The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1879-05-21
The Wrong Change.

A New York reporter has been gong
about among the hotels inquiring as to
the tricks Of petty swindlers. who ask
to have bill changed, and then claim
they have not received the right change.
The clerk Of the Drandreth House said
that once q well-dressed man entert:'
the hotel and asked for change for $50
bill. Four S. bills were given him. The
clerk was very busy. Soon the stranger
said, "Look here. See what you have
given me-three S5 bills and 81 bill. !"
The clerk knew he was right, but sew
eral guests of the house, who were
standing near the desk, said that the
man had not moved from where he stood.
The stranger Indignantly demanded to
be searched, and at last the clerk yielded
against his judgment, and gave him a
S5 for the 81 bill. which he insisted he
had received. Afterward hall-boy
said he noticed that the stranger had a
friend when he came in, but his friend
went out Just after the clerk had handed
out the change. That night the cash
account was four dollars short!
At the same hotel, during the war, a
fashionably- dressed man alighted from a
carriage at the door, and, hurrying to
the desk, threw down S5 bill, and asked
for change, explaining hastily that he
wanted to Pay his cabman. He went
out, and moment afterward the car
riage drove away. The bill was a coun-
terfeit. Several years ago, a man who
had stayed day or two at the Brandreth
House as a guest, paid his bill, and. as
he was about to 60 away, turned sud-
denly and asked the clerk X to change a
$40 bill. The clerk, who was busy,
threw down ten 81 bills. The departing
guest thrust them in wad into his wal
let. and bade the clerk morning.
"Hold on" the latter called out.
"Where is the $40 bill?" II gave it
to you." said the man. "It was a brand
new. bill. Look in your drawer" 1t
was time when there was a flood Of
new bills. The clerk looked into his
drawer and saw Aeyeral. He was not
convinced, however,. The man glibly
explained that on a certain day he had
drawn just so much from the bank, and
then carefully recounted large number
of expenditures, which would leave a
certain balance of money in his possess
sion. Then he counted his money, and
the amount agreed with this calculated
balance. As he had the money in his
possession, the clerk could DO nothing
except submit to the loss or bring civil
suit. He submitted to the loss.
At the Grand Central Hotel, a boy
asked the clerk in charge of the hotel
postoffice for three-cent stamp, and
tossed five-cent silver piece on the
counter. The clerk handed him out n
three-cent stamp and two cents, and
swept the five-cent piece into the money
drawer.
Il gave you ten-cent piece" said
the boy.
"You saw me put the piece of money
in the drawer, didn't you?" asked the
clerk
Eyes, sir" replied the boy.
"Well. if you can find ten-cent piece
in that drawer" said the clerk, pulling
out the drawer and placing it before the
boy. on the counter, "1'll give it to
YOU"
There was no ten-cent piece in the
drawer.
A clerk of the Hoffman House said
that several years ago a well-dressed
man hurried up to the desk with
q 800 bill in his hand, for which he
wanted change, in order, as he said, to
pay a man small account. He re-
ceived bundle of small bills, which he
wrapped about his fingers and hurried
out. In half minute he returned with
the bundle of bills held in the same
position. While they were yet rolled
around his fingers, he said to the clerk
that his friend had gone and he had not
been able to sec him. He wanted to get
his SlOO bill back, because he hated to
carry so many small bills in his pockets.
The clerk reached out, took the bundle
of bills from his hand, and began to
count them. "They are the same you
gave me-" said the man in resentful
tone. eff you dent like my way of
doing business you can go elsewhere, !"
replied the clerk. The bundle was found
to be ten dollars short. The man blus-
tered barely enough to support an ap-
pearance Of innocence and went away.