Evening journal., 1912-10-11
How the Run on the
Bank Was Stopped
By EVELYN TlsDALE

When I was married | had $4,000 In
hard cash and had been assistant cash.
fer in a bank. concluded to go west
to some promising town and open a
hank
There was one bank where set
tied. Barton's. that previous to my en-
tering the field had done all the busl-
ness there was to do. Barton was very
much disgruntled at having to give up
any Of it to me and did all he could
covertly 10 iniure me and my credit
He was not liked, being considered a
skinnint. and ] gradually cut into his
business This gain on my part was
partly due to my wife, who made her
Kelf very popular with her acquaint-
ances and brought me many valuable
accounts.
The town was growing, and there
was business for two banks II l had
not occupied the field some one else
would have done so. But Barton
wanted II all and acted accordingly.
All went well enough till the panic Of
1893 came on, when we were all in for
hard times. Barton was known to
have much more capital than I, but
most OF those having deposits with me
felt friendly TO me OF 10 my wife or
to both Of MS. and was able to keep a
pretty steady rein On them. A few drew
their accounts and placed them with
Barton. This would have heen all the
detriment 20 me that would have oc-
CURED during the panic had not Bar
ton. through others IN his interest. cir
culated reports that ! would not pull
through
One morning when 7 went 10 bust
ness ] found a crowd waiting for the
opening Of my doors and knew that
she blow had fallen was IN for
run. Calling the employees together,
] gave them instructions I'm practlclng
The usual delays resorted 10 by bank
era while standing a run. Then nt the
opening hour the paying teller's win
dow was thrown up-there was no Ike.
iihood OF the receiving tollers having
anything 10 do-and the struggle com.
menced
] had got I'm some gold the night be.
fore by express after banking hours
and had kept II at home. thought Il
might be advisable TO leave II there for
awhile, for in case my bank should 20
by the board I would need something
TO put me on my feet again When
went home NJ noon 10 dinner I told
Lizzie that I'm case ! should send for
the money 10 bring a % me herself.
Irtu In h..
waiting crowd OF depositors would pre-
sumo that ahe was bringing me gold.
Two days after this. when most Of
our ready cash had been paid out and
n appeared that we would have 10 20
under. I looked over a list OF deposltors
stlll unpaid and decided to put IN my
reserve. hoping with II to weather the
storm So sent a messenger TO Mary
to bring It to me.
In due time, looking out the window
Of my private ofice saw her alight
from cab with the messenger. who
came in and said he wished a man to
assist In removing treasure. The two
went back to the carriage and brought
IN a sack that It required both OF them
10 carry ] was astounded, for the
amount I had at home could easily
have been carried by Lizzie The
crowd. seeing the load going into the
bank. set mp n cheer. and some Of them
left the line and went away
The sack was brought into my ONCE
j opened It and Found my gold on top
Of several hundred pounds OF nut coal
! threw my arms about Lizzie's neck,
praislng her inventive genius. then or
dered the gold-not the coal-dumped
IN n heap on the paying teller's desk.
Those nearest the window set up an
other shout, and the paying teller, by
my order. began paying out the gold
with considerable alacrlty. More OF
those IN line went away without walt
inE to be paid. and I was pleased 10
see they were those TO whom I owed
the largest balances Before the clos
inc hour the line had dwindled to a
few persons having merely household
accounts The backbone Of the run
had been broken.
But Barton In undermining me had
destroyed confidence even In himself.
and. while I was feeling the tail end
OF a run. he was IN the hottest part Of
one. Lizzie. who had gone home re-
turned. passing Barton. and. seeing the
crowd. conceived the idea Of extend
ing to him the succor she had given
me Continuing on TO the bank. she
eonided her plans 10 me. and. placing
81 600 in gold on top OF the coal, I
sent two Of our messengers with Il 10
Barton. They were recognized by the
crowd in line as our messengers. and
the depositors presuming they came
with a loan. went wild with delight
sent note by the messengers Il
Barton suggesting that he pay out the
gold as / had done.
was greatly relieved to see the
throng before Barton's gradually dwin-
dle. and when both banks opened the
next morning there were no depositors
waiting before either.
l. or rather Lizzie was wiser than
Barton, who in destroying confidence
10 me had undermined himself. BY
helping him we re-established conf
eence and gained the name Of having
pulled him through At any rate
from that time forward my bank. be
ing supposed to be the stronger. did
The bulk OF the business.
take no credit whatever in the mat
se-. that all being due to my wife
Had it not heen for her happy thought
and her putting it into practice / an