Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-01-21
STORY OF A BANK NOTE.
A Neat Piece OF Detective Work with
out Detectives, Aid.
Chambers Journal.

announced himself as the British con-
sui at that port. entered my fathers
office, saying that he wished to speak
with Mr.. M.
THAT is nay NAME" l quietly re-
piled
pardon me-" said the consul, "but
| was under the impression that Mr..
NJ, whom l am DESTROYS of see
ing, was much 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 his house by indisposition Can
you communicate to nae the nature OF
your business, and it may be in my
power to attend to it during his alb
sence2"
81 am obliged to yoa," said the COR
sui. ''Well," he added, after pause,
Il should like to speak with you in
private for a few minutes. if conven-
lent"
Certainly" having shown the old
gentleman into an inner room, re-
quested MIN to be seated, and waited
for HIM TO breach the matter con-
corning which he had sought the in
terview.
Without preface, the consul took
out from his pocket book a $50 Bank
of England note, handed it to me, and
said:
II believe this note passed througly
your fathers hands about two months
ago."
Very possibly" I replied, rather
surprised at the question. "But can
ascertain for certainty in moment
Then, summoning a junior clerk, [
desired him 10 bring me the rough
cash book. On looking over Its pages
| soon came across an entry regard
ing a bank of England note the
amount, date, and number of which
corresponded with those of the one
before me.
st fnd," I said, "that this note Ivas
in my fathers possession at the time
you mention. But may ask the OBJ
ject of your making the inquirya"
''It is this: Some fourteen, months
since this note was distracted FROM 8
letter posted at Glasgow for Aberdeen,
Nothing was heard OF the stolen mon
ey until five weeks ago, when the
note was stopped, on being paid in
to the Bank Of England by firm of
private bankers. They stated that it
had been received by one of their Gus
toners IN the ordinary course of bust
ness. The customer, when applied to
said that it had been RENTED to him
by Mr.. M, of New York. I
have, therefore, ben instructed by
my government to trace, if possible,
the note during the period it was in
this country. Can you inform me
from whom your father had it,"
Easily" I said, referring to the
book before me. " It was bought of
a Mr.. White, who has an exchange
Office in wall street. But fear" I
added, "you will find it very difficult,
if not quite impracticable to carry the
matter further, since it is the usage
with brokers to buy English bank
notes offered for sale without asking
any questions, being aware that, even
if they have been stolen, the innocent
holder can legally enforce the cashing
OF them"
''That is true. I agree with you
that it is most unlikely that Mr.. White
will be able to let me know who was
the person from whom he bought the
note however, I shall call upon him
without delay, since it is just possible
that he may have it in his power to
afford the information I seek" Then,
after thanking me for my courtesy in
the matter, the consul took his leave,
and [ presumed that [ should here
nothing more of the affair.
However, some months later I was
lunching at Delmonico's one day,
when the consul entered the room.
Recognizing nae, he came over to the
table at which was seated and took
a chair beside me. In the course of
conversation he said: "You recollect
the circumstance of my calling upon
you some little time ago, with respect
to a stolen Bank of England notea"
''Perfectly."
''Weu after all, was succ essful in
tracing tie notes"
Show was that2" I inquired.
6 7 will tell you When I left your
office went to that of Mr.. White. He
referred to his books, and found that
he had charged the note for the man
ayers of one of the agencies of the Cen
trail Railroad company. | then called
upon that gentleman. He had no re-
collection of the individual from
whom he had received the money; and
disappointed, I was leaving the estab-
lishment when a clerk interposed, his
employer and said: Mr.. Suydam, ne
had the note in question from man
who bought a through ticket for Chi
cago. He came in to inquire what
was the fare to that city. told him.
He said he would go by our line. bat
that he must first change some Eng
lish money at the brokers. inform
ed h1m that this was quite unnecessary
assI would take it in payment of his
ticket at the current rate of exchange.
To this suggestion he agreed, and
thus the note came into our hands
Why remember the transaction SO
clearly is that the mans name was a
rather unusual one-Blenkiron, and
I had to ask him how he spelled it.
Mr.. Blenkiron mentioned IN cidentally
that he was going west to fill a situa-
ton in a large manufacturing estab-