The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1900-07-20
ODD BANK VISITORS.
CRANKS ARE ALMOST AS MUCH TO BE
FEARED AS CROOKS.
Paying TcIIcrs Have to BE Models of
Vigilance All the Time to Dodge
the Schemes and the Schemers That
Lie In Wait For Them.


Vigilance All the Time to Dodge
the Schemes and the Schemers That
Lie In Wait For Them.
Many are the uses and the schemes
that are devised for the purpose of
beating the paying tellers in banks,
and the cranks are as much to be fear
ed as the crooks.
THAT old man who has just left the
bank" said the teller as he ran his
fingers quickly over the new bills has
been coming to this place every day
for the past two years calling for mon
ely. He comes in every morning exact
ly at II O'Clock and asks quietly if his
check has arrived | always have to
tell him no. and he thanks me gracious
ly and goes away. | was new at the
bank when he came in the first time,
but | saw at a glance that he had some
thing the matter with his headgear.
When he asked about his money, told
him that we had nothing, and he look.
ed greatly surprised and worried. He
asked many other questions and then
left. He returned the next morning
and the next, and he has been coming
ever since. One day he failed to show
himself, and l thought he had given
up the hunt as II bad thing. For a
month he kept away, but by and by he
bobbed up serenely again.
"'Tve been sick he said, and hope
| have not caused you any incon-
venence in holding my money. No
money here? What? That is strange
with this he thanked me and went
away. He will be here again in the
morning, and he'll keep coming day
after day until death sends him to a
bigger bank. The man is just sample
of what we get every day, although he
is the most regular chap of the kind
have ever seen. The boys around the
bank feel rather superstitiOus now If
he fails to come in, and I'll gamble
that that black porter yonder will quit
his job the very first time that old man
fails to make his daily visit
The teller leaned on the counter.
yes" he went on, cit would surprise
you to know how many people come
here day after day TO get money when
they have absolutely no reason for
coming. They have no papers on which
money can be secured, but they just
come right along. hoping, | guess, that
some day they will hit the bank. Now,
last week a big fellow who had evil
IDENTITY been drinking rushed in and
yelled to me that he wanted $1,000,
had never seen him before, and he
made no pretcnse of handing up any
papers. He said he was in big rush
| realized at once that he was crazy,
and | acted quickly. Reaching back
to my drawer, | put my hand on my
revolver and waited. He did not see
the weapon. The vault Is closed
said, and you cannot get any money
today. With that he reached his hand
to his hip pocket, but did not move,
| looked him squarely in the eye and
waited. He stood there for 20 seconds,
with his hand on his hip and his eyes
on me, and then he cowed. Without a
word he turned his back to me and
walked out tried to find out who
the man was, but failed, and he never
came back to repeat the demand.
another time | had a really danger.
Gus crazy man to handle, but | acted
like Il flash and possibly saved my
skin. 1t was about O'Clock one sum
mer day when the weather was sitting.
The front and side doors were prop
ped open to let in the breeze, and
was looking over the books when n
big fellow ran in the front door scream
Ing. | looked up and saw him flourish
a butcher knife, which fairly glistened
in the light. Where did he go with
that money! he called at the top of
his voice as he halted and looked at
me. Right out that door | said quick
ly, and in n moment the man had dash
ed through the door and went sailing
down the alley. A policeman was call
ed, but the man was not seen after
ward, | am sure | would have felt
the edge Of his dangerous knife if
had not sent him ont that door.
another strange thing happened
once while | was working as a clerk
In another bank. | was standing by
the teller's counter when nicely dress
ed young man came in, walking rather
awkwardly. He managed to reach the
teller and presented a paper. Will
you please cash this for me?' he said.
The teller took the paper mechanically
and looked at the stranger Why, this
is no good, he said. This is only a
piece of white paper. What kind of
n game are you trying to work. The
man gasped. Why, it is check he
called quickly. Not much said the
teller, handing it back. The man look
ed at it. Good Godr he cried Then
| am blindr They took him away, and
he died at the hospital before he had
II chance to explain. The doctors said
it was a mystery, and the mans body
was kept for six months Finally it
was sent to Kansas on the order of a
woman who wired a description and
said it was her sons. New York Sun
The Banynn Tree.
In the fruiting season the banyan
tree is an arbor for the feathered crea-