Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1900-11-30
ODD BANK VISITORS. J..
eHANks ARE ALMOST As MUCH TO BE
FEARED AS CROOKS.

Paying TeIieFA Have Go Ne Models Of
Vigilance An the Time to DODGE
the schemes and the sehemeru That
LIE In Wait For Them.
Many are the uses and the schemes
that are devised for the purpose or
beating the paying tellers In banks,
and the cranks are e5 much to be fear.
ed ns the crooks.
THAT old man who has Just left the
bank" said the teller as he rnn his
fingers quickly over the new bills, "bns
been coming to this place every day
for the past two years calling for mon
ey. lie comes In every morning exact
ly at II o'clock and asks quietly II his
check has arrived. always have TO
tell him no. and he thanks me gracious
ly and goes away. was new at the
bnhk when he came In the Hrst time,
but | saw at a glance that he had some.
thing the matter with bis headgenr.
When he asked about his money, | told
him that we had nothing. and he look.
cd 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 | thought he had given
up the hunt as a bad thing. For
month he kept away, but by and by he
bobbed up sercnely again.
I've been Sick he said, and hope
l have not caused you any incon-
venlence In holding my money. No
money here? what? That is strange
with this he thanked me and went
away. He viii be here again In the
morning, and he'll keep coming day
after day until death sends him to q
bigger bank. The man Is just a 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 supcrstiticus now II
he falls to come In, and I'll gamble
that that blac' porter yonder will quit
his Job the very first time that old man
falls to make his daily visit"
The teller leaned on the coGnter
Yes" he went on. "it would surprise
you to know how mAny people come
bere 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 eVi-
IDENTIFY been drinking rushed in and
yelled to me that he wanted $1,000. /
had never seen him before. and be
made no pretense 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 90 seconds.
with his hand on lis 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
S~hiG DdNh " INV
Another time had a really danger
Gus crazy man to handle. but acted
like a fash and possibly saved my
skin. II was about o'clock one sum-
mer day when the Weather was sitting.
The front and side doors were prop
ped open 10 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 gllstened
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
iy, and In a 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 II
had not sent him out that door.
Another strange thing happened
once while | was working as a clerk
In another bank. WAS standing by
the teller's counter when a nicely dress
W JOdhB AAuA AAt WAAAAAB
awkwardly. He managed TO reach the
teller and presented n paper. win
you please cash this for meT 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
a game are you trying to work. The
man sYaanad sXVhV II IL a ChaaLr no
called quickly. Not much said the
teller. handing it back. The man look
ed at It. Good GOdr he cried Then
| am bllndr They took him away. aud
he died at the hospital before he had
a chance to explain. The doctors said
II was a mystery. and the mans body
was kept for six months. Finally It
was sent to Kansas on the order OF
woman who wired a description and
1. Co.,