The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1912-11-09

Tragic and Romantic Episodes In
Its Historic Career.
DEADLY BATTLE WITH A MOB.
The BLOODY Climax to tho Attempted
RAID ~ the Lord Gordon Rioters-A
financial. Coup That Was Spoiled by
the Duchess o. MARLBOROUGH.

haio ~ the Lord Gordon Rioters-A
Finans,ah Coup That Was Spoiled by
the Duchess OF Marlborough.
No other banking institution has so
romantic history us that pertaining
10 the Bank OF England. the "old Lad,
OF Threadneede Street"
ore C The bloody episodes In the his
tory OF the bank is that embraced In
the story OF Charles Walter Godfrey.
orc OF tts early partners in the bank
II appears that Godfrey while crossing
the channel IN the midst OF terrific
storm and laden with 100000 In drafts
for ire aid of King William. who was
inst then besieging Namur against the
forces OF Louis XIV. insisted upon his
right 10 deliver the warrant for the
money Into the hands OF the king. then
u the trenches under hot fire. Az he
handed the document 10 the king. say.
Inc. in response 10 williams growl OF
rcmonstrance. Am |. then. more ex
posed 10 danger than your majesty 2"
d cannon ball swept away his head.
Not so very many years ago there
stood over tile massive fireplace In the
directors room of the bank three rusty
specimens Of the old brown Bess." 10.
gether with 4 number or roughly
,!int,"d bullets Ia these relies was EN-.
hodicd q picture OF the November night
~ l1SO when The mob OF Gordon riot
'rs marched down from Newgate. set.
ung fire 70 every Catholic chapel on
the way and advancing with n force OF
5000 upon the bank itself.
The clerks. armed with muskets.
were unproyided with shot. Before
them lay rows OF leadeu inkstands.
suggesting the possibilities or Il new
use In less than half an hour the ink
stands md been melted and turned
into bullets The muskets were load
cd At every window OF the bank
stood two marksnen. their guns train.
ed on the mob below YET the rioters
came on until they were within ten
yards % the bank gates Then SHARP
and clear above the frightful din rose
the order 10 FIRE. and from the win.
dows poured a deadly yolley When
the smoke finally cleared away 30
las dead or dying IN the open space
now covered by the csplanade OF the
Royal Exchange The attacking army
wavercd stopped broke line and fed
and the Gordon riots were at an end.
During the first part OF the reign OF
George II Il was the practice OF all
banks % give q receipt in payment OF
deposit; ;hc receipts being passed
from hand ~ hand and serving the
Same purpose as the check OF today.
AZ that time Childs' bank, a private
conrera. which had the backing OF n
arent part of the English nobility, ex-
hbted such signs Of future greatness
that tie Bnnk OF England became
greatly alarmed. especially IN view Of
the fact TINT the "Old Tady'sc notes
were az q discount OF 10 per cent. So
llitle by little. through their agents.
the managers Of the Bank OF England
bought np every receipt bearing the
Chllds signature. allowing the -collec-
tions 10 accumulate each year until the
time should be ripe. during n shortage
OF gold 70 present the receipts In one
great mass for paymers II was deem
"a n certainty that Chllds would not |
he aDl. 20 meet the demand and would |
thus bc'ruined.
TIE principal figure In the drama |
that ensued was no other than the In.
nous Sarah jennings. in whom Chfids /
bank found its stanchest supporter |
One night there came wild changing |
at the bell OF the great gate OF the |
town OF Blonheini-a changing that soon /
awakened every one ia the town. a
white faced. travel stained man stag
gcred into the ducal hall. begging an /
audience with her grace When the
duchess. I'm her dressing gown. appear
ed. demanding 10 know tile reason for
this unseemly visitation. the man ex-
planned that the Bank of England held
tho Childs' receipts In the amount OF
100000. that those receipts would be
presented for payment nj noon follow
Ing. that there was not ~ Childs'
enough gold 10 meet them. that IN.
less The demand could be satisfied with.
IN oighl hours Chids' was ruined and
ih1i there was but one person In the
world her grace 20 whom they might
.urn
Nhcreupon the redoubtabe duchess
". down and wrote ont check. which
'he banded 10 the agent Il WIS an
order on the Bank OF England for the
'nyment Of 100000 He was instruct.
u 10 take this check 10 the Bank OF
England and TO say that II IL hesitated
'or single instant in paying II the
inchess would proclaim Il as a de
'aulter.
At IL o'clock that day there appear
~ M the Childs' counter m agent al