Jasper County Democrat, Volume 10, Number 20, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 August 1907 — RIDGLEY’S REPRISAL. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

RIDGLEY’S REPRISAL.

By Edna Kerr.

Copyrighted, 1007, by M. M.Cunnlugham.

Herbert Morrow, bent And careworn, passed the parlor door. His daughter Daisy smiled up at him as he glanced at her In passing, but the smile turned into a sigh as the bowed figure vanished. “Is the run on the bank serious?” asked Deguon. "Your father looks very bad." “I am afraid that It is serious,” she answered. She was engaged to Degnon and trusted bis discretion. “I Baw the .evening papers,” he said, “but I thought that It A'as Just a sensational playing up of an incident. May I go in and see Mr. Morrow?” “I wish you would,” she said. “I seem so helpless. I think he would like to talk it over with a man.” The banker looked up wearily as Degnon entered the library. He liked this clean cut young chap, who had come to Midvale to take charge of the electric plant. Degnon went directly to the matter at issue. “I have come to see if I can be of any service,” he began. “I have some $20,000 that I can get hold of by tomorrow.” “Too little, but I thank you, my boy,” said the president of the Union bank; “Is there no way out?” persisted Degnon. “Just how does the matter stand?” “It is a plot of Ridgley’s,” began the banker. “It cannot be proven, but he practically owns the Provident Savings bank as well as the First National.” “That is news to me,” said Degnon. “And to most others. For some reason lUdgley does not want his connection with the Provident bank known. Now, Just at present there Is a heavy demand for money on short time loans. The high rates of interest have led both the Provident and my own bank, the Union, to send all of our surplus to the city banks. Ridgley sees his chance to put me out of business by starting a run. He knows that there is not

enough money In either bank to meet a run, but the First National will help the Provident. I shall have to suspend until I can recall the money on deposit In the city.” ‘‘l think I see,” mused Degnon. “Both banks need money. The Provident can get it from its sister bank. Your Union will have to admit its inability to pay depositors. They turn shaky about your bank and go to the rival Institution.” “That’s part of the scheme. The rest is this: Next week the Interest accrues. If-there is a run and the money is withdrawn, this interest Is lost to the depositor. The First National will get the use of the money until the scare is over. They announced tonight that their interest would be paid. When the scare is over they will cut off the interest and send the money back to their savings bank, while in the meantime the standing of my bank is lost.” '‘There is Just one thing to be done,” said Degnon, producing a blank form. “Put electricity into your bank.” “How will that help?” asked the banker. “It is a sign of enterprise, but) I am afraid In a few days I shall have no bank to light.” Degnon smiled. “I have an idea,” he explained. “I think it is a good one.” With trembling hand Morrow signed the contract, and Degnon rose to go. In the hall he stopped to say good night to Daisy and explain that he had to see some one on business on his way home; hence his haste. The some one was the mayor’s secretary. and as a result of the visit a permit was issued the following morning as soon as the office opened to tear up the street for the purpose of Installing the light service in the Union bank. Already a little knot of depositors had gathered in front of the two savings banks when the construction gang put in an appearance. The First National. In which Kidgley was silently Interested, occupied a corner building, and the Union, Morrow’s bank, adjoined it. Bidgley’s savings bank, the Provident, stood diagonally opposite, and it was in front of the Provident that the men began to dig to tap the main feeder. The men worked stolidly on, unmindful of the excitement around them. At the Union, Morrow was pay-

log off slowly to defer the announce* ment of suspension, in the hope that help might come. At the Provident, on the other hand, an extra force kept the line moving briskly, pacing off as rapidly as the money coffin be counted Hot. Clerks were busy bringing up money from the vaults'downstairs, and over In the First National other clerks were receiving the money and opening new accounts. Ridgley had devised the scheme as reprisal against Morrow. His son had been Daisy’s favored suitor until Degnon had stepped in and cut him out. Ridgley liid not forgiven tho banker for the fancied slight and, with his usual business Instinct, was making his revenge profitable. It was nearly noon when a clerk dashed out of the Provident and hurried Into the First National. In a moment he came out again, accompanied by Ridgley himself. They were making their way to the Provident through the crowd when suddenly Ridgley stopped at tlie edge of the excavation. One of the laborers, an Italian, was working with a crowbar at the bottom of the pit, seeking to dislodge the bar from some obstruction It had encountered. Ridgley shouted excitedly to the man, who smiled pleasantly Into his face and began to climb out of the pit.

Tho crowd left the line and crowded around the opening. The Italian was waving his permit, blandly coufident of his rights, and In his excitement Ridgley could not make himself understood. At last the Italian seemed to comprehend aud, dropping back Into the seized a pickax and smashed through the obstruction, proudly handing out a bulky cy.inder, n&w gaping wide to show its ! ad of crisp bills. “No taka da mon’,” explained the Italian. "Hones’ man. Ver’ hones’ man. No taka da mon’.” Iu a flash the crowd understood. The Provident was meeting the run by paying out money sent under the street from the First National. The money was making an endless chain, being paid out over and over again. Half a dozen meu in the crowd !>egan to explain how the bank was profiting by the evasion of interest, and lUdgley retired hurriedly. With the crowd In Its present temper he was not anxious to be within its reach. A little talk would precipitate a riot. But Degnon .had planned skillfully, and his orators talked just enough to check the run on the Union. There were muttered threats, but the drain was stopped, and a back flow of depositors was started toward the Union. Ridgley’s reprisal bad proved a boomerang. That evening Degnon explained to Daisy and her father his inspiration. “I was looking over the installation in the First National,” be told them, "and I saw that there was a pipe -of the pneumatic system that led out of the building. . “I thought it odd at the time, and when you spoke of the relations between the two banks I realized the game. They could shift the money back and forth as it was needed, and no one was the wiser. I got a permit to open the street and drove a crowbar through the pipe. That was ajl.” “I should like to give something to that Italian foreman,” said Daisy. “You might give him a kiss,” suggested Degnon. “At college I was one of the stars of the dramatic club.” “You were the foreman?” cried Daisy. “You shall have a dozen kisses.” And she made no protest at Degnon’s prompt collection.

“NO TAKA DA MON',” EXPLAINED THE ITALIAN.