The morning call., 1890-06-19
BOTH WE'RE B. F.'S.
A Similarity OF Names Causes the
Loss of 500.

One member of the Smith family, initials
Il. F., is supposedly very grateful, first to
his mother for conSenting to marry men,
Der of the tribe of Smith; secondly that
when christened, names represented by
the initials B. I. were selected, and thirdly
that precisely the same combination Of cir
cumstances in another line of the Smith
family resulted in the growth TO full mani
hood of another B. +. Smith.
By this Simultaneous happening, one B.
F. Smith of San Francisco obtained, though
not legally, possession of about 500, the
alleged property of another b. T. Smith of
Oakland.
The details are as follows: Some three
months ago business man in Fresno, who
owes the Oakland b. +. Smith (the latter
by the way being described in the directory
as capitalist 500, sent him check
for the amount by mail, addressed to
Oakland. A few days later the check
was presented at the Pacific Bank
on which it had been drawn, for payment.
The paying teller refused to pay it to the
party presenting it unless he was identified
as Il. h. Smith, in whose favor the check
was drawn. 70 this b. L. Smith of San
Francisco cordially assented, went out and
soon returned with a leading merchant. well
known to the bank officials, who identified
the presenter of the check as b. +. Smith,
q neighbor of his. On this Identification
the check was paid and b. L. Smith of San
Francisco pocketed the money and left for
parts unknown, possibly to see what Emin
Pasha had to say about Stanley Anyhow
Il. +. Smith of San Francisco has not been
seen since.
Il. L. Smith (Of Oakland) not hearing from
his Fresno correspondent wrote to inquire
when the 500 might be expected and was
considerably astonishet when he was in
formed that it had been sent to him quite q
time ago.. On inquiry at the Pacific Bank
he was told that Il. +. Smith had presented
check for 500 which had been duly paid
and the check duly crossed off was shown
him. Smith (of Oakland in vain tried to
convince the bank people that they had
paid the money to the wrong man. They,
however, produced their letters of advice
showing that all the notification they had
had from Fresno was that check for 500
had been drawn on them in favor of
one ''B. i. Smith," residence not given.
One b. +. Smith had presented the check !;
had been properly identified, and that was
all that the bank had to do with it, They
refused to make good the loss, and if Smith
(oi Oaklandl has any other redress than
suing his Fresno correspondent for the
money 1t Will be by reaching Smith (of San
Francisco and having him arrested for
well. it will be rather hard to say on what
charge, for Smith lot San Francisco may
say simply that he received check for
RiVV W iudli anu CdSucu lb IlUW nlHllu WI
San francisco got Smiths (of Oakland)
letter has not yet been explained, but pos
sibly the Fresno sender may have ad
dressed it to b. +. Smith, San Francisco,
instead of Oakland. The gentleman who
identified Smith. (of San francisco acted
entirely in good faith, as he lived near the
man he Identified. whose Directory address
in this city is 1888 Eddy street for some
time, and besides met him daily in the way
of business. If b. F. Smith (of Oakland)
should discover that there are any more b.
+. Smiths floating around. perhaps the sug-
gestion Of one of his friends that he change
his name to McGinty Muldoon Chrononho-
tonpologus unless, indeed, he could induce
the other Smiths to make the swap may
prevent future mistakes.
DR.. X. ii. Mcdonald of the Pacific Bank
was seen last night by CALL reporter and
stated that the bank could in no way be
held responsible for the mistake for the
reasons above mentioned.