Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1883-09-02
SHARP BANK
Two In tarCes illustrating Their
RasCality.
How a Lawyer Saved a Paying Teller From
ENpOSure-A Certain Cashier
Who Msde 4 Nice
Fortune.

An interesting story j. told Of the way
in which a paying teller of II OF the
great city banks, of a shrewd and pro-
vident turn of mind, Was able 10 ac-
quire a competency in Il short time, and
then retire from his position without
the bank having been any the loser by
the operation and without having his
own reputation blasted. The story is
that the bank carried Il heavy cash bal
ance TO meet such calls a. might he
made upon it from day to day, and to
draw upon in case OF ruE. This was
intrusted to the paying teller. Instead
Of allowing this sum to remain in the
banks safe Is was the intention Of the
directors, and as they supposed to he
actually TIE case, the teller invested
largely in sin per cent. bonds and early
issues of the government four per cents.
These were substituted for the cash, the
investor cutting oil the coupons and
getting the money on them a. they be-
Il payable. Tie prospective Calls
upon the cash
NOnlN DC hPbutly bNttiiftFu'
and anyrhing beyond that limit was
converted into bonds. This state of at
fairs went along smoothly for about
two years, the eUterpri-ing teller e
lOyinG ali the privileges rs to coupons
If a bl0ated bOudhOlder. soon after
the Oby Owen d~efalcatiOn became pub.
lie, the directors bad II sudden spasln
oi vigi unca, and, n day, without a
mulnpit'~ warning, they called upon
the teller for his keys, aud were about
to institute a count CT cash. With an
assurance and nerve that struck the in
~vtStigatiug directors fairly speechlCss,
he said: "Gentlemen, you cannot have
| tie keys. ! will give you my written
| resignation, according to the terms of
our contract, but you shall not have the
KEYS to the SAFE The gentlemen were
taken completely 10y surprise, aud knew
not what to saw or do. Arrest was
| threatened, hut the teller was obiurate,
| and the directors finally Withdrew TO
talk the matter over. This gave him
his chance, and slipping out with the
surortitiouSly purchased bonds, he
speedily
Converted Them Into Cash.
| and tie right amount was deposited in
| the vaults. by that time the objection
TO the surrender Of the keys was re-
moved, and the directors and bonds
men, who had been thoroughly fright
| entd bv the refusal, found their heaped-
up thousands secure and the bank on
as sound financial bedrock as 1t had
| ever been. The fact that the teller had
lust disposed of a large amount of bOndS,
however, led to the discovery Of the
way in which he had been using the
funds of the bank for his own emOlu-
! ment, and the resignation went into
effect. During the time between the
purchase and sale of the bonds they
bad largely appreciated in value, SO
that the teller had cleared between S5O,-
coo and 100000 from the rise in value
and the coupons. The bank was none
the poorer from the operation, and at
tempts made to compel the employe
to disgorge his profits were unavailing.
Public prosecution would have given
the affair unpleasant notOriety for both
parties, and the story has consequently
been closely kept.
Saved From Exposure.
A certain cashier, having large re-
sponsibilities at the head Of great city
bank, was tempted, no matter how, to
indulge in private speculstions with
the banks funds. Before he realized
it he bad missppropriated and lost S5O,-
coo. In desperation and to retrive his
fortunes he went still deeper, with the
result that instead Of extracting himself
be found the amount of his loss In
creased to $lO0,OOO. The time ofthe
annual examination ofhis accounts and
the affairs Of the bank being close at
hand, he was unable to contrive q
method OF coneealing his stealings, and
the day before the official examination
he went to his lawyer, a wealthy man,
and made 8 clean breast. The lawyer,
after some reflection, asked: "Do the
directors still retain their confidence in
you::" ''They do not ri suspect
was the answer. Twill you promise to
be governed by my sdvice" 81 will"
"Sit down aud write q complete COMES
| sion OF your guilt" The cashier wrote
and signed the required confession.
Now" said the lawyer, Ego to the
| bank before 10 O'Clock tomorrow morn
ing and take
Negotiable Securities
| from the asfe, to the amount OF $780,
UnO. Bring them "a me As early as