Bank Failure Sparks Assassination Attempt
An attempt was made last night to assassinate W. L. Seymour, cashier of Seymour's bank, which failed recently. Two shots were fired at him while he was walking in his yard, neither taking effect. The affairs of the bank are said to be in bad condition. Numerous workingmen were depositors. All sorts of threats have been indulged in, and many threatening letters have been sent to the officers of the bank.
“All sorts of threats have been indulged in, and many threatening letters have been sent.”
Financial panics in the late 19th century were brutal, often wiping out the life savings of laborers. This story illustrates the extreme social volatility that followed bank failures in early Washington, a stark reminder of the human cost behind economic 'corrections.'
From readers
No comments yet. If you know something about this story — a correction, a family memory, a source — it belongs here.