New Britain herald., 1919-11-13
QUEER STORIES OF
 BANK OF ENGLANI
History of Old Institution Ha|
 Much of Romance

London, Nov. 13.-There is muce that is romantic in the history of tn N Bank of England, sometimes calle : "The Old Lady of ThreadneedlH street." Had it not been for a cleve director, the bank would probabl have suffered a fatal reverse abou a century ago. A panic occurre among the bank-note holders an spread to an alarming extent almos before the bank people became awai of what was going on. One mornin i just before Che opening of the ban an angry and excited crowd throngeI the street demanding cash for the notes. There was, it is said, actuall n
 double the money in notes in tn ! hands of that mob than there was gol in the coffers of the institution, cir cumstance that, naturally enougl
 presented a predicament of ba sort. Gold must be got for ever claimant, and that would take tim
 The directors sent employees with note into the crowd, whose claims wer met first, each being paid in siXpencE and shillings Many men walked ava with sacks of Shillings over theiN backs, satisfied; and the time gaine
 by this method of payment saved tn H bank, every claim being paid.
 It is said that only one person. ha ever succeeded in breaking into tn
 bank. One day, rather more than 4 years ago, the directors received a
 anonymous letter stating that tn r. writer thereof would meet any peEso the bank might designate in the bu lion rooms at midnight, upon cond ' ton, however, that the individual sf designated be not armed. At firs1 of course, it was thought that thi unique suggestion was a hoax. Bu1 as a precaution, officers searched thl bullion vaults thoroughly to satisfI themselves that nothing had chanceS that would enable any man to entel those rooms. They waited throughout the night, but beyond hearing a pei culiar scraping sound that they at5 tributed to rats, nothing of a suspI1 cious nature was heard or seen.
 A week later, however, the direc tors were staggered at receiving a boz | in which lay several securities from the bank vaults. There was also
 note statin 2 that if the directors would send man to the vaults at midnigh , the writer would meet them ther after having broken in from the out A side.
 So a number of bank employees wen down into the vaults at the appoint N ed hour and waited. Finally the scrap ing noise was again heard and a ligh F appeared at one end of the vaults Tn light vanished, however, on their ap N proach. Then mans voice, issuint ' as it seemed, from the ground righ under their feet, commanded then to put out their lanterns, and tn speaker would reveal himself Ing lanterns were eNtinguished and q ma T carrying a dark lantern came on tht scene. He explained that he was sewer cleaner and that he had dis covered d disused drain which ran directly into the bank vaults. He haq stolen nothing, so the bank gave hinN a reward. which, it is said, ran intd the thousands.
 When one enters the Bank of EngN land, no matter by what door, foul pairs, of eyes watch him, though h
 is unaware of the fact. Situated closH to the doors are reCeSses in whiciH k are secreted four guardians of the inE stitution. One cannot see them, buy they can watch one closely with thd k aid of rehecting mirrors, affording a4 view of both ones entrance and8 ones exit, as well as of every move ment made from the time of entrancf 70 the time of departure.