Evening journal., 1899-03-15
ODD AFFAIR IN BANKING.
Peculiar Manner In which Chicago
Deposition INDUCED in
Charity.

"Thero isn't a great deal of romance
in my business" remarked prominent
Chicago banker, but now and them1
something turns up out of the ordinary
and makes us wonder at the peculiari-
ties Of those who have dealings with us.
l recall an instance just now which is
as yet not explained, and will never be,
fancy, as the chief actor in IL was
killed some time ago in a railway acci-
dent. never knew the man personally,
but he was depositor in our bank.
whose account was q personal one to
the extent of $4,000. lie carried that
much as q rule, and the few checks that
he made against it never indicated what
his business was. He was about so
years of age, and very rarely came to
the bank. Naturally never gave him
u thought, for $4,000 is not a large de-
posit in Chicago, and beyond his de-
posit l had no inSerest in him.
81 happened, therefore, that when
one day / received a personal letter
from our depositor l was a bit sur
prised, and was still more so when l
read II. do not recall the exact word
ing, but 1t was TO the effect that within
day or two woman would present a
check drawn by him for $4,000, and that
as she was unknown he wished me TO
see that she received the money with
out trouble, and that she would bring
with her means Of Identification in
the person of little girl, who would
answer correctly the questions l must
ask her, as directed in his letter, with
the answers as he gave them. These
questions were simple enough, being
only the child's full name, her age to
, the month, where born, the full name
!, of her mother, and her father, and of q
little brother who was dead. Five
thousand dollars was good deal OF
money 10 let 60 on that kind of evi-
dence, but that was all had, and the
depositor was in California, so that
could not see him personally.
3 THE next day the paying teller came
3 TO me with his eyes bulging, saying that
: about as hard looking case of beggai
woman as he had ever seen was at his
window with check drawn TO the or
. der Of Mrs. Blank by Mr.. - and tha
as he did not know the woman and tn,
5 woman did not know how she was e
get the money, he had come to ask m'
, about it, sent for her TO come into my
= private Office, which she did, bringing
n little girl with her who was no lesi
a picture of abject poverty than thu
mother was. All she could say was tina
q she had received the check by mail from
i q man whose name was not familiar e
g her, with instructions to present it a
l. the bank and the money would be paii
Il 10 her, If she would take her little gir
with hor. I asked the child the ques
tions had been requested TO ask AM
she answered correctly each one, whic
le relieved me of further responsibility
le and ordered the check TO be cashec
IS The woman did not seem 10 be great
" overcome by her good fortune, and a
/ could tell her nothing of the man wh
had given the money TO her she didn
seem 10 have any further use forme an
. went back 10 the paying teller's VIII
% dow. She asked for the money in 81
le bills and, wrapping IL up in an old new
" paper, went out of the bank without
III word 70 anybody.
TO ,she was no longer at the address 81
gave when I sent messenger there
make inquiries, and her benefactor
never saw again, for he met his deaf
on his way east from California.
2 fancy he would not have told me Il
ia story of his life, but I shall always wo
ca der IL the name we carried on our bool
.r was the one he had carried in b
~ youth. .n-Chicaro Inter Ocean.