The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-09-16
MUST BE IDENTIFIED.
HOW STRANGERS ARE ANNOYED
WHEN TRYING TO CASH A DRAFT.


and Yet BE Unable to buy 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 Englshman who had just landed in
| New York found himself the other day. He
had arrived from the West IDlles, where he
invested nearly all the money on his person
/ in draft for 300 on a New York bank
Anxious 20 got a train for ST Louis the same
day he 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 it back
again Am % infer that this Is a bankrupt
institution
He got no satisfaction, lost bis train and
had % pawn his watch for a meal AMI "A bed.
\ fellow passenger identified him the next
day | was discussing the matter the other
day with q very liberal American who has
/ had much bankug and mercantile expert
euce here and abroad "Amenclls.' said
be-. "ars the worst bankers Iu the world.
They don't know tae flr-c thing about bank
iux Even t0 the smallest detail, foreigners
can give Us points The methods pursued 70
the mere paving and receiving of money in
View York suggests che idea that every man
WHO enters "a bani, is possible thief This.
] D f.f
falcations. might apply to thc officers of the
bank, but 10 is most unjust to The public. 4
person wh0 goes into "A store whore be- BE-
surrounded OBJ all sides by valuable goods
Is not supposed % b. there Tor purposes
OF robbery-and way should % bee differ
ent IN bank Indeed, New York IN
this respect never seems TO have
gotten beyond IFS village days Nothing
looks more ridiculous toa London mercantile
man chan 20 see a long string of persons with
books in their hands waiting I'D make q ie-
posit through a cuDby hoie with solitary
receiving teller-and 10 is the same with the
payment Of money 4 bank with a large
business ought 90 have half n dozen receiving
and rs many paying te.lers at large, wide,
open counters. Why a.. thss- cages and rail
ings and bars and peep holes through which
you are occasionally permitted 10 catch a
glimpse Of the teiler's nose who suddenly and
unwiningly hands you your money They /
don t have these things IN England, and rob /
berries in banks there are rare Here, despite I
all these precautions they are frequent, and 4
a large proportion are committed by those I'M /
side OF the railing and not outside OF it.
NOT a PLEASANT NATTER.
10. d
ter a New York bank a stranger As if had q
natural prediction for perjury and forgery,
for the teller Is not satisfied If YOU tell him
vour right name and even sign it-you must
he identified In England checks are usually
mad4 plyabls % bearer Shall I cross itF
asks tie drawer. which means that by draw
ing two lines across the check anI inserting
the words Bank AMI 60 between the lines
the money can only be collected through a
bank or banking firm Otherwise any
.Drarer can saf the cash no the bank without
any questions being asked except, How viii
You have it, may send anybody with my
check payable 70 bearer for 1909 to "a
bank ard be will get tie money without
any trouble In New York bank such
an amount would create the utmost con
sternation All the detectives IN New
York would be Immediately rung up 70
and the officers Of the bank from presI-
dent down % jan.tor In watching the
rash intruder Here a check or draft Is
usually made payable % order, but a
stranger may Aniorse DO in the presence OF
the teller and hell never get the money
without identfcat on. DO matter what ordi-
nary proof in the way ri letters or cards the
holder Of the check may have about his per
son. OF course, il a paying teller has good
reason % suppose that check or draft has
been stolen or found De would boz justified IN
refusing payment AID holding The party who
presented t. but ia nnety-nine cases ont ot
a hundred there are no ground, for suspi
ci0n. Foreigners are always grumblng 40
our stupid rules and II 10 were once known
abroad that there was banhing house m
New York that would pay drafts 20 people
without Identification, such concern would
soon have the cream of the travellers draf.
business
This attacl, on the system pursued here,
which is certa.aly unworthy NJ great me-
tropols, recalls an experience OF my own.
a friend OF mine some years ago gave me
check FOR 81 200, payable % me OF 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 I am also the bearer.
Cant help it, its too large an amount TO
give 10 a stranger, and you must be identi-
fed My friends are ont Of town, said /,
and President Arthur is IN Washington. l
can't very well send Cor him. well won't
give you the money" Then write your
reasons on the check NO, | won't do
that Then sai1 I, Il am a newspaper
man shall protest this check and proclaim
IN Wall street this afternoon that the Sixth
National bank refuse. 70 honor the checks
drawn on it," got the money. New York
Cor Globe Democrat.
who VIII Buy "A Castle?
WI, ,r.p+c ~ luy fin. old FnVllgh