Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1885-08-28
WHERE BANKS ARE WEAK.
Easy for Any Receiving Teller 20 Steal
~ Ue Chooses.
ny. Times

Y Times
Apropos of the defalcation Of j. A.
Van Gelder. late receiving teller of the
Union National Bank, Mr.. o. ID. Bald
win. President of the Fourth National
Bank, said this morning: ANY man
who can devise "A method TO prevent
banks from being swindled by their
employees can get SlCO 900 for his de-
vice. The means used to commit svs-
tematic robberies by those who are in
the confidence of the bank are as vari-
Gus as the individual instances. Every
time the thing is done a new wav is
/ discovered. or some variation of an
Old one. | don know exacly the plan
pursued by the teller who gathered an
/ illegitmate income from the Union
National Bank. but il is easy for
any receiving teller to accomplish a
theft if he has the Il, : re-. lie takes n
the money. and if he chooses to put
II into his pocket he cant be prevent
ed. -
Then how ~ the bank secured
against lo,spn
Every precaution is taken in the
way CT careful book keeping. and i'm
selecting men in whom to place con
ldence. About as good system a |
know OF to protect the bank from sys-
tematic fraud is to change book keep
ers occasionally.
The system of receiving and credit
lng money at the bank is this: The
money, accompa :iUI by a ticket of g.
poslic, is taken IN by the receiving tel
Ter. lie passes this ticket TO the pay
ing teller, that the latter NAV know TO
what extent the depostors may draw
ON the bank. The ticket then goes TO
the book-keeperS. Two separate sys-
TENS Of books are kept; a balance
ledger for the use of the teller, and an
individual account ledger IL these
books balance with the account Kept
by the depoSitor himself there can be
no mistake or defalcation. But if.
when the depOsitOr gives his money T.
the receiving teller. the latter DESTROYS
the ticket and pocket, the money there
IS nothing on the books To show what
he has done.
about a good a system as | know
of TO save the bank from being system.
atically Swindled j. a plan we have
adopted. The book.keeperS in this
bank do not know how soon tn, NAV
be called upon 10 give up Their books
10 other hands. Our custom i. with
out warning, TO give notice. over,
man take new ledger, and there is a
General changing about among the
book keepers
How about the teller?'
His work is pecul ar, and it is no
possible 10 exchange him for ano'h
on short notice. 1t requires peou a:
and IA special talent TO
make an efficient and valuable teller"
does the teller take regular vaca-
tom
NO; but he takes one wi :n we I've
him notice TO do So He is compelled
to leave his post for time. though he
generally doesn't need much urging
How can "A teller appropriate Jun Is
Systematically for long time with
out detection on the part of the depos-
tor
That is very simple though it re
luireS a systematic shrcwdness on rs
part Ii | should deposite 80. COO IN
he bank to-day, and leave my pass
book To be wrttca up. and 10
)c called for az the end of the month.
he teller may Apron ate 5000 for
lS own use. and by a false ticket H.
las my deposit recorded n only $50
100. Now, suppose that at the end of
he month you dcposte -. 900 The
eller, in order To make ny book bal
lnce correctly when cai for it. trans
ers -. 900 of this To my account. and
% on. Keeping the records. as seen by
he depositOrS, correct. but constantly
" an exchange of accounts. ih-r.as
ng the amount he is steal no. OF
curse. there comes revelation final
Y, but by ,hrewdne,, it may be post
'Oned for Year or more