Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1889-01-20
A CHEEKY CASHIER.
he Returns From Canada and Shows His
EMPLOYERS How He Swindled Them.

NEW YORK, Jan. 19.-"Strange deeds are
done beneath a smooth surface in this great
town." says the Evening Sun in loaded
type and continues thus:
sMark this hidden story of robbery,
fight, midnight conference and disappear
ance. The facts have just come to light
through the arrest and extradition of De
Baum, the defaulting cashier of the Park
bank, and the personal alteration IN
Brooklyn club.
When DeBaum disappeared one day his
employers and associates in the bank won
dered why be left them so abruptly and a
painful feeling gained foothold that his
record might not be.quite straight. He was
member OF Brooklyn club, famous Tor
excellent champagne, and in his dealings
credit there for liberal hospitality.
The bank officers searched the
books, yet they seemed all right.
III their departed Cashier had falsified them
be had done it in a marvelously ingenious
way. The best experts were baffied. They
were morally sure by this time that there
was crOokedness somewhere, but in spite
of their skill they could not put their pen
on the fraud,
"While thus engaged and before the
public exposure came, it was brought TO
the knowledge of the puzzled examiners
that DeBaum was in Canada. On hearing
this fact, which in itself was almost con-
elusive evidence of guilt under the clrcum-
stances, some one interested in getting at
the facts decided on following bold
stroke DeBaum was communicated with
in his Canadian retreat. He was told that
he would be allowed to come to New York
if he would aid in entangiIng the
books Constructively he was yet
an innocent man. His knavery
had not got abroad and his
person would be safe and perhaps il was
limited to him that any help he would give
would be highly appreciated by those who
might be in position to shelter him.
'DeBaum crossed the border and return
ed to this city. The books were opened
and he was set at the strange task of
showing the experts the extent and char
acter of his robberies and revealing the de-
vices by which he had been able to cover
his tracks even from their trained pursuit.
AS he proceeded TO disclose his vilIianous
trick they stood aghast. Robbery after
robbery was revealed until at last the full
sum of the defalcation was for the first
time known. The explanation had taken
hours and the group were tired and hun
CRY. What was more natural than the
party should dine, swindler and swindled
touching legs under mahogany, uniting IN
cheerful glass and after dinner, quite in
his old manner, De Baum, suddenlySback
from his vacation. dropped In at the Brook
Ign club and set up the drinks. He
punched game or so of billiards. talked a
little club gossip and parried all intrusive
questions about his absence by intimating
he had been on nice little picnic. One of
the members asked laughingly if his route
had been to Canada, at which all had
laughed, De Baum the loudest OF any.
NO" cried one of the jOvial group, 'De
Baum is not one of your border shippers.
He is not that kind of hairpin."
Then the next morning De Baum took
train up the beautiful Hudson and skip
ped the border, being exactly that kind OF
"A hairDin'