New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-06-06

| then struggling to twist the 1acts so ti''y WIN
| fit.
| B1NK ROBBERIES-THE OLD MEIHODS'
| There is some discussion among bank oiheerS'
| as is natural regarding the best means OF pre-
| venting such thefts and defalcations IT'S nave oi
late been unusually frequent. The president o'
n prominent bank, speaking of the matter
recently, pointed to package OF small size COLI
| tanning a million dollars, and said that 1t was
wholly impossible to prevent the robbery OF
| hank by its trusted clerks and officers that any
| one of them might carry off such a package
without the knowledge of the president or OF
| any associates in the bank, and that no precau-
| tions could possibly be taken TO guard bank
against such crimes. There is much truth IN
| this. The very foundation of the expanded anu
rapid commercial system of modern times is n
| greater confidence in men, a greater expansion
| of the credit SYSTEM than formerly existed.
| But it is well to remember also thai In OLD
| times there were fewer thefts and Declarations
| than there are now. In some way, the oid-tlme
banks did succeed in avoiding a large proper
| ton of these crimes. Since the number has IN
| creased and increased so greatly as to cause
much discussion and apprehension, must not IL
| be inferred that the management OF the banks
themselves has in some measure changed Is
il not the truth that neglect of ordinary precau-
| tons has become more common than 1t formerly
was Is il not the truth that, because the
directors feel that they cannot absolutely watch
every act of the president or cashier therefore it
is not worth while to exercise an ordinary
watchfulness? SO of the minor officials; Is 1t
not true that, because the president feels that
of absolutely
guard against wrongdoing by his subordlnates,
therefore it is not worth while to take suCh car
as could be taken. and TO exercise such watch
fitness as was customary in the olden times I
In the old days the banker made 1t his business
to know something of the character, the circum-
stances the conduct, the associates. the daily
bearing and habits of his trusted subordinates.
The same spirit of fidelity to his own trust
which impelled him to know as much IA posi-
BILE of the character of the important borrowers'
prompted him to even more constant watchful-
ness in regard to the trusted clerks and officers
of the bank. In these days such watchfulness
would doubtless be resented even by the most
| honest. But in the olden times ii was welcomed
| as n guarantee of that interest which Insured
advancement as the reward of fidelity. In the
olden times the clerk who was not himself anx-
| ions to have his bearing and his mode OF life
well understood and appreciated by those with
whom he was associated gave suspicion by his
very reticence.
| No man becomes a thief on the instant or by
accident. No man who has fair position and
| a good standing in society, suddenly wrecks II,
| and destroys his future, and puts himself within
| the reach of the law, without gradual change
| in his circumstances, in his conduct, and in his
mode of regarding his duties. In every case OF
| defalcation or fraud 1t comes to light that
| there had been for some time a change i'll the
conduct, in the habits, in the associates, or in
the business interests of the guilty subordinate,
which if the officers of the bank had noticed 1t,
would have put them on their guard The
question is a proper one, whether the old time
watchfulness and fidelity would not bring back
to us much of the old-time safety. it is said
| that crimes would often be prevented if photo
| graphs of all the persons employed in every
bank were kept constantly on hand. 1t is urged
too, with great truth, that better extradition
treaty, which would secure the prompt return
of criminals from Canada or from Great
Britain would 90 very far to prevent offences
/ of this character And this is true. But no
| precautions which the law can possibly take
| will ever be so effective in the prevention OF
wrongdoing as daily, constant, kindly, but
faithful and unsleeping watchfulness of all
those who hold fiduciary positions regarding
the conduct of all those with whom they are as
ISOLATED.
II is true the methods of the day are more
| rapid One officer says, I'VE no longer have
time to count all the cash, every day." That is to
| say, the bank has not time to do its duty; it
has not time to perform with fidelity the duties
which its sacred trust involves. The bank
ought either to do less BUSINESS or to employ
more clerks 1t is question of expenses and OF
| profits. If necessary, it is possible to employ
an additional force of clerks, who shall take
their place at given hour in the day, relieving
| those who have been at the same posts up to
that time III the cash is counted, day by day,
by different set of men from those who have
been during the day receiving and paying out
| the cash, the bank will have greater safe
| guard, since collision between the two sets OF
employees would be difficult. But neither these
nor any other precautions will altogether serve
| If the officers of banks do not make 1t their first
| duty to exercise constant and faithful watch
| fitness over all the men under their employ.
| ---
GENERAL SCHOFIELD ON THE APACHES
General Schofeld is reported as saying tina
in his opinion the only way to protect scat