Peoples Bank (New Orleans, LA)

Episode Information

Episode UID
8446043691161
Episode Type
Run Only
Bank Type
state
Bank ID
844604369 hash
Start Date
September 11, 1896
Location
New Orleans, Louisiana (29.955, -90.075)

Metadata

Model
gpt-5-mini (chosen from majority vote of a three-model LLM ensemble)
Short Digest
0207eddb71bd9e82

Response Measures

None

Events (1)

1. September 11, 1896 Run
Cause
Local Banks
Cause Details
Run followed failure/closure of the Bank of Commerce and recent wrecks/defalcations at other New Orleans banks, producing public distrust.
Measures
Cashing all checks for $100 or under; officials remained calm and permitted orderly payments.
Newspaper Excerpt
At 1:30 this afternoon there was a lively run on the People's bank. Depositors flocked to the institution and formed into line before the paying teller's window.
Source
newspapers

Newspaper Articles (10)

Article from San Antonio Daily Light, September 11, 1896

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Article Text

NEW ORLEANS BANK FAILURES. New Orleans, Sept. 11.-The Bank of Commerce, a state institution, failed to open its doors this morning. New Orleans, Sept. 11.-Special.-The Bank of Commerce closed its doors today. There is nothing particularly sensational in the closure. The depositors and other indebtedness will be paid in full. Business is very much depressed and the public pulse is feverish. New Orleans, La., Sept. 11.-SpecialThere is a run on the Peoples' bank and they may suspend.


Article from The Topeka State Journal, September 12, 1896

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Article Text

CRISIS AT NEW ORLEANS. A Run on the "People's Bank" Is Reported But No More Failure in That City Today. SITUATION IS SHAKY. But Worst of Panic May Be Over. . Defalcations In Union National Nearly $500,000. New Orleans, Sept. 12.-There has been a lively run on the People's bank. Depositors flocked to the institution and formed into line before the paying teller's window. So many people were in line that it extended clear into the street. There is considerable excitement but no trouble of any kind. All checks for $100 or under are being rapidly cashed. The failure of the Bank of Commerce which everybody thought would be able to weather the wave of distrust and suspicion which the recent wreck of the American National bank has caused a very shaky feeling among depositors. There was a large crowd outside the People's bank buteverybody wsaorderly and all the blue coats had to do was to clear a passage way for the pedestrians to pass on by the walks. The manner of surmises and opinions are being freely aired. The arrest of the book-keepers of the Union National bank was made last night. The arrests were made in order to hold the men pending a further investigation. The total defalcations discovered amount to over $470,000. Some of the defalcations occurred eight or ten years ago. The Bank of Commerce which failed yesterday was founded in 1887, with a capital of $1,000,000. In that year several prominent business men got together and deeming that the banking facilities of New Orleans were insufficient, made up their minds to remedy the defect as much as possible and the Bank of Commerce was the result. The plan of the institution was to do a general banking business in such a way as to furnish accommodation to all classes of patrons from men of millions to the wage-earner and also to do a collecting business. It found a fruitful field before it and its success-up to the present had been such as to justify the highest hope of its founders.


Article from Wheeling Register, September 12, 1896

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Article Text

HALF A MILLION Is the Amount Crooked Bookkeepers Are Alleged to Have Stolen From a New Orleans Bank. New Orleans, September 11. ..The Bank of Commerce which everybody thought would be able to weather the wave of distrust and suspicion which the recent wreck of the American National Bank caused, was compelled to close its doors this morning. At 1:30 this afternoon there was a lively run on the Peoples' Bank. Depositors formed into line. There is considerable excitement. Checks for $100 or under are being cashed. New Orleans, September 11.-Frank D. Leefe and Louis Colombe, bookkeepers in the Union National Bank, have just been arrested by U. S. Deputy Marshal. The arrests were made in order to hold the men spending a fur'ther investigation. The total defalcation so far discovered amounts to over $470,000. Bookkeeper Colombe took a dose of morphine this morning and has been unconscious all day.


