The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1878-02-07
STORY OF A BANK CASHIER.

OulS1u0 Uno pOTtal Oi ItlS DdDh, Il COn-
missionaire, named Copp, has for many
years taken mp his position. He is not
in the service of the bank, but, being a
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 comports himself with salt
able dignity. Upon many occasions, on
busy days, he has been intrtsted with
missions of delicacy and responsibility,
and has always fulfilled them with tact
and exactitude.
One morning / 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 his hand a dirty canvas bag,
which he placed on my desk.
"Well, Copp," I said, "whose ac-
count is this for %
He stood at attention, and said, after
saluting:
"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 I had
better bring it to you, sir, as it seems to
contain money"
I opened the bag and found it con-
tanned 9750 in bank-notes and gold; but
there was no indication of the person to
whom it belonged, either written upon q
paper. as is customary, or upon the
backs of the notes. Copp, seeing my
surprise, added:
81 beg pardon, sir, but I may as well
tell you that the party who handed me
the bag was decidedly inebriated-in
fact, sir, I might say drunk. He could
scarcely stand, and didn't seem hardly
able TO speak"
every well," I replied, "you may
leave it with me, and, when the man
comes, bring him in here"
Eyes, sir" said Copp, who ssluted
and retired.
put the bag ON one side, fully ex-
pectiDg that the owner would soon call
and claim it At the end of the day,
however, nobody had called, although
Copp had kept O 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. [ Intercepted
Copp as to the description of the man.
He said he was a short, thick-set man,
with dark hair and whiskers, but no
mustache. He wore black coat, very
seedy- looking, and his face and hands
and shirt were very dirty; looked as
if he had been on the loose, sir, he
added
At the expiration of another week, L
inserted advertisement is in all the prin-
cipal 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 were received to the adj
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 nc evidence of its having been in
tended 20 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. 1T 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
Copp and myself.
Two years rolled by, and nothing fur
ther was heard of the mysterious deposi-
tor, and 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 small fortune.
At length, however one morning, Sergt
Copp walked up to my desk with an ex-
preston of great pleasure upon his hon.
est face.
"Beg your pardon, sir" he COM
menced; lean I speak to you for few
minutess"
Certainly" said L; "what is it %
"Well, sir, do you remember that bag
| of money-two years ago ??
"Of course do, replied with inter
est; " who could forget it ?"
Well, sir, think I've got clew to
the man who left it with me"
1t appeared that the Sergeant's son
was apprentced to an upholsterer In the
city. Among the workmen in the essab-
| hshment who had recently joined was q
French polisher. One day, in the course
of conversation, he told his fellow-work-
men the following facts concerning q
foreman of the firm of Smith & Jones,
where he had formerly worked. This
l IL