Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1888-12-28
MUST BE IDENTIFIED.
HON STRANGERS ARE ANNOYED
WHEN TRYING TO CASH A DRAFT.

WIEN fnftN1 " SAo1 = DhAF 7.
A Nan May Have Millions in HIS Pockse
snd Yet BE Unable to Buy Meal.
How Checks Are Mads Payable in Eng
land.
A rich man compelled to pawn his watch
for square meal and nights lodging.
That was the strange situation ia which 4
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 the money on his person
In draft for Goo on New York bank.
Anxious to get train for st Louis the same
day be hurried to the bank for his money.
The teller refused to pay the draft until be
was identified.
And the young man was an absolute stran-
ger in New York;
Your people in the West Indies took my
good money for that draft and want II back
again Am | to infer that this IL bankrupt
institution"
He got no satisfaction. lost his train and
had TO pawn his watchalr meal and bed.
A fellow passenger identified him the next
day. was discussing the matter the other
day with very liberal American who has
had much banking and mercantile expert
ence here and abroad. Americans said
he, s'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
the mere paying and receiving Of money in
New York suggests the idea that every man
who enters bank is possible thief This, 2
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 be il
surrounded on all sides by valuable goods
is not supposed to be there for purposes
OF robbery-an and why should it be differ
ent in a bankf Indeed, New York in
this respect never seems to have
gotten beyond its village days. Nothing
looks more ridiculous to London mercantile
man than to see long string OF persons with
books in their hands waiting to make ~
post through cubby hole with q solitary
receiving teller-and it is the same with the
payment OF money. A bank with q large
business ought to have half dozen receiving
and as many paying tellers at large, wide,
open counters. Why all these cages and rail
ings and bars and peep holes through which
you are occasionally permitted to catch .
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
side of the railing and not outside of it.
NOT A PLEASANT NATTER.
81 don't like to be looked upon when en-
ter a New York bank stranger as if had =
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 / 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 itF may send anybody with my
check payable to bearer for 5000 to a
bank and he will get the money without
any trouble. In New York bank such
an amount would create the utmost con-
sternation. ALI the detectives in New
York would be Immediately rung up to
aid the officers of the bank from presi-
dent down to janitor in watching the
rash intruder. Here check or draft is
usually made payable to. order, but a
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 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
a hundred there are no grounds for suspi-
cion. Foreigners are always grumbling at
our 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 a concern would
soon have the cream of the Travellers draft
business
This attack on the system pursued here,
which is certainly unworthy Of a great me-
tropolis recalls an experience of my own.
friend of mine some years ago gave me a
check for 81 200, payable 70 me or bearer, on
the Sixth National bank OF New York pre-
sented it. Don't know you," said the teller.
Neither have | the pleasure of your ac-
quaintance," was the answer, 'but my name
is on the check and | am also the bearer u
Cant help il; it's too large an amount to
give to stranger, and you must be identi-
fed" "My friends are out of town." said /,
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" mo, won't do
that" "Then," said l, II am newspaper
man. / shall protest this check and proclaim
in Wall street this afternoon that the Sixth
National bank refuse to honor the checks
drawn on it" got the money.-Nsw York
Cor. Globe Democrat