The Minneapolis journal., 1905-04-26
BLUE STAMP HOST
RAIDS A STORE
Women, Attracted by Rumor of
Failure, in Run on Trading
Stamp Concern.

New York, April 26.-Bank runs of |
history must give way before the new
est kind-the run on, the bankrupt trad |
ing stamp store. |
Rumor rides the wind when banks are
in straits, but the wind blows chiefly in
rumor beats the wind, and moves among
the homes.
When a petition in bankruptcy was
filed against the Benedict g. MacFar-
lane Blue Trading Stamp company
from the Battery to the Bronx and
from Richmond Hill to- Paterson, N. j.,
there focked to Twentythird street be-
tween r Sixth 9Th - and Seventh avenues, the
Blue Trading Stamp army. The terri
BILE tidings had, in some mysterious
way, gone forth that the trading stamp
concern was about to close its 1000
| odd stores and blue ruin stared in the
face of every book - holder.
Pale-faced and anxiouseyed, the army
began to arrive soon after daylight. It
children. Practically every other wom-
an had baby carriage, and the others
either had children clinging to their
skirts or in their arms. And every one
held in vise-like clutch a bunch of
blue trading stamp books.
Desperation on Faces.
~. bCAnA 1 I'LL WdO cVeI llh0 ILLS. LES:
peratlonsmarked every countenance, and
when. the. stamp concern opened it's
doors hereS was a rush that almost
drove in the front of the building. The
glass aof sone Of the doors was shattered
in thelscramble and had to be boarded
up. Policemen, after half an hour g
work, succeeded in forming the mob
a, narrow passage for pedestrians.
Thereafter the people were only ad-
mitted two at time. '-,..... - ~
AS the morning grew the crowd in
creased in size, until at one time over
) 6G0 growing. snarling, angry women
Glamored for admission to the store
Policemen Q 'Flaherty and Baury had
!, the job of their lives keeping the unruiS
: women in check and the air was blue
all day long with invectives hurled al
the Blue Trading Stamp company.
!: Grief Made Them Sisters.
A common grievance made the whole
) crowd kin and they poured forth thei
times reached to the end Of the line.
= Suddenly there came wild burst O.
rage from the middle of the line an,
screams of "say, Mr.: Policeman;
{ hheX,th,efie,, heX{, re-, cop, put her out "she'
A big fat woman, who had arrive.
3 late, had lowered around the crowd IN
3 til she saw a small hole up near th
-: front and quietly stepped into it un
noticed, as she hoped. But a score o
= hawkeyed women who had been in lin
:: for hours spotted her and perfec
: Babel arose. u
: Policeman Baury approached the Of
= fender and told her she would have t
go back. ..-zs< -
3 "Why, the idea! What do 70
. mean9 How dare. you9 I'll have 70
!: reported for insulting q lady! I'v
been here for hours!'' she declare
& in naughty tones.
: ooh, just listen to her!'' "Sa,
!: whadder yer think of that. for ;.
z nerye?' Wouldn't she just ia
!: a lady under no circumstances!;' "Pu
: ter out!' and scores of similar scream
q rent the air, followed by "Serve he
right!'' 'tThat'll hold her for q
: while!'' and long drawn a-h's Of sati
- faction as the intruder was forced |
5 step out.
!: Babies Near the Line.
- AS the afternoon wore on, wome
f: placed the oldest children to hold the
& places in line while they went to ca
% for their babies moored in peramb
/: lators at various points in the neighbo
81 hood. Some produced lunches fro
N GueiTs pOChctS, ctuO WuO1o 1dH1ly pdItl
4: squatted on the curbstone and consume
s their repast.
q Late in the afternoon woman can
J! out Of the store and confded to an an
]: ious group that there was nothing in t
: store.
% HThey are just cleaned right out,
she said. .t,There's nothing in the
- but great big things like furniture al
s@ statuary, which you have to have lu
& hundreds Of books for. think it g iu
dreadful