The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-03-20
Circuit court.
Henry Clau Ilap Ttrdoa
RESPECTABILITY IN ENGLAND.
American Woman Tries to Open q
Bank Account.

Florence Hayward, in st. Louis Globe
Democrat.
The subject of responsibility brings 20
mind the experience of an American wom-
an in London, who found that the bank
with which she had been dealing was in
conveniently far away. and concluded TO
transfer her account to another one, which
was, by the way, a branch of the first bank.
So, not being versed in the ways of banks
in general, and English banks in particular
very particular, one might say-she went
to the branch bank, said she wished to open
an account, and handed over largish draft
by way of beginning. The bank gentleman
had her indorse il, put 1T carefully away,
and then said:
Now, I'll kindly trouble you for refer
ences."
place as cook
"Ah. quite so, quite So But. all. you un-
derstand we shall be obliged to have some
references.
"Well, there's your own bank. the main
one. I've been having an account there for
a year or two; you might ask them about
me-"
''Ah, quite so: but we would prefer a per-
81 don't understand"
mo- but X is customary when a new
customer comes to the bank -
But I'm not a new customer.
Comes TO the bank. that there should be
SCme er, guarantee offered
You have guarantee enough, think You
have an Endorsed check for all the money
aAh. YES, quite So but quite aside from
that, what Is wanted is personal guarantee
from some one we know, as to the respecta-
bility of a new client.
''The-what?'
'The-ah-respectabilit
bility, is that it,!
quite right"
A painful pause ensued, broken by the
American woman asking with dangerous
sweetness. lis this the - Bank?
Yes. the street branch of the -
Bank"
81 begin to understand. t is the bank
that let itself be robbed Of Mrs Langtry s
jewels, about three years ago..
"Er-ah--well, yes, 1t is
so. then, Mrs. Langtry is customer OF
this bank"
Yes, quite right.
We'll / don't wonder at your bank asking
for outside guarantees of responsibility: II
evidently doesn't know 1t when 1t sees 1t. |"
"Ah, madame. come; that remark is bit
al intended it to he. Under the circum-
my responsibility vouched for. and by really
competent judges. You will be good enough
10 inquire of - and here the American
mighty names, which the bank gentleman
assured her more than satisfied him; he
would open her account at once.
ell right If you had made your inquiries
first before you took my check and had me
irdorse 1t, and put Ii away safe and SOUND
But you secured the check first and then
began your catechism, and think III just
trouble you to let me have the draft back
again."
II hope il is; at any rate IL is most as
agreeable. You don't know now that told
the truth about knowing those people whom
/ lust mentioned as my references l may
be a perfectly respectable impostor: and
think you would feel safer IL you just re-
turned me the check. . .
So she tucked it in her glove and sailed
out feeling pleased, h1t not as much so
as when an hour later message came say,
ing that the manager of the bank presented
his compliments, and could she make IL con-
yenient to see him. OF course IL turned out
that IL was the assistant manager who had
heen so elementary in his way or receiving
the American woman and the deposit II
ALWAYS Is one assistant something, or the
deputy somebody that makes those mis-
takes II happens so invariably. that, in my
mind theory has grown up TO the effect
tLat the making Of a mistake in England Is
what changes a man from being manager
to a deputy manager, or cashier INTO an
assistant cashier, just for the moment, OF
course