laboring people. Great stalks Il paper
were som after presented for redemption, and IL.
calls were 81 frequent that the banks were com.
PEELED To post Notices 70 the efcc, that they would
v " hDic W lhIhl NA'AI II''Illofr - WV DflNU.
In less than twenty four hours holders Of tic
payer held indignation meetinss Committees
waited on the bank oincials and got no ~sa,i,fac.
ton. Meetings followed these reports, and in.
cendiary resolutions we're Passed. ON June -
1901, soon after the banks opened for business a
band Of music was heard IN one # tl" PRINCIPAL
streets IL was in the days II recruiting for lhr
civil Wnr The Guy was full Of volunteers and
music, 50 that ~" Nrass band disturbance rau,od
almost II" comment unul IL was noticed that the
players Were at IL" head u VIVA ok"! likr a mob
This information rcacu,i Mitchell a. lis desk
In IN" bank, auf he quickly SIfmlscd what TIE
mob had in mind. lie was a man Of remarkable
nerve. Tie went u. his cashier and clerks and
quietly gay. orders for ell money and books 70 h.
order had bern mad" none TOO sool, for the mon
was nj he dr1rEa few minutes later
Every mar SEEMED 10 speak At once. and each
man demaIf-i that Mitchell give M he money
One ot The mob VII" wa . leader took Mitchell
by, one arm and 5! p,k him Violently Mitchell
did not finch, nor did b" maxi any eroI, 70 frcs
right IN the morning, do not do anything yuu
may be- sorry fr The leader released his grip
made no reply, but turned and walked out fol
"QuiGi - a flash still undaunted. Mitchell!
closed the door and turned the bolt This infi
rated the mob which hurled stones through tie
glass until the front Of the. bank looked as II II
had been under the fire Of n battery The Mayor
and Sheriff tired 70 talk 10 the crowd but were
howlcd down and told to keep out Of the way
" 'l'' 'l' SO nI'uilI Nv 'NIu'N Nll
was heard n play at intervals but II was no'
the sort ri music that soolhrd. IN he opnirniy
it had th' opposite fleet The Inoh formed i
wedge. threw Itself against the door md II gay,
way. In falling It smashed somc II tho ulict
furniture Tho employees Of the bank started
70 esoape some succeeded but others yer"
another, armed with picks and axes. demolished
all the furniture. that had not come under tho
This accomplished, the mob rushed ncros,
the street to tho State Bank. The employees
S o. thS o,o consern r ssd moot nSs f pII.s :? ,b lce5 " up Their ss,S S0o 1s
made a bonfire, Tho Are companies were called
out but no sooner had the engines got to work
than they were stopprd The mob rut. the ho:e
A company Of militia was in quarters near by
and the authorities called on the officers To in.
%terfere. but they replied that they could do moth,
ing, without orders from tie Governor, who was
he ordered the company 70 qurll the disturbance
The sol Tiers responded quickly and charged
the mob with hayonets. The mob scattered,
and some were captured.
Just before yhis company had charged, 4
squad Of recruits from another part II town was
drilling The mob surrounded the volunteers
was in command Of al volunteers, ard as soon
as he learned what the Governor had done he
before every hank in town. and a, all p%rincipai
crossings The mob had retired TO another quar-
ter and their sullrn shouts could he distinctly
heard through the night The report that they
F'sh' 'NN' ~ f''h fFfAA 49, 49, 'h'J
but children out Of bed
Toward morning additional troops from other
places came in, ~ the relief q the citizens and
the town became a military camp All soldiers
in the town were men who had volunteered to 20
to the front 10 save the tnion, but their first ,rou-
bic confronted them at home After the war
some II those who returned said they never felt
as timid in the field rs they did when ordered 10
face the Milwaukee mob
Quiet was restored for one day only when the
mob allied again and marched down one of The
principal streets until they were halted by a regi
meni that wa drawn upi IN line. The Colonel
Informed the leaders Of the mob that unless they
dispersed he would give the order to fire The
leaders turned and the mob followed down . back
street. Troops remained in town q week \
home guard was formed, and the volunteers re-
turned 10 their respective camps The mob made
nofuriber trouble and those who had been arrested
were eleaSed The run on the banks ceased.
What became Of the brass band" asked one
who had heard the story
I'm blessed i'll ever heard Nor did I ever
hear where u came from, or why the mob ever
thought Of having a brass bard 10 lead IL II
Was the first instance Of q = kind 7 ever heard Of
said the man from Nenhsha4