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street in front of the bank became a dense mass of people, through whom terror-stricken depositors forced their way. By sympathy the run extended to the smaller banks, and one by one they closed their doors. Latham, the manager of the Bank of London and San Francisco, tried to save Ralston. All the spare coin in his bank was carted up to the side entrance of the Bank of California, and almost as fast as it came in at the side door it went out at the front. The paying teller had orders to continue while there was anvthing to pay with. When half past 2 o'clock came, and payments were still being made, the excitement was intense, and bets were freely made that the bank would stand the pressure. The paying tellers were nervous with excitement as the long hand of the clock slowly climbed around. Five minutes, ten minutes, fifteen minutes. It only wanted a quarter to 3 when the ponder ous doors of the bank were seen to swing outward and close with a mighty clang in the face of the vast crowd that thronged the street. The Bank of California, the greatest financial institution on the Pacific Coast, had ceased to exist. The people went wild. All the evening papers got out extras. In the bank parlor Ralston received the reporters and correspondents, of whom there was a perfect mob. He was ghastly pale, and leaned with his elbow on the mantelpiece. "The Bank of California, gentlemen", he said, "does not owe a single dollar it cannot pay. An attempt has been made to crush me, but it will not succed. The bank will resume in a day or two," This was about 4 p. m. A little after 5 p.m. his lifeless body was taken out of North Beach, and it was known that he had committed suicide. He had ostensibly gone in to take a swim, and although there never was a doubt in the public mind that he had taken his own life. the coroner's jury found an open verdict. The public excitement now grew to fever heat. The friends of Ralston were loud in their denunciations of the Bonanza people and of the Call and Bulletin. The editorial rooms of both papers were barricaded with piles of paper. behind which were hidden some armed police officers. The militia were called out and held in readiness at their armories. The police charged several mobs who assembled to gut the offices. Reporters for these papers held their lives in their hands. A mass-meeting was held at Union Hall, to sympathize with the family of the "murdered Ralston." It was attended by thousands, and addressed by leading men of parties. Colonel W. H. L. Barnes, the attorney to the bank, and a personal friend of the dead man, begged the people for his sake to be quiet and not to disgrace his name by riot. Things simmered down a little, and better counsel began to prevail. Those who witnessed the funeral of Ralston will hardly forget it. Never had such an imposing sight been seen n California. The cortege was preceded by a battalion of cavalry and three regiments of infantry, with arms reversed. Then came the order of Odd Fellows, then the clergy of various denomis ations, then the hearse and pall-bearers, among whom were Senator Sharon, P. 0. Mills, Peter Donahue, the banker; D. is. Colton, the railroad magnate; Judge Hoffman, of the United States Court, and some twenty other equally prominent citizens. Behind the hearse" walked the clerks of the Bank of California, the regents and faculty of the University. the members of the Chamber of Commerce, the membe:s of the Stock Exchange, and of the Pacific Stock Exchange. representatives of the press. trade organizations and citizens in thousands on foot and in carriages. Was there ever seen in the world such a sight?-Comment and Dramatic Times.
