Harlem Bank - New York, NY

Bank Information

Episode Type: Run Only
Bank Type: state
Start Date: February 13, 1903
Location: New York, New York (40.714, -74.006)

Metadata

Model: gpt-5-mini
Short Digest: 35251408

Response Measures

None

Other: Bank was disrupted by mass presentation of bogus two-cent 'checks' used as advertising; officers summoned a policeman and warned the advertiser.

Description

Crowd of children presented thousands of 2-cent promotional checks printed by a saloonkeeper, creating a panic-like scene at the paying window; police were summoned and bank threatened legal action against the advertiser. No suspension or closure reported.

Events (1)

1. February 13, 1903 Run

Cause: Rumor Or Misinformation
Cause Details: A saloonkeeper printed thousands of bearer '2-cent checks' as an advertising stunt; children presented them for payment, creating a crowd and panic-like scene.
Random Run: Yes
Random Run Snippet: Printed 2-cent 'checks' advertising saloon; checks were no good.
Measures: Bank officers called a policeman for protection and warned the advertiser they would arrest or sue if he continued distribution.
Newspaper Excerpt: He tried to explain to the boys that it was only an advertising scheme: that the checks were no good because the signature was only printed, but they were not to be fooled.
Source: newspapers

Newspaper Articles (1)

1. February 15, 1903 The Savannah Morning News Savannah, GA

Article from The Savannah Morning News, February 15, 1903

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Article Text

FLOODED WITH 2-CENT CHECKS. Advertising Dodge Bothers a Harlem Bank. From the New York Sun. A wholesale liquor dealer in Lenox avenue, in a hunt for a scheme to get new customers, hit on an advertising dodge the other day that brought notoriety to his saloon and bothered a Harlem bank so that its officers called a policeman for protection. The liquor dealer had several thousand checks on the Harlem bank printed. They were payable to bearer and were for two cents each. On each check was printed a facsimile of the saloonkeeper's signature. For a day the dealer was busy putting the checks into envelopes. In each envelope he put a circular that he had the best stock of liquors in Harlem. On Thursday he sent a number of small boys out, each with a couple of thousand of the envelopes and instructions to distribute them in the neighborhood. The dealer knew that the checks would not be honored at the bank, although he did have an account there. But he had reckoned without the small boy. They collected them by the hundreds and were on hand at the bank when it opened its doors on Friday morning. "Gimme $4.36," said the first boy, who got to the paying teller's window. "Here's 218 checks." "I got 141," yelled another youngster, trying to wedge his way ahead of the first boy. "That's $2.82. Ma says so." "What the -," began the teller, when there was a wail from a 6-yearold in the crowd. "Somebody stoled some of mine," he sobbed. "I ain't got but 'leven left. I was a-goin' to get some skates." "What the began the bewildered teller again. Then he got one of the checks and read it over. He tried to explain to the boys that it was only an advertising scheme: that the checks were no good because the signature was only printed, but they were not to be fooled. They knew that the bank had money, and that the teller was just trying to be "mean." The regular patrons of the bank couldn't get in on account of the crowd of boys. Some of them even thought that there might be a run on the bank. Finally the janitor slipped out a side door and found a policeman. The crowd scattered when the policeman told them to. All day long there was a constant stream of small boys going to that bank. Finally the bank people sent word to the liquor dealer who had made all the trouble. that if he distributed any more of those two-cent checks they would have him arrested as a public nuisance or sue him for damages for loss of time. Now the liquor dealer is looking around for another scheme. But he doesn't need to. All the neighborhood knows that he is in business.