Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-01-07

wardness of the stu
alton being that since
every Jog must have his day, the present
is the day of the banks and bankers
Past now, it appears. is the hour Of
rich hauls' and good jobs" Statistics
show that never before In the history of
America We're there SO few crimes against
banks. This may be chance, it may be
that burglar and forger are merely lying
quiet, pracucing and planning secretly and
waiting a worthy opportunity, or it may be
that the new science of banking precaution
and prevention, Of studying criminals and
guarding against them individually and
against the entire guild of crookdom, has
proved a success
The recent remarkable lessening of crimes
against the financial Institutions of the
country may be only a coincidence, it is
true This does not, however, take away
from the interest of story that Is Still
TO be to!d-the story of wits matched
against wits, the precautions now taken
by the great banks of America against
robbery and swind ing.
Experience has proved hard master to
bank men. They have learned that bolts
and bars, steel vaults and guards were
only one side of the question. Nor, they
finally discovered. did expert detective
work after crime had been committed
solve the problem. Something more far
reaching. in addition to all these. was nee
essary. Then it was that the banking sci
ence of preventing crime arose, a system
that is the most modern ever evolved, that
has not its counterpart.
Warming to Crooks.
II is, in brief, a system of terrorization.
Staid, severe bank officials meeting in con-
clave have sent out messages that, through
trusted men of certain detective agency,
have at last come directly to the ears of
noted criminals. These messages, repeated
again and again, have been in this wise:
Keep away from our banks. Never
show yourself near them, day or night.
Leave checks and drafts alone. Do not
dare to send out confederates. Skilled eyes
are upon you, the eyes of men who know
everything about crooks Every move
ment you make is watched. If you make
one attempt against us we will hunt you
down to the bitter end, absolutely relent-
lessly. 1t is not one bank that will be
against you, but hundreds of combined
banks with capital of hundreds of mil
lions. No money will be spared to bring
you to bay"
Nearly SO per cent of the banks of the
country are members of the American
Bankers Association the strongest of the
great financial institutions in the cities as
well as innumerable country banks belong
ing to it. The association, though over
twenty years Old. did not start on this sys-
what has been accomplished since then
reads like a romance.
Diamond Cut Diamond.
1t is fire against fire, diamond eut aia-
mond, and the better equipped men have
won. The association has a secret commit
tee of three-the protective committee. No
one save the president, the secretary and the
treasurer knows of whom this committee
consists. The banks themselves only know
tnat these men are eminent bankers all of
New York, and that they meet frequently.
rms secret trio is what the thieves of
America have to contend against A grim
THO 1t is to fight against. The three can
draw against the association for unlimited
funds: their methods are always indorsed
Not for one moment should it be supposed.
however, tn they ever show their hea dc
OUTSIDE or their committee room. They
have devised better system than that.
Al high retainer the Pinkertons and
Their cohorts have been engaged to spy out
ana report. The protective committee is in
constant communication with the chiefs of
this detective bureau. Through them it has
collected detailed reports about every crook
In America. 1t knows the whereabouts of
each. 1t ca warn with pointed remarks
any criminal at almost an hours notice
From the highest to the lowest there is
thus what is practically secret network
CT communication. These unknown bankers
cross swords with the SnreWdest crooks a
thief is set to warn a thief-a better, a
cheaper plan than to catch him after he
has sinned, so perfect are the plans of
these detectives. And again and again In
never-endng iteration, The message given
above. is sent out.
III crookland all this is understood, and
sharpers and burglars are warned to have
a care for that bank displaying a little
aluminium sign above its tellers cage,
Member of American Bankers Associa-
ton
Source of Security.
Such is the new science of bank protec-
ton. The banks keep their bolts and bars
and exercise all their old-time care but
they find their securest means of simply
soaring prospective criminals off The sta
tstics given below seem to point to success.
AS well-known bank official of New York
said to the writer the other dav with a
twinkle in his eye:
lf you want to rob a bank the safest
ana best way today is to get elected pres
ident of it.
Seriously" he went on, there is more
danger from the inside than from the out
side now. The vaults of the New York
banks at least are absolutely impregnable,
ana even II man should get inside he
would not find much to steal The main
dangers to bank, now that this protective
system Is In operation, are from people
doing business with ii, people who are prop
erly introduced and who seem to be honest
but are, nevertheless. swind ers. OF course
nothlhg aNailS against these but watchful-
ness. These are the people that are really
dangerous: the swindlers from outside are
petty and little more than a nuisance"
mat the results of the protective system
OF the banks may be shown clearly this
extract Is taken from the committees last
report Submitted August j, 1888:
Results of the System.
i. From May /. 1875, to August 1, 1898,
members of the American Bankers Associ-
alton suffered by burglars, robbers and
sneak thieves a total loss of $3.50
80. From May 1, 1885, to August 1. 1898.
banks non members of the association suf-
fered, in the same way, reported losses OF
over 100000.
%. So far as can be ascertained, there is
but one organized band of professional
criminals now operating on the banks of
TINS country, and up to this time it has not
attacked member of the association.
II. In the past year. the only burglary
committed on a member of the association
since February, 1885, occurred at Boelus.
Neb., October :, 1897. Otis Anselon and OF
to Warwick We're arrested for this burglary
and have been sentenced to three years
and six months and eight years imprison-
ment. respectively.
"A comparison of the total reported losses
shows that:
I'm the four months from January 1 to
May l, 1895, members lost by burglars and
robbers. s23.7o6.