20073. Bank of Wheeling (Wheeling, WV)

Bank Information

Episode Type
Run Only
Bank Type
state
Start Date
March 11, 1884
Location
Wheeling, West Virginia (40.064, -80.721)

Metadata

Model
gpt-5-mini
Short Digest
57e345e14dc7cfeb

Response Measures

None

Description

Contemporary accounts (Mar 11, 1884) describe a depositor run triggered by a misreported endorsement incident; bank remained solvent with outside backing and no suspension is reported.

Events (1)
1. March 11, 1884 Run
Cause
Rumor Or Misinformation
Cause Details
Run originated when a German woman, sent home for her husband's endorsement on a check, spread a report that the bank was unable to meet its paper.
Random Run
Yes
Random Run Snippet
woman spread report that the bank was unable to meet the paper
Measures
Bank remained open; had heavy outside backing and was said to be abundantly able to take care of itself (no suspension reported).
Newspaper Excerpt
Yesterday and to-day there was quite a run of depositors ... on the Bank of Wheeling, one of the soundest in the city.
Source
newspapers

Newspaper Articles (2)
1. March 13, 1884 The Daily Dispatch Richmond, VA
Article from The Daily Dispatch, March 13, 1884

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Article Text

A Wheeling Bank Run. A Wheeling (W. Va.) special of the 11th says: Yesterday and to-day there was quite a run of depositors, mostly having small balances to their credit, on the Bank of Wheeling, one of the soundest in the city. The trouble originated in a German woman presenting a check not properly endorsed by her husband. On being sent home for his signature she spread the report that the bank was unable to meet the paper. Today the run was given fresh impetus by a large drug firm withdrawing its account of over $20,000. In all, probably $35,000 has been withdrawn. The bank is abundantly able to take care of itself, and has heavy outside backing.

2. March 15, 1884 Martinsburg Independent Martinsburg, WV
Article from Martinsburg Independent, March 15, 1884

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Article Text

A Wheeling Bank Run. WHEELING, W. Va., March 11.Yesterday and to-day there was quite a run of depositors, mostly having small balances to theircredit, on the Bank of Wheeling one of the soundest in the city. The trouble originated in a German woman presenting a check not properly endorsed by her husband. On being sent home for his signature she spread the report that the bank was unable to meet the paper. To-day the run was given fresh impetus by a large drug firm withdrawing its account of over $20,000. In all, probably, $35,000 has been withdrawn.