Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-05-27
THE MYSTERIOUS FORGERY.
From the Whitehall Review


toll. 1t was not that he feared to be late
that Mr.. Crump was walking fast. During
all the forty years that he had sat upon a
high stool from 10 to 5 Mr.. Crump had
never been known to be late for his work
A more methOdical, careful man never
hung over a ledger or balanced cash
book.
At length ne reached the weIl-known
staircase, opened the Office door, and he
stood still for a moment in surprise.
Young Carter, the assistant book keeper
was there before him, already at his work.
Mr.. Crump smiled grimly.
80 you've made a beginning, young
man." he said. "Well, We'll see."
Carriers face flushed little as he babe
the older man good morning. The fact
was that Crump, who had married rather
late in life, had a bright-eyed daughter
named Annie, with whom Robert Carter
had fallen very much in love. It was
only on the preceding evening that things
had come to crisis, and, somewhat to the
young mans surprise, Mr.. Crump had re-
jected the proposed engagement. He did
not like young Carter. He did not ap-
prove Of the young fellows fashiOnabIy
cut collars, nor of his scarf-pin. nor of
his cane. Such things Mr.. Crump con-
sidered were the signs of frivolous dis
position and unsteady habits. Nor did
Mr.. Crump approve of the snatches Of
ChOmic songs which Carter was cOntinu-
ally humming. He suspected that the
young man frequented music halls and
spent more money on cheap cigars, nov
els and outings than was proper for one
in his position. Besides, Mr.. Robert Car
ter was the last of all the clerks to make
his appearance in the morning, and this
was, in Mr.. Crump's eyes, very bad sign.
It was plain to the old man that Carter
was now making an attempt to earn his
good opinion.
Thine will show-time will show" said
Mr.. Crump, in rather an aggrayating way,
as he changed his coat, opened his desk,
unlocked his safe, and then set about his
work.
Soon the other clerks began to arrive,
and then came NJ Mason the acting part
ner, tall, pale man, with long black
whiskers. Mr.. Livesey, the senior partner,
only came to the Office twice week, to
examine the bank book and see how things
were going on. Mr.. Mason opened the
letters and soon appeared at Crump's
desk with a small sheaf of them in his
hand. These were letters in response to
which small sums of money had to be sent
Ind it belonged to Mr.. Crump to attend
to them, for he had the authority to sign
checks for the firm for the sums up to
Sc.
Mr. Crump first made a list of the pay
ments he had to make and then went to
his safe for his check book. As he open
ed it to write the first check he was sur
prised that the counterfeit belonging to
the last check which had been taken from
the book was not filed up. He could hard
ly believe his eyes. Never in all his life
had he written check without first filling
up the counterfeit with the particulars of
the amount, the date, and the person to
whom the check was sent. But his sur
prise changed to dismay when he took out
the cash-boOk and found that he had only
drawn nine checks the day before, the
counterfoils of which were all properly
filled up, whereas tenth check was torn
from the book.
For moment he sat as if stunned.
Could anyone have stolen the blank check?
He always kept the key of his safe on his
own bunch; but it was Just possible that
some one might have got hold of the key,
taken an impression of it in wax, and had
a false key made. He had heard of suck
things. He leaned his head on his hands
and tried to think. When had he closed
his safe last night? About 4 o'clock in
the afternoon, before anyone had left the
Office for the day; for he remembered
that he had been sent to the docks about
4 o'clock with some documents for a ship
that was about to sail, and that when he
got back at $50 everybody had left, and
the place was dark.
If the bank check had been stolen, the
theft must have been committed last
night-or this morning? Could the safe
have been opened before his arrival? He
remembered Carriers unusually early ap-
pearance, and threw suspicious glance
at the young man.
Then a similar solution of the matter
occurred to him. 1t was very possible
that. in tearing out the last check he had
drawn the day before, he had torn out two
by mistake, folded them up, and sent them
off together. This would, of course, &C
count for the appearance of the check
book. He determined to write at once to
Marshall d Co., merchants in Liverpool,
to whom he had sent his last check, and
ask whether blank check had not been
sent to them by mistake.
Then the question arose should he
mention the circumstances to Mr.. Mason
On consideration Mr.. Crump thought that
IL was uOt uSC6SSdLy W w ~. MI MdSOu
was rather hard man to deal with, and q
confession would ruin the character for
carefulness which the cashier had so long
enjoyed. And he fully expected that in
two days at most he would get a letter
from Liverpool inelosing the slip of
paper which had cost him so much anx-
iety.
The next day was q Tuesday; and &C
cording to his invariable custom on that
day of the week, Mr.. Livesey made his
appearance In the Office.
Business had not long commenced, when
everybody in the establishment was aware
that something unusual had happened.
Mr.. Mason was closeted with his partner
for few minutes and then went hurriedly
out of the office, returning shortly after
wards with Mr.. Jeffreys, the manager OF
the London and Lancashire Bank, at which
the firm kept their account.
Then Mr.. Jefreys left and came back
accompanied by one of his cashiers. Then
bell was rung and Mr.. Crump was sent
for.