Kings County Savings Institution

Bank Information

Episode Type: Run Only
Bank Type: savings bank
Start Date: August 1, 1893
Location: Brooklyn, New York (40.660, -73.951)

Metadata

Model: gpt-5-mini
Short Digest: 017c518d

Response Measures

Accommodated withdrawals

Description

Article (The Sun, 1893-08-01) reports a small run on Kings County Savings Bank in Brooklyn. No suspension, reopening, or receivership mentioned. The broader context is widespread withdrawals among Brooklyn savings banks during the 1893 crisis; cause coded as macro_news (systemic/national panic) rather than a specific misinformation event.

Events (1)

1. August 1, 1893 Run

Cause: Macro News
Cause Details: Part of an unusually large number of withdrawals across Brooklyn savings banks during the 1893 banking distress; general panic/nervousness rather than a specific false report.
Newspaper Excerpt: There was a small run on the Kings County Savings Bank at Broadway and Bedford avenue
Source: newspapers

Newspaper Articles (1)

1. August 1, 1893 The Sun New York, NY

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Article Text

BROOKLYN BANKS PAID TO THE NEEDY Williamsburgh Bank Couldn't Help an Italian Whose Mortgage IN Due To-day. All the Brooklyn and Williamsburgh savings banks. with the exception of the Brooklyn City and the Brevoort. which do a comparatively small business. have notified their depositors that they must give the specified time notice of their intention to withdraw sums of over $100. There was an unusually large number of depositors on hand yesterday morning when the banks opened. and in some cases the services of policemen were required to preserve order among them. Many persons. who were urgently in need of money to meet pressing demands. made special appeals to the officers and in most of these cases the money was paid out. There was a great crush at the Dime Savings Bank. the women being the most elamorous for their money. The reassuring announcement of Treasurer John W. Hunter. however. had a quieting effect. For several hours after the opening of the Brooklyn Savings Bank there were about three times as many women AS men in the surrounding crowd of depositors who wanted to draw out their money. Among the women were some who came to deposit money. When this was observed one of the other women whispered to her neighbor: It is a put-up job. The money is given to these women to deposit in order to make it appear that the bank is all right." This passed along the line. and. absurd as the suggestion was, a great many believed it. When the doors of the Williamsburgh Savings Bank. at Broadway and Driggs avenue. Williamaburgh. were opened yesterday morning. fully 500 depositors pushed their way into the building to withdraw their savings. Those depositors who were in need of money were told that they could withdraw $10. but no larger amount. The news that no more than $10 could be obtained at the bank spread rapidly. and within an hour there were at least a thousand people inside and outside the institution clamoring for their money. A weeping Italian begged Gen. A. V. Meserole. the President of the bank. to let him have his money. He said that the mortgage on his house was due to-day. and unless he paid it the mortgage would be foreclosed. Gen. Meserole told the depositor that he couldn't help him. Another man had arranged to go to Europe to-morrow and wanted $275. There was a small run on the Kings County Savings Bank at Broadway and Bedford nvenue and the Dime Savings Bank of Williamsburgh at Wythe avenue and Broadway.