The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1891-10-28
A SMART TRICK.
Trying to Save a Bank Clerk, but Really
Helping SwIndler.


A queer story is told of Liverpool
bank official who received a private
letter from his friend, a member of
London banking firm, says Boston
EUery Other Saturday. 1t is said that
one of their employees. the son of their
highly esteemed cashier--a man who
is probity itself-had gone away with
several thousand pounds of securities.
If the son should be arrested and
placed in prisons dock the old man
would never lift his head again. The
firm was. therefore, resolved to do all
that lay in its power to save its aged
and valued servant from the misery
and shame which would certainly over
take him if his sons sin became known.
The writer thought that in all prob
ability the young man would call with
his securities at the Liverpool bank,
and, on the strength of his connection
with the London bank, try to negotiate
them.s If so, the London banker want
ed the Liverpool banker to seize the
property and keep it until he heard
from the London banker again. to
lecture the young man soundly, buy a
ticket to New York, and give him
81, 600 with which to begin the world
again. The London banker was 60
ing to Paris for a fortnight, so that the
Liverpool banker didn't need to write
him about the affair until that time.
He also wanted the secret kept from
everybody, as far as possible. both for
the sake of the London bank, the
young mans father, the young man
himself.
The Liverpool banker. knowing that
many a young man had gone wrong
who might have been saved at the
proper moment, decided to comply
with his friends request.
Soon after nice. frank-looking
Young man of the name referred to
was ushered in to him. and. saying
that he desired to travel, explained in
a constrained and nervous manner that
he had some securities on which he
would like to realize. He said he
didn't understand business, and per-
haps was going awkwardly to work.
but the ship for New York was to sail
that day and be was in hurry.
In reply the Liverpool banker hand
ed him the letter he had just received.
As he read it his breast heaved with
emotion, tears came into his eyes, and
he finally burst into fit of weeping.
He made a full confession, and then
the banker, after pointing out tie
heinousness of his crime, offered to d
what the letter requested. The young
man kissed the bankers hand in token
of his gratitude, said he had been both
foolish and wicked and would gladly
go to another country and redeem
himself.S ~
The banker then gave him the ST.
600, bought him frst-class steam
er ticket, and gave him a cham
pagne dinner at the restaurant. But
nothing he could do or say seemed to
raise the young mans spirits. He was
SO sad and broken down that the bank
er really pitied him. AS he bade him
good-by from the ships side the hard
old man could not restrain his tears
as he thought of the young and repent
ant sinner he had saved from life of
crime.
At the end of the fortnight. w hen he
supposed. the London banker would
have got back from Paris, the Liver
pool banker wrote to him in great
glee of his success in carrying out his
wishes, and of the contrite youth who
had set sail for new scenes with the
bankers blessing.
He got the following reply from
London:
You must be mad. Our cashier
never had son. No securities are
missing. Perhaps you have been sold. !"
1t was true. He had. The letter
was forged. The securities were
worthless. He had thrown away 81,
600. passage to New York, a bottle of
champagne. good dinner, and a good
deal of advice upon an ingenious
swindler.