Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1888-09-15
MUST BE IDENTIFIED.
ROW STRANGERS ARE ANNOYED
WHEN TRYING TO CASH A DRAFT.

hOV . hNINSChO NNC AlNNOf EO
WHEN TRYING TO CASH A DRAFT.
A Man May Have Millions in His Pocket
and Yet Be Unable to Buy a Meal.
How Checks Are Made Payable in Eng
land.
A rich man compelled to pawn his watch
for square meal and a nights lodging.
That was the strange situation in which a
young Englishman who had just landed in
New York found himself the other day. He
had arrived from the West Indies, where he
invested nearly all tho money on his person
In a draft for goo on New York bank.
Anxious to get a train for st. Louis the same
day be hurried to the bank for his money
The teller refused to pay the draft until he
was identified
And the young man wes an absolute stran-
ger in New York;
"Your people in the West Indies took nv
good money for that draft and want it back
again am | TO infer that this is bankrupt
institution"
he got no satisfaction, lost his train and
A fellow passenger identified him the next
day. / was discussing the matter the other
day with a very liberal American who has
had much banking and mercantile expert
encs here and abroad. Americans" said
he, "are the worst bankers in the world.
They don't know the first thing about bank
ing. Even to the smallest details foreigners
can give US points. The methods pursued in
30
New York suggests the idea that every man
who enters bank is possible thief This
he continued, Judging by the numerous de-
falcations, might apply to the officers of the
bank, but it is most unjust to the public. A
person who goes into store where he is
surrounded on all sides by valuable goods
is not supposed TO be there for purposes
OF robbery-and why should it be differ
ent in a bankl Indeed, New York in
this respect never seems to have
gotten 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 de-
post through cubby hole with a solitary
receiving teller-and it is the same with the
payment of money. bank with large
business ought to have half a dozen receiving
open counters. Why all these cages and rail-
ings and bars and peep holes through which
you are occasionally permitted to catch q
glimpse Of the teller's nose who suddenly and
unwillingly hands you your money! They
don't have these things in England, and rob
berries in banks there are rare. Here, despite
all these precautions, they are frequent. and
a large proportion are committed by those in
f.l.z ~, A. af
NOT A PLEASANT NATTER
II don't like to be looked upon when l en-
Ter New York bank stranger as if had a
natural prediction 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 l cross itP
asks the drawer, which means that by draw
ing two lines across the check and inserting
the words Bank and Co. between the lines
the money can only be collected through a
bank or banking firm. Otherwise any
bearer can get the cash at the bank without
any questions being asked except, How will
you have itr may send anybody with my
check payable to bearer for 20 900 to a
bank and be will get the money without
any trouble In a New York hank such
an amount would create the utmost con-
sternation. All the detectives in New
York would be Immediately rung up 60
aid the officers of the bank from presi-
dent down TO janitor in watching the
rash intruder Here q check or draft is
usually made payable TO order, but q
stranger may indorse it in the presence Of
the teller and he'll never get the money
without Identification, no matter what ordi-
nary proof in the way Of letters or cards the
holder Of the check may have about his per-
son. OF course, If a paying teller has good
reason to suppose that check or draft has
been stolen or found he would be justified in
refusing payment and holding the party who
presented it: but in ninety-nine cases out of
q hundred there are no grounds for suspi-
zion Foreigners are always grumbling st
orr stupid rules, and if it were once known
abroad that there was a banking house in
New York that would pay drafts to people
without Identification, such concern would
soon have the cream of the travellers draft
business'n
This attack on the system pursued here,
which is certainly unworthy of a great me-
tropols, recalls an experience of my own.
A friend of mine some years ago gave me q
check for 81 200, payable TO me or bearer, on
the Sixth National bank of New York. pre-
scnted it Don't know you,n said the teller.
Neither have l the pleasure Of your &C
Guaintance," was tie answer, but my name
is on the check and am also the bearer"
Cant help it, it's too large an amount 70
give to stranger, and you must be identi-
fed" my friends are out OF town. said l,
land President Arthur is in Washington /
can't very well send for him "Well, won't
give you the money" Then write your
reasons on the check "No, / won't do |
THAR "Then," said /, 81 am 8 newspaper
man. shall protest this check and proclaim
In Wall street this afternoon that the Sixth
National bank refusex to honor the checks
drawn ON TT got the money.-New York
Cor. Globe Democrat