Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1886-12-07
A MONEY ORDER.
NJ. QUAD RELATES HIS EXPERIENCE
WITH A POSToFFlcE CLERK.

WITH A PosToFFlcE CLERK.
A Nice. Easy Way to Sand Money-Had
to be Identificd-Identificati of the
Identitier-Hercic Attempt to Cut tho
Gordian Knot.
One OF the reasons that induced me to have
a remittance sent to Atlantic City in the way
of a postoffice money order was the fact that
the express company or bank would de-
mand personal Identification. Almost every
body is certain of his own identity, but when
ii comes TO some one else being certain the
case assumes different aspect, especially if
sum of money is concerned However, this
great and glorious government, in its praise
worthy desire to help a stranger in O strange
land out of bad box, will permit friend to
deposit money in one postoffice and let you
draw it out at another The man at the desk
will ask you who sent it, providing you are
n stranger to him, and when you have re-
piled that the sender was John Smith, your
brother-in-law, and good fellow generally,
and that you have been expecting the order
for two days, and that the folks around the
hotel can no longer look upon you without
suspicion, he will hand it over without doubt
that YOU are the person for whom it was in
tended. It's nice, easy way, you see, and
the bank tellers and express agents are aw-
fully put out because they can no longer
bluff strapped strangers
Il have a little order" said to the money
order clerk as l went back into his den.
Eyes" he grudgingly replied, as he re-
ceived it is this your name"
"EcS"
"Who was it sent by"
"John Doe, of Detroit"
"Yes-um! You'll have to be identiiiedN
why so2 Haven't | told you who 1t was
sent by, and didn't receive it in this letter
| directed to me and deposited in a box which
l rent here's"
Yes but"
If this isn't my name how do l get the
letter addressed to it? II am somebody
else what right have you to hand me another
| PERSONS mail!'
Il know, but YOU must be identified"
But there isn't a person here who knows
me and am dead broke and far from home.
| Cant help that"
And YOU won't pay.'
| Not unless You are identified
| | went back to the hotel and asked the
clerk if he would identify me.
| well, | don't know You, you see
But amt registered and haven't been
| here several davsi"
"Oh, YES but you might have assumed this
mans name, you see. People often do that.
"Well, come up and look over my trunk.
Look at these half dozen envelopes Go ash
my wife who | am.
YES. hut YOU must excuse me Itsagainst
orders you know
Orders be hanged, | owe You $50; here's
an order for $50 Either help me TO get il
cashctl or I'll walk off with your bill unpaid.
He concluded to identify me- He wrote {
note to the postmaster TO the effect that h,
| believed that the bearer was the person
named in the order, and l returned to thu
| p0stof1ice, showed the note through the win
dow and asked:
"Well, what do You think of that" Tn,
clerk looked at the signature, scratched hi
head, and unused:
~Boggs, of the Gilsey housed Who in Hall
fax is Boggsf'
Perhaps YOU want him identiiedY'
asked.
Il do" be coolly replied as he handed tn
note back. Cant say that | ever heard o
Boggs.'
Something was said about some one gettin;
licked if he would come out of doors. but h
wouldn't come. went hack and told Bogg
the result. and he looked at me in a vacan
way and replied:
Me not Boggs? Well, he may be right
We can't take no chances here"
Next day | went down for the mail havin
. determined to let the order cash itself Their
was a card in the box asking me tocall at tn
money order office, and when showed up th
clerk said:
who sent You that order77
John Doe
tWhere does he livez"
Detroit"
"Oh-ah. guess it's all right, but you
have To get your money at the bank acru
the way
Are YOU sure I'm the man.
You may or may not be- but we'll cash it
He gave me an order on the bank, and
skipped across and handed it to the payin
teller
Yes he said as he seized it, you'll hay
to be identified"
What"
"IIavc to be identified
I'll be burned if dol just got that ord
from the money clerk, who kept me out of
three days. and don't propose to fool awe
any more time"
Cant help it"
"Will YOU come out doofSr
No siri'
"Win You let me in there."
"No, SIR
was going out leaving the order in /
hands when Boggs came in. told him
the difficulty, and he said to the cashier:
ITS all right know him"
But don't know you'n replied the tellt
Boggs then offered to fight him inside
outside the railing and after we had got {
. board of directors out and crowd aroul
the door some one came in who identifi
. Boggs. Boggs identified me, the teller hand
over the money, and the postmaster, whom
ne met at the door, paralyzed everybody by ca
e, - ing out:
Il "Helol Mr. King, did you get that mon
II. all right
Mt Boggs almost tainted away, and the tel
IT shouted for me to return, but I slipped in
gh the crowd and got safely away.-M. Quad
q, Detroit Free Press
i \ Curious Phenomenon.