Connecticut western news., 1884-07-16
anced. The business entirely dropped

out of my mind.
 Some three months afterward thu firm received a letter from this man which was rather ambiguous of its kind There was an error, so he said, in hi account. Would we look 1t over? Al once examined the books, checked of every item, went through all the debtt and credits of his business, and ended by inspecting the final check paid him. My employers, who were very honest anc careful gentlemen, were satisfied with the accuracy of the account, and was instructed to write him letter to that effect. did so, as politely as I could, but at the conclusion of my letter said, 'You leave us in the dark, how ever, 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 overpaid ?" My senior employer a shrewd business man. looking over my letter, remarked, Perhaps your ques- tions here might not be liked by Mir. -. However, let it go." Imailed the letter. We heard nothing more about it for a month. Then there came tor tuous letter from the man. "His ac- count 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. It was a mean sham ble on his part. knew that. He had bricks of conscience; that I was certain of. The firm consulted with me what they should do. I made up my mind that more money had been paid the man on the check than he was entitled to. I went at once to the Teller of the bank. I found him ill, nervous, and tremulous.
 "Yes," he said, ''my actions were wrong. There had never been big deficit. I have not slept for months. I am afraid I have overpaid some one. But thank God made it up. I mort gagged my house and passed the amount, short, to the credit of the bank. must have made blunder somewhere. But the strain on my mind has been killing me. I feel as if I were no longer fit for the place" He seemed to me to have moments of doubt and uncertainty. 'T still cling to my place" he said. "Of course I have no recollection of having paid that check of $456." said to him ''that had hopes of getting some of the money back" but did not like to tell him how. But what did do was to go that evening to the President of the bank and state the case to him. As it had been through him that owed nay rosifinn in tho R"-,, ha had oro~s- confidence in me. My advice was asked. I was forced to declare that thought the Paying Teller had better been given another and lighter position. Next day when I went to the bank, the old Teller had been apparently relieved. He was casting up some accounts in the ledger. When I spoke to him across the railing he did not seem to recognize me. Next day was shocked to learn, through the President of the bank, that such positive shown by the Teller, that his friends had thought it wiser to confine him in his house. His accounts had been at once vigorously examined, and were found to be correct. It was perfectly true that he had mortgaged his house, and had paid the amount received into the bank. He had concealed the loss for three months or more from the bank, which was mistake on his part, but he had been punctillous enough to even add the interest for some 90 days.
 Now, I felt absolutely certain that the man to whom the check had been paid must be a rascal. If he had offered restitution it came late-very much too late. My firm gave me carte blanche to manage the matter as I pleased. could not have him arrested. As he lived in an isolated part of the country, no efficient summons could reach him. If I had been aggressive before prob ably not a cent would have been re. turned. I wrote now, sharp letter. said: "That very large amount oi money must have been paid him over and above the face of the last check given him, which was for $456." stated, "that knew exactly how much it was." I must confess outright that this was 8 bluff. l was not sure that the Teller had not made other mistakes besides this one. l wrote "that unless the money was at once restored would blast his reputation. If he was inclined to be honest, even at this late date, lei him do all he could and send back the whole amount" 1 thought i wiser not to let him know the mental condition of the Teller. I was quite certain that if he knew that the Teller was out of his mind not one penny would he return. wrote to him "that ht must be in a hurry about it. That only the Teller and knew of it, and that m, firm were as yet in ignorance"
 At once, by return mail, Ihad letter The sum was not, as he said, what I rep resented it to be. He made some spe cious arguments about man finding
 purse, and the description of it not tai lying with the actual purse lost, or tn amount in it. Under such circumstances was a man bound to return it? If
 could prove that he had been overpaid ought to state exactly what was th amount. He might, he added, "neve have written me word about it, and n
 one would have been the wiser. But h had a conscience" so he said. Ireplie
 with vigorous letter. I confuted hi