The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1901-04-26
ODD BANK VISITORS.

UUU BANK vlSllUkS. !.
cRARks ARE ALMOST AS MUCH 70 DE-,
FEARED AS CROOKS.
Paying Tellers Have to he Models Of
Vigilance All the Time to Dodge
the Schemes and the schemers That
\ Lie In Wait ForsThem.
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--
ey. He comes In every morning exact
~ at II o'clock and asks quietly IL his
check has arrived. always have to
tell him no, and he thanks me gracious
ly and goes away. I was new at the
bank when he came in the first time.
but saw at n 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 thought he had given
up the hunt as q bad thing. For
month he kept away, but by and by he
bobbed up serenely again.
I've been SICK he said, and hope
have not caused you any incon-
venience 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 IL
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.
Eyes," he went on, at 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 pretense of handing up any
papers. He said he was in big rush.
l realized at once that he was crazy,
and l 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.
l 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
word he turned his back to me ana
walked out. tried to find out who
the man was, but failed, and he never
came back to repeat the demand.
Another time had really danger
GUS crazy man to handle, but I acted
like a 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 q
big fellow ran in the front door scream
ing. looked up and saw him flourish
butcher Knife, which fairly glistened
in the light. Where did he 20 with
that money? he called at the top of
his voice as he halted and looked at
me. Right out that door, said quick
~, and in 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. l am sure l would have felt
the edge Of his dangerous knife If
had not sent him out that door.
Another strange thing happened
once while was working as a clerk
in another bank. l was standing by
the .teller's counter when q nicely dress
ed young man came in, walking rather
awkwardly. He managed to reach the
teller and presented paper. will
you please cash this for .meY he said.
The teller took the paper mechanically
and looked at the stranger. why, this
is no good he said. This is only
piece Of white paper. What kind Of
a game are you trying to work. The
man gasped. why, it is a check he
called quickly. Not much said the
teller, handing it back. The man look
ed at it. Good Godr he cried. Then
am blind! They took him away, and
he died at the hospital before he had
q chance to explain. The doctors said