Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1886-09-25
THE FORGERY.

IL Nda d Dltdk OCtOoeT morning., u NIT.
Walter Crump, cashier of the firm of
Messrs. Liyesey & Mason, quickened his
pace as he made his way along Throgmor-
ton street to the scene of his daily toll. 1t
was not that he feared to be late that Mr..
Crump was walking fast. During all of
the forty years that he had sat upon a high
stool from 10 to- o'clock Mr.. Crump hal
never been known to be late for his work.
A more m%cthodical, careful man never
hung over a ledger or balanced a cash
book.
At length he reached the we'll known
staircase, opened the office door and stood
still for 4 one in surprise. Young
Carter, the assistant bookkeeper, was there
before him. already at his work. Mr..
Crump smiled grimly.
$50 you've made a beginning, young
man. he said. We'll Wen see."
Carriers face flushed q little as he babe
the older man good morning. The fact
was that Cfump. who had married rather
late III life, had q bright-eyed daughter
named Annie, and whom Robert Carter
had fallen very much in love with. 1t was
only on the preceding evening that things
had come TO = crisis, and somewhat to the
Young MAJ surprise, Mr.. Crump had re-
iected the proposed engagement. He did
not like young Carter. He did not approve
of the young fellows f~ashionably cut col
lars, nor Of his scarf-pin, nor of his cane.
Such Things, Mir. Crump considered. were
the signs o! . frivolous disposition and I'M
steady habits. Nor did Mr.. Crump ap-
prove OF tho snatcies of comic songs which
Carter was continually humming. Hesus-
pected that the young man f%requented
music halls, and spent more money on
cheap cigars, novels and outings than was
proper for II IN his position. Besides,
Dir. Robert Carter was the last of all the
clerks to make his appearance in the morn
ing, and this was, in Mr.. Crump's eyes. a
very bad sign. l. was plain to the old man
that Carter was now making an attempt to
earn his good opinion.
Time viii show, time will show" said
Mr.. Cgump, in rather an aggravating way,
as be changed his coat, opened his desk,
unlocked bis tafe and set about his work.
Soon the other clerks began to arrive,
and then came Mr.. Mason, the acting part
ner, & tail, pale man. with long black Whis-
kers. Mr.. Livesey, the senior partner, only
came 10 the Office twice q week. to examine
the bank BOOK and see how things were
going on. Mr.. Mason opened the letters
and soon appeared at Mr.. Crump's desk
with a small sleaf of them in his hand.
These were letters in response to which
small sums Of money had to be sent, and it
belonged % Mr. Crump to attend to them,
tor he had authority to sign checks for the
firm for uln mp to five pounds.
Mr.. Crump first made a list of the pay
ments he had ID make, and then went to
his safe for his cleck-book. As he opened
it to write The first check lie was surprised
to find that the counterfeit belonging to
the last check which had been taken from
the book was not filled up. He coIld
hardly believe his eyes. Never in 81 his
life had he written a check without first
filling up the counterfeit with particulars
of the amount, the date and the person to
whom the check was sent. But his surprise
turned to dismay when he took out his
cash book II found that he had only
drawn nine cheeks the day before, the
counterfoils of which were all properly
filled up, whereas q tenth check had been
torn out of the book.
For a moment he sat as if stunned.
Could any one have stolen the blank check
He always kept The key of his safe on his
own bunch, bat It was just possible that
some one might have got hold of the key,
taken an impression of it in wax and had
q false KEY made. He had heard of such
things. He leaned his head on his hands
and tried 20 think. When had he closed
his safe las. night? About 4 in the after
noon, before any one had left the office for
the day, for. he remembered he had been
sent to the docks about 4 o'clock with some
documents fer a ship that was about to
sail, and that when he got back at $50
,-or-B~Ifr t.tl faft ana tho ,N1ara uraS in
darkness.
If the ciant check had been stolen, the
theft mus. lave been committed last
night-or this morning? Could the safe
have been opened before his arrival? He
remembered Carter's unusually early APP
pearance and threw 4 suspicious glance at
the young man.
Then a simpler solution of the matter
occurred u him. It was very possible that
in tearing cut the last check he had drawn
the day before no Lad torn out two by mis-
take, folded thea up and sent them oil to-
gether. This would, of course, account for
the appearance Of the check book. lie de-
terminod 20 write at once to Marshall &
Co, merchants n Liverpool, 10 whom he
he had sent lis last check, and ask whether
a blank check had not been sent to them
by mistake.
Then }Ae question arose-should he
mention the circumstance to Mr.. Mason ?
On consideration Mr.. Crump thought that
it WAS nst access rs to do SO. Mr.. Mason
was rather q lari man TO deal with, and q
confession would ruin the character for
carefilGass which the cashier had So long
enjoyed. AaI he fully expected that in
two days st most he would get a letter
from Liverpool iuc.osing the slip OF paper
which bad cast Inn So much anxiety.
The next dav wis a Tuesday, and accord
ing to his invgriabie custom on that day OF
the week. NJ Liyesey made his appearance
in the office. Busjn IS had not long cOm-
menced when everybody in the establish
melt WAS aware that something unusual
had happeued. Mr.. Mason was closeted
with hls partner for q few minutes, and
then went huriediy out of the Office, re-
turning shorty with Mr.. Jetfreys, the
manager of tie London and Lancashire
bank, al which the firm kept their account.
Then Mr.. JcG-eys left, and came back ac-
companiei by ure of the cashiers. hen u
bell was runs and Mr.. Crump was sent for.
With a beating heart and cold sweat on
his brow the cashier obeyed the summons.
"Brirg your check book, Mr.. Crump,"
said the senior p~srtner.
This YVES done. anda tall man, whom Mr.
Crump had not noticed up 10 this time,
SEehpSu up 10 Lht tGb4f anu SldHNtA y lAC
check book alorg with Mr.. Liyesey.
a." thought sol exclaimed the old gen.
tleman. Here's the place from which the
check was taken; here is the counterfeit.
The numbers correspond. What made
YOU do il. Crump? You are the last man
In the world from whom l expected such
DO what, SIR" family uttered Mr..
Crump. -,
DO what?" echoed his employer with
a contemptuous smile. Who did you
get to do this lirtle bit of work for your
As he spoke Mr.. Livesey tossed a check
across the taole. Mr.. Crump took itup and
read
The Io7don and Lancashire Bank. Pay JOS
Bcckmsu. Esq, or oder, three thousand 9ne
hundred and seyenty-two pounds, tiieed shu-
lngs. LIVESEf q MASON.
He looked up bewildered. The tall man
in the froc!1 coat watched him narrowly.
Who Is this Mr.. Beekman asked Mr.
Livesey.
Il don't know, sir"
You don't know? You see that the
check has come from your book
Yes. SIR
Did you give it to anyone" asked
Livesey.
No, Sir"
Did you miss it?"
Yes, sir, / missed it yesterday; and !
wrote to Messrs. Marshall, TO whom had
sent The one before thst, thinking that
IaI town ,n,t fv-A he mistake