News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1886-02-25
A STOLEN RANK-NOTE.


York. One day gentleman, who an,
nounced himself as the British Consul
at that port, entered my fathers Office,
saying that he wished to speak With
Mr.. Nj.
"That is my name, - replied.
"Pardon me, said the Consul, "but
was under the impression that Mr..
M, whom am DESTROYS of seeing,
was an older man than you are"
"Ah, it is my father, then, whom you
want. Unfortunately, he is, and has
been, for some days past confined to
the house by indisposition. Can you
communicate to me the nature of your
business, and it may be in my power to
attend to it in his absence 2"
~ am obliged to you" said the Con-
sui. well" he added after some
slight hesitation, II should like to speak
with you in private for few minutes,
If convenient"
"Certainly;" and having shown the
old gentlemen into an inner room, res
quested him to be seated, and waited
for him to breach the matter concerning
which he had sought the interview"
Without preface, the Consul took out
from pocketbook a twenty-pound
Bank OF England note, and handed it
to me, and said: Il believe this note
passed through your fathers hands
about two months ago."
Very possibly, :" replied, rather sur
prised at the question. "But 1 can as
certain for certainty in q moment"
Then, summoning junior clerk, de-
sired him to bring me the rough cash
book. On looking over its pages, I soon
came across an entry regarding Bank
OF England note, the amount, date, and
number Of which eorresponded With
those of the one before me.
81 fnd," said, "that this note aoas
in my fathers possession at the time you
mention. But SseEI ask the object of
your making theiiquiry p
SIT is this. Some fourteen months
since this note was distracted from a
letter posted at Glasgow for Aberdeen.
Nothing was heard of the stolen money
until five weeks ago, when the note was
stopped, on being paid into the Bank Of
England by firm of private bankers.
They stated that it had been received
by one of their customers in the ordi-
nary course of business. The customer,
when applied to, said that it had been
RENTED to him by a Mr.. M, Of
New York. have therefore been in
structed by my Government to trace, il
possible, the note during the period it
was in this country. Can you inform
me from whom your father had it2"
easily" said, referring to the book
before me. at was bought of Mr..
White, who has an exchange office in
Wall street. But I fear," l added,
"you will find it very difficult, if not
quite impracticable, to carry the matter
further; since it is the usage with brok,
srs to buy English banknotes offered for
sale without asking any questions, be-
ing aware that, even if they have been
stolen, the innocent holder can legally
enforce the cashing of them"
'"That Is true. | agree with you that
it is most unlikely that Mr.. White viii
be able to let me know who was tho
person from whom he bought the note +;
however, l shall call upon him without
delay, since 1t is just possible that he
may have 1t in his power to afford the
information ] seek" Then, after thank
ing me for my courtesy In the matter,
the Consul took his leave; and | pre-
sumed that should hear nothing more
of the affair.
However, some months later I was
lunching at Delmonico's one day, when
the Consul entered the room. Recog-
nizing me, he came over to the table at
which was seated and took chair be-
side me. In the course of conversation
he said: "You reeollect the clrcum7
stances of my calling upon you, some
little time ago, with respect to stolen
Bank of England motel"
Perfectly"
"Well, after all, was successful in
tracing the note"
"How was thatp inquired.
II will tell you. When l left your
Office went to that of Mr.. White. He
referred to his books, and found that
he had changed the note for the man.
ager of one of the agencies of the Cen
trail Railroad Company. 1 then called
upon that gentleman. He had no rec
objection of the individual from whom
he had received the money; and disap-
pointed, Twas leaving the establishment
when clerk interposed, and address,
ing his employer, he said, Mr. Suyday,
we had the note in question from man
who bought q through ticket for Chi
cago. He came in to inquire what was
the fare to that city. I told him. HI
said that he would go by our line, but
that he must first change some English
money at brokers'. l informed him
that this was quite unnecessary, as !
would take it In payment of his tick ct,
at the current rate of exchange To
this suggestion he agreed; and thus tbs
note came into our hands. Why l re
member SO clearly the transaction il
that the mans name was a rather I'm.
usual one-Blenkiron, and / had to ask
him how he spelt it. Mr.. Blenkiron
mentioned incidentally that he was gong
West, to I'LL situation in large manu-,
featuring establishment; but he did not
say the nature of the business nor the
name of the firm which had engaged
his services
FURNISHED with these particulars, y
continued to Consul az met the diff.
GUILTY of putting myself in communica
tton with the man in this way. Iwrote
to him, stating the information l sought,
and addressed my letter to him at the
Posts Restante, Chicago. At the same
time | caused advertisements to be in.
serted in two of the leading daily news
papers In that city, notifying Mr. Blenk,
iron that there was letter for him at
the head post-office. Well, some DAYS
afterward l had reply to my commu-
nication, that the writer had received
the bank-note from an uncle in Bombay,
whose address he gave me. This infor-
nation | forwarded to the postal au-
thoritles in England, on whom, of
course, devolved tho duty of pursuing
all further inquiries with respect to the
matter, and for some little time there
after ! heard nothing moro about the
business. However, subsequently
learned the sequel of it. The Mr.. Blenk-
iron resident of Bombay, when COM
munioated with, stated that the note
had been sent to him by a merchant in
Glasgow. That merchant had received
It from tradesman in tho same place +;
that inai%iaa'aSsss--isis-t turn, had tax en-
1t from clerk in one of the branch
post-ottices in that city, In payment of
his account. Thus, finally, the theft of
the money having been brought home
to the cletk In question, he was duly
tried and convicted of the offence"
This was the Consurs story, which
struck me as rather curious one. 1t
Is said, with justice, that the strength
OF chain Is simpl. tho strength of its
weakest link. In this case, some of the
links of the chain of circumstance