ATTACK ON A LONDON BANK.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), 30 October 1883, Page 4

ATTACK ON A LONDON BANK.

The Globe says :—A most oxtraordinary sceno occurred'in the vicinity of OxfurdHtrcct, London, recently, resulting iv what may bo described as the complete Avreeking of the City and I'rovincial Penny Bank by a host of' angry depositors, who hud been maliciously brought together simultaneously for the Avitlidntwingof their cash. 'What immediately followed could not in the confusion bo learnt, but in the course of the morning tho place avus besieged, not only by those interested in it, but by the public generally, the more mischievous of whom readily joined in Avhat to many was excellent sport, while to others it seemed a Avork of vengeance. Tho place avus wholly abandoned to tho mob, tho iloor was strewn with cheque-books, printed forms of all kinds, office stationery, letters, and other paper.. On the counter was a plaster bust, popularly understood \o he of the founder of the concern, crowned with a tin pail, a clay pipe in its mouth, and an officu duster tied round its nock, and this was serving as an object of contumely and insult, and as a mark for any kind of missile that cumo to hand. Erom the appearance of the place, the secretary aud clerks, or Avhocvcr may have been in charge at tho opening, had lied instantly, leaving everything just as it stood. The books of the bank were all exposed to tho malice of the mob, and thoy Avoro living in all directions, ..mashing glass, knocking down gas lamps, and occasionally alighting on tho heads of the marauders, some of whom must have received injury. As the hooks Avero all thcro, it seemed reasonable — if a mob under such circumstances can be said to be possessed of any reason—that the cash might also have been left behind, aud there aviis presently a tremendous hurrah at tho sight of a largo cash-box which somebody produced from a drawer or cupboard. To tho groat disappointment of the crowd, however, it proved to bo empty, and tho destruction thereupon became more fierce and unscrupulous. Desperate efforts were made to force open the drawers under the counter, and for a long timo men and Avomcn, finding this could not bo done without pulling the counter to pieces, united their ell'orts to tear off the top of it. They did not succeed, hoAvever, in doing this, but after a Avhilo tho drawer, Avhich appeared to havo served as a till, was wrenched open, and of course a mad rush was made for it. What it contained, or avlio participated in the contents, it was impossible lo say. There Avas a wild dash and there were screams and .shrieks, mingled with hurrahs, and then tho receptacle Avas hurled across the oflico, and tho incident was over. It certainly looked as though maiming or deatli might, havo resulted to women or young girls embroiled in the affair, but though the police Avoro at the doors of tho bank, and, of course, knew Avhat Avas going ou, they declined to interfere in the luattor, on the ground that it avus private property, and they were not called on.