The morning news., 1888-05-11
HOW WALL STREET IS GUARDED.
New York Messenger Boys Who Garry
Millions and Seldom Lose 1t.


From the Netv York Evening Telegram.
The habit of entrusting valuable papers
and large sums of money with small boys is
more or less risky, yet great losses seldom
occur.
A Wall street man said to reporter last
night: 81 met boy the other day with
his pocket crammed with valuable papers.
One of the documents worked out of his
pocket and fell on the pavement. He didn't
notice it, but picked it up and called after
him, and as l waited for him to come back
| saw that it was bond of some sort with
coupons attached"
"Ahh said his wife, laughingly; "why
didn't you run around the corner with itm
'Do you know what would have hap
pened to me if | had? In about two minutes
I'd have been nabbed by the neck. Nobody,
except the messengers themselves, may run
in Wall street without exciting suspicion.
The little fellows scoot through the street
carrying immense amounts OF money, and
with checks, payable to bearer fluttering
in ther fingers, and they are seldom inter
fered with. Detectives, in citizens clothes,
are as thick in Wall street as flies in a
Western boarding house. Large quantities
of money, not so much now as formerly,
still thousands of dollars are exposed in
those glass front offices, but let there be the
least crash, or break, or outcry, and some
one is taken in custody.
Inspector Byrnes has a special detective
force in charge of Wall street and vicinity.
No crook or irregular character known to
the police may show himself in the neigh
borhood. Once across what is called the
dead line'-Fulton street, or the north side
of John street, [ believe-and he is arrested
on sight. Ex-convicts and men who have
been out of the way but who have re-
formed and are trying to lead honest lives,
often have to go to headquarters for per-
NIT to frequent that part of the city.
81, myself, used to carry money for our
house when l was small boy" said the
gentleman. land remember but one at
tempt to rob me- 1t was in the old Man
haitian Bank. | had handed in my check
and stood waiting for the cash.
presently the teller called out, "Miller,
get out of the road"
" L haven't got my money yet,' said l.
"'Why, paid you long agol'
"Just then a man was seen struggling in
the hands of detective at the door. | was
such little chap / was below the level of
the window, and when my money was
counted out this fellow had reached over
my head anu taken it. Ny name not being
spoken and not being able to see what was
going on. had no reason to suppose he was
taking my money.
1.-The bows know how to look out for
themselves pretty WELL" said a listener
Zone of them told ME his experience, some
years ago, with a careless cashier. Said
he:
"'I had to get check cashed and pay
the money into the custom house. and it
was almost 3 o'clock. / ran over the money
as it was paid to me, and found there was
$40 too much put that money away by
itself and handed the proper sum, as had
counted it, in at the custom house. 1t was
all right, so / had the $40 left in my pocket.
The next day, at the bank, | says: "Hello,
there. How did your cash come out last
"'Ten dollars short was the answer.
"'Thought So said L; you paid me $40
too much yesterday.
''The cashier was mad. "You little
rascal, he said, why didn't you tell me be-
fore, and not keep me bothering over it all
"'All very we'll for him, but wasn't 60
ing to give up that $40 till / was sure / was
right at the custom house. didn't propose
to lose my time over it, either; it was his
mistake, not mine"
"You see" said the gentleman, "that boy
knew what he was about, and he never
thought of keeping the money 1t is fact
that in honesty TIE boys discount their
elders Money don't have the same value
TO boy that 1t does to a man; he hasn't felt
the want of it so, it doesn't stand for as
much. No matter how poor the little fellow
may be- he's boy still, with his head full
of boyish Interests and the devil can't make
money look quite so attractive to him as to
the man who has fought, bled and died
for it.