Article from The Wheeling Daily Intelligencer, September 12, 1896

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Article Text

Run 011 the People's Bank. NEW ORLEANS, Sept. 11.-At 1:30 this afternoon there was IL lively run on the People's bank. Depositors flocked to the bank and formed into line by the paying teller's window. So many people were in line that It extended clear Into the streets, There was considerable excitement. but no trouble of any kind. The officials of the People's bank do not seem to be worried over the run, and all checks for $100 or under, were rapidly cashed.


Article from The Salt Lake Herald, September 12, 1896

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Article Text

NEW ORLEANS, Sept. 11.-This afternoon the two individual bookkeepers of the Union National bank, Frank Leefe and A. Colomb, were arrested on affidavits made by Cashier Labarathe. Colomb, it appears, is only "constructively" under arrest. The charge against Leefe is for violating United States statutes by falsifying his books and accounts. He pleaded not guilty and was placed under bonds of $1,000 which he immediately furnished. There are intimations that President Chalderon's mind is affected. There was a persistent run today on the People's bank.


Article from The Houston Daily Post, September 12, 1896

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Article Text

ANOTHER BANK CLOSED. New Orleans Purnishes the Third Pailure in Three Days. COULD NOT STAND THE HEAVY RUN Bank of Commerce Forced to Go Into Liquidation- 188018 Are Doubie the Sum Due the Depositors. New Orleans. La, September 11.-The Bank of Commerce. which overybody thought would be able to weather the wave of distrust and suspleton which the recent wreck of the American National bank caused, was compelled to close to doors this morning. There was a large crowd outside the bank, but everybody was orderly and all the bluecoats had to do was to char a passageway for the pedestrians to pass on the aldewalks All manner of surmises and opinions were being freely aired, but the sum and substance seemed than the Bank of Commerce had schopted the only course left to sit. President Nichole gives the following explanation: "The unprecedented run on the bank for the past six weeks and the impossibility of realizing with sufficient rapidity on the nasets and consulting with the vice president of the clearing house and submitting a statement to them, we deemed it advisable in order to protect the Interests of depositors, in order that they might be paid in full in a short time, as well as the stockholders, to take this step of liquidating-a step which none feel more than we do." The bank owes depositors between $300.000 and $400,000, while the ussets of the bank are about $800,000. The bank had quite a ong list of small depositors. The Bank of Commerce was founded in 1887 with a capital scook of $100,000. In that year several promisent business men got together. and deeming that the bank facilities of New Orleans were InsufBelent made up their minds to remedy the defect as much as possible, and the Bank of Commerce was the result. The plan of the institution was to do a general banking business in such a way as to be of accommodation to all classes of patrons, from men of m/Hons to wage earners. It found a fruitful fileld before it and its success up to this morning had been such as to justify the highest hopes of its founders. At 1:30 this afternoon there was a lively run on the People's bank. Depositors Blocked to the Institution and formed into Ince before the paying teller's window. So many people were In line that it extended clear into the street, There was excitement. but no trouble of any kind. The officials of the People's bank do not soem to be worried over the run and all claims for $100 or under are being rapidly cashed.


