The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-08-19
THE IDENTIFICATION NUISANCE.
How a Man May Have Millions and
be Unable to Buy a Meal.

be Unable TO buy q Meal.
NEW York, Aug. 18.-A rich man COM
PEELED to pawn his watch for a square meal
and nights lodging.
That was the strange situation in which
young Englishman who had just landed
in New York found himself the other dav.
He had arrived from the West Indies, where
he invested nearly all the money on his per
son in draft for G2O0 on New York
bank. Anxious to get a train for St Louis
the same day, he hurried to the bank for
his money. The teller refused to pay the
draft unless he was identified.
And the young man was an absolute
stranger in New York.
"Your people in the West Indies took my
good money for that draft and l want it
back again. Am l to infer that this is a
bankrupt institutionF'
He got no satisfaction lost his train and
had to pawn his watch for a meal and a
bed. A fellow passenger identified him the
next day. ! was discussing the matter tire
other day with very liberal American,
who has had much banking and mercantile
experience here and abroad. 'Ameri-
cans" slid he, "are the wol st
bankers in the world. They don't
know the first thing about banking. Even
to the smallest details foreigners can give
us points. The methods pursued in the
mere paying and receiving of money in
New York suggests the idea that every
man who enters the bank is possible thief
This" he continued, Judging by the nu-
merous defalcations, might apply to the
officers of the bank, but it is most unjust
to the public. A person who goes into
store where be is surrounded on all sides
by valuable goods is not supposed to be
there for the purpose of rObbery-and
why should it be different in a bank. In
deed New York in this respect never seems
to have cotton beyond its village days.
Nothing looks more ridiculous to a London
mercantile man than to see long string of
persons with books in their hands waiting to
make a deposit through a cubby hole with a
solitary receiving teller-and it is the same
with the payment Of money. A bank with
a large business ought to have half dozen
receiving, and as many paying tellers at
large wide open counters. Why all these
cages, and ratings, and bars, and peep
holes through which you are occasionally
permitted to catch a glimpse of the teller's
nose, who suddenly and unwillingly hands
you your money! They don't have these
things in England, and robberies in banks
there are very rare. Here, despite all these
precautions, they are frequent, and a large
proportion are committed by those inside of
the railing and not outside of it. l don't
like to be looked upon when enter a New
VI n OtshA a oui oiihCA os IL udo u al
predilecrion for perjury and forgery,
for the teller is not satisfied if you
tell him your right name and
even sign it--you must be identified. In
England checks are usually made payable
to bearer. ''Shall 1 cross itr asks the
drawer, which means that by drawing two
lines across the check and inserting the
words "bank" land Coz between the lines,
the money can only be collected through
bank or banking firm. Otherwise any
''bearer" can get the cash at the bank with
out any questions being asked except,
How will you have itp
may send anybody with my
check payable to bearer for $4,000
to bank. and he will get the money with
out any trouble. In a New York bank
such an amount would create the utmost
CONSERVATION. All the detectives in New
York would be Immediately rung up to aid
the officers of the bank, from president
down to janitor, in watching the rash in
truder. Here check or q draft is usually
made payable TO order; but stranger may
indorse 1T in the presence of the teller, and
he'll never get the money without identih-
cation. no matter what ordinary proof in
the way of letters or cards the holder OF the
check may have about his person. or course
if paying teller has good reason to think
that a check or draft has been stolen or
found, he would DO justified in refusing
payment and holding the party who pre-
scented it; but in dnety -uine cases out of
hundred, there are no grounds for sus-
picion. Foreigners are always grum-
bling at our stupid rules, and II it were
once known abroad that there was a
banking honse in New York that would
pay drafts to people without identified
ton, such concern would soon have the
cream of the Travellers draft business
This attack on the system pursued hore,
which is certainly unworthy Of a great
metropolis, recalls an experience of my
own. A friend Of mine some years ago
gave nue. check for 81 200, payable to me
or bearer on the Sixth national bank Of
New York. presented 1t. Don't
know YOU said the teller. Neither
have / the pleasure of your ac-
quaintance, was the answer, but my
name is ON the cheek and / am also the
bearer Can't help It; it's too large an
amount to give to stranger, and you
must be identified My friends are out Of
town. SAID /, and President Arthur is in
Washington. / can't very well send for
him. We'll. won't give you the money
Then write your reasons on the check
NO, won't do that Then said !, Il am
newspaper man. shall protest this check