The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-08-27
STORY OF A rHREE-oENr CHECK.
Trouble IL Can Cause If It's Owner Re-
fuses to Cash 1t.
From the Boston Transcript

FfOW Tue DOoLOU zFbttoCItpt-
| The listener was lounging, with other
listeners and loungers, in a marine insur-
ance companys office, the other day. "He
hath no argosy bound to either Ind nor
share in craft that floats on any sea" SO his
errand there had naught to do with policy
| or premium. Nor need it bs said why he
was there, but, being there, aud
waiting, he overheard some inte-
resting bits of ancedote touching this
appendage of healthful commerce. One
! gentleman, retired merchant, was show
ing TO the others a check for three eeuts,
drawn to his order and signed by somebody
and somebody, assignees; and, asked how he
came By all that money, he told This little
story:
About two weeks ago l received notice
from the assigneeS of the Nova Scotia canal
boat insurance company, ruined by tho
Chicago fire, you remember, that there was
an unpaid dividend standing to my credit
The amount was not named, and there was
lncloSod with the notice ain addressed and
stamped envelope, which was requested to
use for reply, giving my address. Now,
observe: Here was two c-ntS postage paid
on the notice and two cents for the reply,
to say nothing of the cost Of stationery and
printing; and then, how stupid, after send
ing me the notice, according to my address
in the directory, TO ask Inc Tor my correct
address, However, | answered the requests
AID by return mail | received two cent,
more for postage, more expense for station
eryl this check for three cents and q printed
d addressed postal-card (another cent
making seven cents postage to get three
cents into my hands, on which | WAS to
write an acknowledgement. The dividend
found was due on an uneXpIred premium
of policy in my name made worthless by
the bankruptcy of the company"
What are you going to do with this
windfalll' asked the listener.
Nothing whatever" replied this favorite
of fortune, Except to show it around and
tell the story
But you will bother the assignee5 and
the bank awtully by not using the check. s"
''JustSo and that is what l want to do.
ltmay make necessary an application by
tile assignees TO the supreme court for au-
thority 10 dissolve this trust Then the bank,
when IL comes to wind up lis affairs, will
ask the comptroller of the currency, or
some other ohicer of national bank affairs,
what it shall do with three cents, deposits
uncalled for. And as nobody in authority
can answer, application to congress TO know
what dis position can be made Will be neces-
sary. And congress, having 10 precedent,
will have to make a special law; perhaps
applying the ancient feudai system concern
ing the tenure of property or wo. king into a
special statute the principal of common law
which relates TO treasure trove. Oh! there
will be lets of fun, and ali the time | snail
hold the Geek aud worry tuem by waving
it in their faces, defying them to make me
indorse it and deposit itT'
Put your executors may collect it,"
quietly observed one of the company.
Thunder! never thong t Of thatw ex-
claimed the apparently nritated but really
amieble owner of the three-cent check.
but III fix that by taking the teller's
punch at our bank and canoeing the sigma
lures"