Connecticut western news., 1884-07-16
STORY OF A BANK CHECK,


 It 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 length ening out the story show the play of those fell passions, greed and covetous- ness, but trust what have to say will not lose it's point from brevity. The moral is the same old trite one, that honesty is the best policy. When a man is tempted to commit 8 wicked &C., ton it often happens that the injury done another becomes irreparable. There is 8 sequence in all dishonest transactions which escapes the evil doer. Effect follows cause. This may come instantly, as quickly as an ex- plosion when the hammer of the gum lock strikes the cap containing the full minate, or the fire may hang back, but it will come some day or other. This is 8 longer preamble than thought would be drawn from my pen, but as I am not young man l may indulge in some comments. 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 my age has been long enough in this world to have seen passing before him many a sad drama; he has been present at the very first scene, and has been an unwilling witness of the terrible conclusion.
 I suppose few people who have had direct transactions with banks are not aware that errors sometimes happen. The heads of firms rarely are acquainted with such mistakes. It is the business of clerks who have the checks cashed to see that the amounts paid them are cor rect. Paying Tellers if they do err are rather likely to pay 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, then the payer does not always hear about it. If he underpays, the demand for the difference is invariably made at once. I am rather inclined to repeat the assertion that in such mistakes az are made in the rush of business it is the commoner error to pay too much. Sometimes very tired man, whose brain has been too long on the stretch, or who is ill or nervous, mistakes the number of the check for the amount, and pays away some thousands instead of hundreds. I have known this tC happen in New York bank to young friend of mine. He had sufficient good judgment 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 re quested the Teller to look at the checl he had presented, the amount he haG received, and it was all so quietly done that he made for life 8 fast friend O a careful and expert bank Teller. have two or three times been oVerpai( by bank Teller. People who shol have very often mistakes made in thei change to their advantage. Need it b, said that without waiting an instan restitution should be made?
 was a clerk in house when the in cident I am about telling happened We did large business in the city o -, and our check-book was in con stant demand. I made out the check and kept the bank account, but did no have the signature of the firm. Gener ally for greater security, when tn amounts were large, I drew out tn money myself. A great many of tn transactions we were engaged in re quired us to pay at once the individua the hard cash.
 The Paying Teller of our bank in tn business season had all he could atten
 to. The money to be paid for an agr cultural product very much in deman
 would on some days make the cash dis
 bursements of this bank amount t $750,00 I remembered that on on
 occasion, looking at the Teller, b seemed tired and depressed. Presentin my check for some amount less tha $1, 000-wanted by me in five and te dollar bills-he overpaid me $50. H had counted the money over twice bt fore passing it to me. recounted th money, found the error, and bein pressed for time could not return the $5 until after 8 o'clock. The Teller we obliged to me, but I noticed that he bor
 worried look. A month after this W
 had some balance to pay a customer li7 } ing out of the city, amounting to $45t , A check was drawn by me, handed
 he creditor, and his account was ba