, 1889-06-08
.oIsoN,e FIRST BANK CHECK.
He Was veyy Much Afraid OF Being Held
Up and Robbed In Wall Street

He Was vcyy Much Afraid OF Being Held
Up and Robbed in Wal Street.
Tho other day a smooth faced man,
wearing handsome clothes and dis
playing a soiled collar and a necktie
all awry, and shoes that never expo
rienced tho skillful manipulations OF a
bootblack, and finger nails that never
experienced q manicure, leaned his
elbow on a Washington counter and
talked in the jolliest way TO a circle of
newspaper friends. He looked like a
tramp, but he really is one OF the most
famous men in the world, and his
name Is known in every part of the
globe. OF course he is an Ohio man.
His name Is Thomas Alva Edison, and
he vas once a peanut boy and news
butcher on a jerkwater railroad. In
the Buckeye state. During a little
luncheon Edison, between hearty
drinks OF beer, his favorite beverage,
told in his quaint way the story of his
first acquaintance with any large sum
Of money. Il was in the days when
he was struggling along with bis early
inventions, and didn't have big capt.
talists 10 back him. In fact, he didn't
have any bank account himself, and
hardly knew what one was. Bank
checks were things he never had 90
casion TO use, and had about as much
idea Of their value as the man in the
Edison had finally sold his patent
on the gold and stock indicator to the
Western Union Telegraph company
for $40, 900, and was coming over to
New York 10 get his money.
He had heard Of Wall Of root md Ste
bulls and bears, and had been told
that 1t was full of ''sharks," who
would fleece a man very quick. So
he made up his mind that Wall
street was a very dangerous place,
and that IL ever he had occasion to
go there he would be luckily II he got
away without losing his overcoat and
umbrella.
At that time Gen. Lefferts was
president Of the Western Union. One
morning Edison came into the COM
pany's general offices to close up the
sale of his patent. After u few pre-
iminaries he was given q check for
$40, 900.
He looked at II curiously for a mo-
ment or two, and appeared to be pun-
lied what TO do with 1t. He knew he
had sold a patent to the Western I'm
ion company for SAC, 900, but he did
not sec any money. Observing his
perplcxity, Gen. LefPerts told him
hal if ho would go tho Bank of
America, in Wall street, he would
get tho check cashed. 80 / started"
said Edison, latter carefully folding
up tho check, and went toward Wall
So uncertain was / in regard
to that way of doing business that 1
thought while or the way that IL any
man should come up to me and offer
two crisp thousand dollar bills for
that piece OF paper, l should give him
up the check very quick"
On arriving at the Bank of Amer
lea he hesitated about entering, fear
ing still that something might be
wrong. At last, however, he mustered
up courage and determined TO try il.
be knew that Gen. Letferts had told
him he would get his money here, SO
braced ahead and half tremblinRly
showed bis check out TO tho cashier.
The latter scrutinized 1t closely,
gave Edison a piercing glance, and
said something which Edison could
hearing.
LLhs mdStiiouSh. liz WIS DOW IlDTS
than ever convinced that his check"
wasn't worth SAC, 600, and again
thought as he rushed out of the bank
1t that any man who would give
him $1,000 could walk away with the
He hurried back to the Western I'm
and said he couldn't get any mon
ey. Gen. LefPerts then sem a man
with him to identify him. He saidi
This man is Mr.. Thomas A. Edison,
TO whose order the check Is drawn"
why, certainly, Mr.. Edison" said
the cashier, very obsequiously chow
would you like your $40, OoO-in what
ooh, any way to suit the bank, it
doesn't mako any difference to me SO
as l got my money"
Edison was given $40, 900 in large
bills After dividing tho roll into two
wads Of sec, 600 each, no stuffed one
into each trousers pocket buttoned up
his coat as tightly as possible, and
made a break to get out OF Wall street
Us quick as he could. The next day
Edison began work on his first labora-
tory In New York;. D. Mussey in
Commercial.