The San Francisco call., 1913-10-28
Now Go On With the Story

cash any and all checks of the A. T. S.
The night of January l was bitter
cold The thermometer lowered
around the bulb, and there was a
fine sitting snow, hard as sand. that
whirled down between the tall build
ings and cut the face like bits of
glass. But in spite of these un-
friendly signs, hundreds began gath
ering in front of the Syndicate build
ing shortly after 1 o'clock in the
morning. 1t was announced that pay
ment would begin sharp at 8.
All night long the crowd grew. and
when the doors were finally swung
back the newspaper reporters esti-
mated that $4,000 men and women
were massed about the great build
ing. And with roar the great flood
sucked in at one point and the build
ing began swallowing them at the
rate of hundreds to the minute.
Inside the paying tellers were sta
toned at little windows behind long
partitions. Between these partitions
the horde surged, dozens of special
police striving to keep some SEM
blance of order. Long lines were
roughly formed against each little
window and the human automatons
behind the little brass rods dealt out
money as fast as their nimble fin
hours they worked without inter-
ruption, but the crowd outside was
hardly noticeably diminished. They
were only more closely packed and
covered less street space.
Suddenly there was an Interrupt
ton. You are to remember that the
stock certificates ran from $40 up
and the syndicate was paying only
interest; so that an immense amount
of small money was required. Three
of the tellers were compelled to close
their windows to go for more money.
Instantly there was congestion on
the floor. The long lines that had
been formed against these windows
men and women, pushing and
straining eagerly-were suddenly
stopped. The word was passed back
that the windows were closed tenn
porarily, as the tellers had run short
of change. In transit the message
was badly altered. When it reached
the end of the lines and came to
the crowd outside 1t was to the ef-
feet that the money was running
short and they were closing the win
dows.
The mob surged' and heaved down
into the doorway in an irresistible
mass. The pressure on the lines in
creased until they were broken and
crushed In. Those that held places
nearest the windows clung to the
ratings and partitions. fearful of be-
ing pushed on past before they could
get their money.
There were curses and screams.
straining and pushing and fighting,
and then the great red fisted man
smashed a glass partition and bel
lowed for his money
I've got 5000 worth of certificates
here and I want my $300w he roared.
You can't get it," snapped a dis
tracted teller. You know that you
can't get anything but the interest"
No one has ever pretended to ana
lyze the psychology of a mob. Every
man and woman within the sound of
the teiler's voice knew, and had
known for months and years that he
was stating perfectly well known
fact. But the effect was much the
same as II he declared that they
could not get the interest.
With a howl of rage they swept
forward and the partition began to
sag and crackie. Hundreds were now
fighting to get out of the press. They
didn't want their money. They want
ed their lives. Suddenly a partition
gave way and the mob. like river
breaking through levee. swept in
among the desks and tables OF the
Offices.
The clerks and tellers seized their
packages of bills and money boxes
and threw them into the vaults in the
twinkling Of an eye, but quick as they
were some were caught In the rush
and money was strewn all over the
floor This was the last touch. 1t
was pandemonium.
ALLAN IN DANGER
In the midst Of the uproar some
leather lunged madman yelled for
Allan. The next instant the mob In
side and outside the building had
taken up the cry and a torrent
headed for the stairs. The elevator
runners had abandoned their posts at
the first sign of trouble.
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