Mohave County miner., 1889-01-12
MUST BE IDENTIFIED.
HOW sTRANGERs ARE ANNOYED
WHEN TRYING TO CASH A DRAFT.
A Man May Have Millions I'm His Pocket
and Yes BE Unable to BUY Meal.
How Cheeks Are Made Payable In Eng
Land.


and Yes Bs Unable To Bay Meal
How Checks Are Made Payable In Eng
iand.
A rich man compelled TO pawn his watch
for square meal and nights lodging.
That was the strange situation In which q
young Englishman who bad just landed IN
New York found himself the other day. He
had arrived from tho West Indies, where ho
invested nearly all the money ON his person
In draft for GOO ON a New York bank
Anxious 10 get train for St Louis the same
day be hurried to the bank for his money.
The teller refused to pay the draft until he
was identified.
And the young man was an absolute stran-
ger IN New Yofki
"Yosir people In the West indies took my
good money for that draft and want II back
again. Am to infer that this is bankrupt
institution
He got no satisfaction, lost his train and
had to pawn bis watch for meal and a bed.
A fellow passenger identified him the next
day. was discussing the matter the other
day with very liberal American who has
had much banking and mercantile expert.
ence here and abroad Americana said
he, "are the worst bankers In the world
They don't know the first thing about bank
ing. Even to the smallest details foreigners
can give US points. The methods pursued In
the mere paying Ind receiving OF money I'm
New York suggests the idss that every man
who enters q bank is a possible thief. This"
he continued, Judging by the numerous de.
falcations, might apply TO the officers Of the
bank, bat IL Is most unjust TO the public. A
person who goes into a store where he 10
surrounded on all sides 10y valuable goods
Is not supposed 70 be there for purposes
OF robbery.--and why should IL be differ.
ent in a banks Indeed, Now York in
this respect never seems TO have
gotten beyond its village days Nothing
looks more ridiculous to London mercantile
man than 70 see long string Of persons with
books imtkeir hands waiting TO make ie-
posit through q cIbby hole with solitary
receiving teller--and IL is the same with the
payment OF money. bank with large
business ought to have half a dozen receiving
and as many paying tellers at large, wide.
open counters. Why all these cages aud rail.
ings and burs and peep holes through which
you are occasionally permitted 10 catch q
glimpse OF the telleris nose who suddenly and
unwillingly hands ycu your money! They
don't have these things in England, and rob
berries In banks there are rare. Here, despite
all these precautions, they are frequent, and
a large proportion are committed bythose in
side Of tbe railing aud not outside Of IL.
NOT A PLEASANT MATTER
II don't like to be looSed upon when en-.
Ccr New York bank stranger as II | had
natural prediction for perjury and forgery,
for the teller Is not satisfied If you tell him
your right name and even sign it--you must
be identified. In England checks are usually
made payable to bearer Shall I cross itT
asks the drawer, which means that by draw.
ing two lines across the check ard inserting
the words Bank and Co between the lines
the money can only be collected through a
bank or banking firm. Otherwise any
bearer can get the cash at the bank without
any questions being asked except, How will
you have itr may send anybody with my
check payable to bearer for g, 900 to
bank and he will get the 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 to
aid the officers of tha bank from preSi"
lent down to janitOr In watching the
rash intruder. Here check or draft is
usually made payable to order but
stranger may indorse it in the presence Of
the teller and he'll never get the money
without Identification, no matter what ordi.
nary proof in the way Of letters or cards the
holder OF the check may have about his per
son. Of course, il paying teller bas good
reason TO suppose that a check or draft has
been stolen or found he would be justified in
refusing payment and holding the party who
presented it: but In ninety nine cases out OF
a hundred there are no grounds for suspi-
cion. Foreigners are always grumbling at
our stupid rules, and IL it were once known
abroad that there was banking house In
New York that would pay drafts 10 people
without Identification, such a concern would
soon have the cream of the travellers draft
business" -
This attack on the system pursued here,
which is certainly unworthy OF great me
tropolis, recalls an experience of my own
A friend Of mine some years ago gave me
check for 81 200, payable to me or bearer, on
the Sixth National bank Of New York. Ipre-
sented it, Don't know you, said the teller.
Neither have | the pleasure Of your se-
quaintance," was the answer, but my name
il on the check and am also the bearer"
Can't help IL; it's too large an amount TO
give 10 a stranger, and you must be identi.
fed" MY friends are out Of town. said i,
"and President Arthur is in Washington. l
can't very well send for him. well, won't
give you the money" "Then writesyour
reasons on the check" "No, won't do
that" "Then," said /, II am newspaper
man. shall protest this check aud proclaim
in Wall street this afternoon that the Sixth
National bank refuse. to honor the checks
drawn OH it," got the ney.--New York
Cor Globe Democrat