Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1884-09-18

sroRr OF A BANK CHECK.

What have to tell is absolutely true. 1t
did happen exactly as ! shall try to write
it. The only thing / will omit are the
names of the persons and the place where
it happened | might by lengthening out
the story show the play of those fell pas
sions, greed and covetousness. but trust
what have to say will not lose its point
from brevity. The moral is the same OLD
trite one that honesty is the best policy.
When a man is tempted to commit wick
ed action it often happens that the injury
done another becomes irreparable. There
is sequence in all dishonest transactions
which escapes the evil doer. Effect follows
cause. This may come instantly. las quick.
" as an explosion when the hammer OF
the gun-lock strikes the cap containing the
illuminate, or the fire may hang back. but
it will come some day or other. This is a
longer preamble than thought would be
drawn from nv pen. but as | am not
Young man | may indulge in such COM
ments, because IN the life of any one who
has passed the half-century the force of the
inevitable constantly occurs to him. A
man of nv age has been long enough in
this world to have seen passing before
him MANY sad drama he has been pres
ent at the very first scene. and has been
an unwilling witness of the terrible con-
clusion.
suppose few people who have had di-
rect transactions with banks are not aware
that errors sometimes happen. The heads
of firms rarely are acquainted with such
mistakes. 1t is the business of clerks who
/ have the checks cashed to see that the
amounts paid them are correct, Paying
tellers, if they do err, are rather likely to
paw too much than too little. Should they
give more money than the face OF the
check calls for, if the receiver of the
money is dishonest, they the payer does
not always hear about it. fhe underpays,
the demand for the difference is invariably
made at once, l am rather inclined to
repeat the assertion that in such mistakes
as are made in the rush Of businesa it is
the commonest error to pay too much.
Sometimes very tired man, whose brain
/ has been too long on the stretch. or who
is i'll or nervous, mistakes the number OF
the check for the amount, and pays away
some thousands instead of hundreds. |
have known this to happen in New
York bank, to young friend of mine.
He had sufficient good judgement not to
embarrass the paying teller by making
any noise about it. He resumed his place
| in the line, handed back his bank book,
politely requested tho teller to look at the
check he had presented, the amount he
had received, and it was all so quietly
done that he made for life fast friend of
careful and expert bank teller. | have
two or three times been overpaid by a
bank teller. People who shop have very
often mistakes make in their change to
their advantage, Need it be said that
without waiting an instant restitution
should be made?
was clerk in a house when the Incl
dent am about telling happened. We
did a large business in the city Of, and
our check book was in constant demand.
| made out the checks and kept the bank
account, but did not have the signature of
the firm. Generally for greater security,
when the amounts were large, | drew out
the oney myself. A great many of the
transactions we were engaged in required
us to paw at once to the individual the
hard cash.
The paying teller of our bank In bust
ness season had all he could attend to.
The money to be paid for an agricultural
product very much in demand would on
some DAYS make the cash disbursements
of this bank amount to S750,000. | re-
membered that on one occasion. looking
at the teller he seemed tired and depressed.
Presenting my check for some amount
less than Sl000-wanted by me in five and
ten dollar bills-he overpaid me $50. He
had counted the money over twice before
passing it to me. | recounted the money,
found the error, and, being pressed for
time, could not return the $50 until after
three O'Clock. The teller was obliged to
me- but noticed that he bore a worried
look. A month after this we had some
balance to pay customer living out of
the city. amounting to $3.50. A check
was drawn by me, handed to the creditor,
and his account was balanced. The bus
mess entirely dropped out of my mind
Some three months afterward the firm
received letter from this man. which was
rather ambiguous of its kind. There was
an error in his account. Would we look
over it At once | examined the books,
checked off every item, went through all
the debts and credits of his business, and
ended by inspecting the final check paid
him.
! My employers were satisfied with the
accuracy OF tne account, ana L was IN
structed to write him letter TO that eff
feet. did so as politely as could. but
at the conclusion of my letter l said,
You leave us in the dark, however. as to
one thing. Three months have elapsed
since our check was given to you. If you
had not been paid what was due you we
should have certainly heard from
you before. Have you been over
paid ?" My senior employer, a
shrewd business man, over my letter,
remarked, Perhaps your question here
might not be liked by Mr. - However,
let it 60" | mailed the letter. We beard
nothing more about it for a month Then
there came tortuous letter from the man.
His account was wrong" he wrote.
MAYBE he had come across some money
he could not exactly account for" He
did not state how much money it was, or
how it happened. 1t was mean shamble
on his part. knew that. He had pricks
of conscience that was certain of The
firm consulted with me what they should
do. | made up my mind that more money
had been paid the man on the check than
he was entitled to. went at once to the
teller of the bank. found him i'll. nerv-
Gus and tremulous. yes" he said. my
accounts were wrong. There had been a
bio deficit | have not silent for months