The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-12-10
TINTED BY A VERY SLICK
YOUNG MAN.
FILLED IN A BEARER CHECK,
WHICH HE HAD OBTAINED POS.
SESSION OF, FOR THE SUM
OF $500.
For the Fellow Whose Name Ap-
pears on the Back OF the
Paper.

South st. Paul, were the victims of a
clever $500 robbery Wednesday morn
ing, when a blank check on the Bank
of South ST. Paul, bearing the firms
signature, was stolen, filed in to the
above amount, and cashed at the Ger
mania bank in this city. The theft and
the successful collection OF the $500 Gre
ated mild sensation when discovered
yesterday and the matter was at once
placed in the hands Of the police. No
arrests have been made, but the devel-
opments implicate the son Of an emf
nently respectable and well-known
family.
1t is the opinion of those converSant
with the facts in the case that the rob-
berry was the result of well-laid plans
by those familiar with the business
methods Of Thuett Bros. 1t is the Gus
tom Of the firm to keep at it's South
st. Paul office, blank checks signed and
ready to be filed in with the amount
Of purchases. Both members Of the
firm spend a great deal Of their time
about the stockyards, and this practice
is observed to expedite matters in cases
of hurried payments or to make pur-
chases after banking hours. Wednes-
day several blanks in the check book
were signed as usual and the book left
lying on the counter inside of a wire
railing. Sometime between and II 80
o'clock one of these blank checks was
taken from the book. The culprit doubt
less at once came to the city, as the
check calling for $500 was presented
for collection to Teller Funk, Of the
Germania bank, shortly after IL o'clock.
The person rendering the check was a
Well-dreSsed young man, about twenty
three or tWenty-four years of age,
smooth, rather full face, dark hair, me-
dunn height and weighing about 14O
pounds. 1t read in the blank space
PAY to bearer $780," On the back was
the Endorsement or what purported to
be the Endorsement Of the young man
for whom the police are searching.
Teller Funk recognized the signature
of Thuett Bros, readily as the firm car
ries an account at the Germania bank
The young man presenting the check
was perfectly self-possessed and moth
Ing wrong was suspected, but Mr. Funk
referred the check to Cashier Kerst
Mr.. Kerst placed his o. K on the check
and the young man was paid the $500
The check was sent by post with
others Wednesday evening to the South
st. Paul bank, and yesterday morning
when the amount was accredited to
that paved out Of Thuett Bros ac-
count, the theft was discovered. The
hrm had no record Of issuing the check
nor Of any business transaction with
the person whose name was Endorsed
upon the instrument It's account with
the South st. Paul bank was $500 less
than shown by checks issued against
the deposit and the firm at once de-
clared that the blank check had been
stolen and filled in to the amount of
the shortage.
How the check was stolen is a mvs-
terry. 1t is said that a person unfamiI-
lar with the business of Thuett> Bros
could hardly have accomplished so
clever a job, yet the young man whose
name appears on the back Of the check
is not known to have ever visited the
South st. Paul Offices On the other
hand it Is said that suspicion does not
attach to any Of the firms employees.
One Of the firm, however, declared last
evening to a reporter for the Clio h o
that the check had been stolen beyond
a possible doubt, but declined to dis
cuss the matter at any length.
The question as to who is the loser
by the transaction as between Thuett
Bros, and the Germania bank, is an
unsettled question, though an official
OF the bank said, in speaking Of the
affair last evening, that no one could
possibly be expected to bear the loss
but Thuett Bros.
The check" said he, was as regu-
larly drawn as any instrument pre-
sented for collection at our bank. The
signature of Thuett Bros, is genuine
and there could be no question about
cashing the firms check for any
amount Thuett Bros, carry an ac-
count with the Germania bank. and
their check for $4,000 would be hon
ored without question. This being the
case 1t is fortunate that the person who
presented the check did not fill it out
for a larger sum. as he could have re-
ceived any amount, as easily as $500.
We know that Thuett Bros, do a great
deal of business with strangers and
with the genuine signature on the
check, there was no reason for cues
tioning its correctness. We had no
way Of knowing that the young man
was not one with whom Thuett Bros.
transacted business and had issued the
check in payment Of a business obIi-
CATION"
One of the victimized firm is of a
somewhat different opinion from the
bank official. He says that a check on
another bank made payable to "bear-
er" and presented by a stranger might
have been investigated He does not
say positively that the Germania bank
was lax in its methods or that his firm
is not sole loser, but says as yet the
legal aspect Of this phase of the matter
is not known