Democratic Sentinel, Volume 17, Number 37, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 September 1893 — What “Bankrupt” Means. [ARTICLE]

What “Bankrupt” Means.

The word bankrupt comes from two Italian words, signifying a broken bench. The populace of Venice, Florence and other Italian cities often became greatly incensed with the money lenders, who were frequently Hebrews, and bursting into the market places, would steal the change and break or overturn the bench. A broken bench implied a money changer without funds, hence the term.