Article from The Austin Weekly Statesman, September 17, 1896

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Article Text

NEW ORLEANS HAS HAL THREE BANK FAILURES IN AS MANY DAYS. A RUN ON THE BANK OF COMMERCE Caused It to Shut Its Doors Yesterday Morning-President Nichols Explains and Says Depositors Will Be Paid in Full. New Orleans, Sept. 11.-The Bank of Commerce, which everybody thought would be able to weather the wave of distrust and suspicion which the recent wreck of the American National bank caused, was compelled to close its doors this morning. There was a large crowd outside the bank, but everybody was orderly and all the blue coats had to do was to clear a passage way for the pedestrians to pass on the sidewalk. All manner of surmises and opinions were being freely aired, but the sum and substance seemed to be that the Bank of Commerce had adopted the only course left to it. President Nichols gives the following explanation: "The unprecedented run on the bank for the past six weeks and the impossibility of realizing with sufficient rapidity on the assets, and after consulting with the vice president of the clearing house, we deemed it advisable, to protect depositors in order that they might be paid in full in a short time, to take this step of liquidating, a step which none feel more than we do." The bank owes depositors between $300,000 and $400,000, while the assets of the bank are about $800,000. The bank has quite a long list of small depositors. The Bank of Commerce was founded in 1887 with a capital stock of $100,000. In that year several prominent business men got together, and deeming that the bank facilities of New Orleans were insufficient, made up their minds to remedy the defect as much as possible, and the Bank of Commerce was the result. The plan of the institution was to do a general banking business in such a way as to furnish accommodations to all classes of patrons, from men of millions to wage earners, and also to do a collecting business. It found a fruitful field before it and its success up to this morning had been such as to justify the highest hopes of its founders. At1:30this afternoon there was a lively run on the People's bank. Depositors flocked to the institution and formed into line before the paying teller's windown. So many people were in line that it extended clear into the street. There is considerable excitement, but no trouble is anticipated. TWO ARRESTS. New Orleans, Sept. 11.-Frank B. Leefe and Louis Colombe, bookkeepers of the defunct Union National bank, have been arrested. Colombe was not taken I into custody as he was too sick to leave home. He is under arrest, however. at


Article from Rocky Ford Enterprise, September 17, 1896

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Article Text

Third New Orleans Failure. New Orleans, Sept. 11.-The Bank of Commerce, a state institution. did not open its doors this morning. The bank has deposits of between $300,000 and $400,000. while the assets are about $800,000. The bank had quite a long list of small depositors. At 1:30 this afternoon there was a lively run on the Peoples' bank. Depositors flocked to the Institution and formed into line before the paying teller. So many people were line that it extended clear into the streets. There is considerable excitement, but no trouble of any kind. The officials of the Peoplรฉs' bank don't seem to be worried over the run. and all checks for $100 or under are being rapidly cashed.


Article from The Valentine Democrat, September 17, 1896

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Article Text

Another Bank Suspends. NEW ORLEANS: The Bank of Commerce, which everybody thought would be able to weather the wave of distrust and suspicion, which the recent wreck of the Union National engendered, has been compelled to close its doors. There was a large crowd outside the bank but everybody was orderly. All manner of surmises and opinions were freely aired by the crowd, but the sum and substance seemed to be that the Bank of Commerce had adopted the only course left to it. There was a lively run on the People's Bank. So many people were in line that it extended clear into the streets. The officials of the People's Bank did not seem to be worried over the run, and all checks for $100 or under were rapidly cashed.


Article from Cottonwood Report, September 18, 1896

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Article Text

FOURTH NEW ORLEANS BANK GONE Excitement Intense in the Big Southern City. New Orleans, Sept. 12.-The Bank of Commerce, which everybody thought would be able to weather the wave of distrust and suspicion which followed the recent wreck of the American National bank, was compelled to close its doors this morning. There was a large crowd outside the bank. All manner of surmises and opinions were being freely accepted by the crowd, but the sum and substance seemed to be that the Bank of Commerce had adopted the only course left to It. The Bank of Commerce was founded in 1887 with a capital of $100,000. The plan was to do a general banking business, to furnish accommodations to all classes of patrons, from the man of millions to the wage earners, and also to do a general collecting business. It found a fruitful field, and its success had been such as to inspire the highest confidence in Its founders. At 1:30 this afternoon there was a lively run on the People's bank. So many people were in line that it extended clear into the street. There is considerable excitement, but no trouble of any kind. The officials of the People's bank do not seem worried over the run, and all checks for $100 or under are being rapidly cashed.