Commercial Bank - Martins Ferry, OH

Bank Information

Episode Type: Run Only
Bank Type: state
Start Date: April 1, 1875
Location: Martins Ferry, Ohio (40.096, -80.725)

Metadata

Model: gpt-5-mini
Short Digest: 4fedb35b904c9426

Response Measures

None

Description

Article (Wheeling Daily Intelligencer, 1875-04-03) reports a run on the Commercial Bank on April 1, 1875 triggered by pranksters who mailed falsified bank notices (an April fools type hoax). No suspension or closure is mentioned.

Events (1)

1. April 1, 1875 Run

Cause: Rumor Or Misinformation
Cause Details: Pranksters obtained blank bank notices, filled them out and mailed false notices saying customers' notes would be due, provoking people to rush to the bank; bank officers denied sending the notices.
Random Run: Yes
Random Run Snippet: Pranksters mailed falsified due notices; bank denied sending them
Measures: Bank officers informed customers that no such notices had been sent and explained the prank.
Newspaper Excerpt: Quite a run was made on the Commercial Bank on the 1st of April. Some person or persons fond of fun ... got possession of a lot of blank bank notices and filled them up and sent them through the postoffice ... informing them that their notes ... would be due at the Commercial Bank on the 1st of April ... they would be informed by the bank officers that no such notice had been sent by them
Source: newspapers

Newspaper Articles (1)

1. April 3, 1875 The Wheeling Daily Intelligencer Wheeling, WV

Article from The Wheeling Daily Intelligencer, April 3, 1875

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Article Text

MARTIN'S FERRY ITEMS-The funeral et of Verge West, son of Dr. S. B. West, who died on Wednesday evening, took place yesterday, and was, considering the inclemency of the weather, largely attended. Mrs. James Shaw was buried yesterday. A Citizens' meeting was held in Medill's Hall on Thursday evening, and the following corporation ticket was nominated For Council-Joseph Medill, L W. Jones 1 and James McCahan. For Street Commissioner-Ben. Groves. The Quarterly Meeting services of the M. E. Church will be observed to-morrow. Preaching morning and evening by the Presiding Elder. There will be four candidates in the field for judicial honors at the election on Monday next. To be a Justice of the Peace must be a very enviable office, or so many would not work 80 hard for it. John L. Vanpelt has been ordered to go and take charge of a distillery in Monroe county, 0,, and left on last Thursday in obedience to those instructions. A great many families have changed their places of abode in the last few days. Len. C. Wells returned home yesterday. He is traveling for Wm. Rezar & Co., of Cincinnati. The men and boys working at the keg and barrel factory will be paid to-day. Quite a run was made on the Commercial Bank on the 1st of April. Some person or persons fond of fun at the expense of others, got possession of a lot of blank bank notices and filled them up and sent them through the postoffice in regular order to a number of citizens, informing them that their notes of one, two or three hundred dollars would be due at the Come mercial Bank on the 1st of April. Those to whom the notices had been sent would, shortly after receiving them, be seen rushing for the bank for an explanation of that note, and would be informed by the bank officers that no such notice had been sent by them, when it would occur to the victims that they had been sold as April fools, etc. Spence, Baggs & Co. are turning out some fine stoves, and those wanting a first-class cooking stove would do well to buy the celebrated "Counsellor" stove, made by the above firm. The regular Communion services of the First Presbyterian Church will be observed to-morrow; also the same services will be observed at the Baptist Church. HARRY FORRESTER.