The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1878-01-24
STORY OF A BANK CASHIER.

%M E6s- 45*&t
Outside the portal of the bank, com
1nissionaire, named Copp, has for many
years taken up his position. He is not
In the service of the bank, but, being 9
MAN of tried probity and trustworthi.
ness, his right to the station is tacitly
admitted, He is an old soldier, and has
served with distinction in many glorious
battles, as the numerous medals, which
he proudly displays upon his breast,
bear witness. He has been Sergeant
Major, and COMFORTS himself with suit
able dignity. Upon many occasions, on
busy days, he has been intrusted with
missions of deicacy and responsibility,
and has always fulfilled them with tact
and exactitude.
One morning I was waiting at my desk
for the arrival of our early customers,
when I saw Copp advancing toward me
with his military step, and with even
more than his customary dignity. He
held in lis hand dirty canvas bag,
which he placed on, my desk.
"Well, Copp," I said, "whose &C
count is this for ?"
he stood at attention, and said, after
saIuting:
"This bag, sir, was placed in my
hands an hour ago by man who asked
me to take care OF it till he came back.
Thinking, perhaps, he was customer
of the bank, I took charge of it, and, as
he hasn't come back, / thought had
better bring it to you, sir, as it seems to
contain money"
[ opened the bag and found it con-
tanned ESQ in bank-notes and gold; but
there was no indication of the person to
whom it belonged, either written upon
paper, as is customary, or upon the
backs of the notes. Copp, seeing my
surprise, added:
II beg pardon, sir, but / may as well
tell you that the party who handed me
the bag was decidedly inebriated- in
fact, sir, might say drunk. He could
scarcely stand, and didn't seem hardly
able TO speak"
every WE'LL" I replied, "you may
leave it with me, and, when the man
comes, bring him in here"
Eyes, sir" said Copp, who saluted
and retired.
Iput the bag on one side, fully ex-
pecting that the owner would soon call
and claim it. At the end of the day,
however, nobody had called, although
Oopp had kept sharp lookout at the
door. I was much surprised at this,
and put by the money. The next day
and the next passed by, and still no
claimant appeared. l Intercepted
Oopp as TO the description of the man.
lie satd he was a short, thick-set man,
with dark hair and whiskers, but no
Hnustache. He wore black coat, very
aeedyzlooking, and his face and hands
aud shirt were very dirty; "looked as
if he had been on the loose, SIR" he
added. E
At the expiration of another week, I
inserted advertisements in all the prin-
ocipsl daily papers, stating that bag
containing a sum Of money had been
found, and inviting the owner to claim
it and specify the contents. No salts
factory answers we're received to the ad-
vertisement, and the question remained,
what was to be done with the money?
We could not place it to any account in
the bank, and we could not, of course,
open an account in an unknown name.
The manager was of the opinion that,
as the money had been left in the hands
of Sergt. Copp, who was not an official
of the bank, and, besides, who was
standing in the street at the time, there
was no evidence of its having been in
tended to be lodged in the bank, and
that, therefore, it should be handed over
to the comissionaire.
Upon my telling Copp this, however,
ne stoutly refused to have anything to
do with it. ''It was not his" he said,
"and he had only taken charge of it
upon the supposition that it belonged to
one of the customers of the bank" The
matter was finally settled by opening a
deposit account in the joint names of
Oopp and myself.
Two years rolled by, and nothing fur
Cher was heard of the mysterious deposi-
Tor, and I began to think that the amount
would ultimately fall into the hands of
the worthy Sergt. Copp or his family,
TO whom it would be q small fortune.
AT length, however, one morning, Sergt.
Oopp walked up to my desk with an ex-
preston of great pleasure upon his hon
est face.
tBeg your pardon, sir" he COM
menced; "can I speak to you for few
mainutess"
Certainly" said I; "what is it ?"
@Well, sir, do you remember that bag
OF money-two years ago."
"Of course I do, replied with inter-
est; who could forget it ?"