The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1889-06-07
EDIs0N's FIRST BANK CHECK.
De Was Very Mueh Afraid Of RsIss Held u sas
Robbed In Wall Ktreet.

Robbed In Wall Street.
The other day u smooth faced man,
wearing handsome clothes and dis
playing u soiled collar and q necktie
all awry. and shoes that never expe-
rienced the skillful manipulations of
q bootblack, and finger nails that
never experienced a manicure, leaned
his elbow on n Washington counter
and talked in the jolliest way to a
circle of newspaperfriends. He look
ed like 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 lie is an Ohio
man. His name is Thomas Alva
Edison, and he was once " peanut
boy and news butcher ON q Jerk.
water railroad in the Buckeye state.
During a little luncheon Edison, be-
tween hearty drinks of beer his
favorite beverage, told in his quaint
way the story of his first acquain-
lance with any large sum of money.
1t was in the days when he was
struggling along with his early in
ventions, and didn't have big capt.
talists to back him. In fact, he
didn't have any bank account him.
self, and hardly knew what one was.
Bank checks were things he never
had occasion to Use, and had about
as much iden of their value us the
man in the moon.
Edison had finally sold his patent
on the gold and stock Indicator to
the Western Union Telegraph COM
pany for $4,000, and was coming
over to New York to get his money.
He had heard ofWall street and
it's bulls and bears, and had been
told that twas full of Sharks" who
would fleece q man very quick. So
he made up his mind that Wall street
was a very dangerous place, and
that if ever he had occasion to go
there he would be lucky if he got
away without losing his overcoat
nnd umbrella.
At that time Gen. Ieffarts 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 IL few
preliminaries he was given IL check
for $4,000.
He looked ut it curiously for amo-
ment or two, and appeared to he
puzzled what to do with it. He
knew he had sold n patent to the
Western Union company for $4O,-
600, but he did not see any money.
Observing his perplexity, Gen. LIEF
ferts told him that il he would go to
the Bank Of America, in Wall street,
he would get the check cnslned. $50
| started" said Edison, cater care
fully folding up the check and went
toward Wall street. So uncertain
was in regard to that way of do
ing business that thought while OH
the way that if any man should
come up to me and offer me two crisp
thousand dollar bills for that piece
of paper, ! should give him up the
check very quick"
On arriving at the Bank of Amer
lea he llesitated about entering, fear
ing still that something might be
wrong. At last, however, he muster.
ca up courage and determined to try
it. He knew that Gen. I4eiferts had
told him he would get his money here,
SO braced ahead and half trembling
y showed his check out to the cash
Ter r.,
The latter scntinized itclosely, gave
Edison a piercing glance, and said
something which Edison could not
understand, us lie was hard of hear
ing;
mat was enough. lie was now
more than ever convinced that his
CHECK wasn't worth VAC, 900, and
again thought as he rushed out Of
the bank with it that any man who
a., -,