The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1905-07-08
WOMEN AND BANKING
oOD NOTIONS OF SOME OF THE FAIR
SEX ABOUT FINANCE.

4 Veteran Banker Exhibits . Curl.
o0s Line Of Sample Cases Tbas
Came Under His Observation In the
Course Of Business.
Business women Of course" said a
veteran banker, understand the rou.
tine Of banking from the customers
side Of it about as well as men, but
the queer ideas the average woman
Not in business has about bank would
make q totem pole laugh.
II lost an awful good account once
because I couldn't convince a woman
that a note put In the bank for collec-
tion is not money. She came in one
day, made out deposit slip and tried
to deposit note just due. The teller
told her that he would forward it for
collection. That seemed to strike her
az all right, and she kept on writing
checks against her account.
''She overdrew In a day or two and
we sent her notice. She came down in
q towering rage and asked me what
my bank meant by insulting her. Over
drawn? Ridiculous! Why, she had
deposited $1,000 only few days ago.
What had we done with that money?
II tried to explain to her that the
deposit she referred to was only a
note sent out for collection; that it had
not been paid and might be returned
unpaid. She few into a passion. What
did she care about It? She had given
It into the bank, and she meant to have
the money on it
What were banks for? I cautioned
her against checking against the
amount Of the note until it had been
paid, but she went away in a huff and
kept right on making checks until we
had to stop her. We refused her
checks, marking them No funds and
then she withdrew her account. It
turned out to be dandy afterward,
but to this day, understand, she can't
see any difference between notes.
checks, drafts and currency.
Strange as it may seem, the number
Of women-honest, absolutely guileless
women-who write other persons sig
natures to checks Is large. Only to-
day, for instance, the daughter of one
Of our best customers came into the
bank with a check for $500 made pay
able to herself.
"Her fathers name was signed to 1t,
and he had plenty of money in the
bank, but his daughter had signed his
name herself. We explained to her
that we couldn't pay out money on
such an order or request.
But Sid she, we haven't a cent
of money in the house. Papa is on the
train somewhere between here and
New York, and I-you don't suppose
he'd hesitate to give US $500, do your
'"rhat young woman did not and
could not understand why she didn't
have as much right to use her fathers
credit at the bank as she had to use
it at the dry goods stores and the
butcher shops. l wanted to tell her
that she had really committed forgery,
but I didn't. l advanced the money
on my personal account, and she went
away a bit miffed and fancying that
we were a fussy. unreasonable lot of
money gatherers.
Things like that are always coming
up In every bank. We had one depos-
itor, an inexperienced young widow.
She had over 3O,OOO in the bank. One
day she came In and wrote a check for
the full balance. payable to herself.
The teller stared and asked how she'd
have It Any way would suit her, she
said, only she wanted the cash.
HE sent word to me and began to
count out the money in 500 and $500
notes. After counting them over she
wrapped the whole sum up in news
paper and went out We were all puz-
Fled, and we were afraid she might
be robbed, 30 sent two Of the clerks
after her to see what she did with the
money as well as to protect her. She
walked through the crowded streets
about six blocks to another bank and
deposited the whole $4,000 to the cred
1t Of a poor young lawyer to whom.
we afterward learned, she was en-
gagged to be married.
II don't think he was then aware Of
her intention to transfer her money to
his account or he would have advised
her to get certified or cashiers check
instead Of Juggling her fortune through
the downtown streets Of city like
this.
1.-The woman depositor who can't IN
derstand why other persons checks de-
posted by herself are deducted from
her account when they are no good Is a
familiar character In nearly every
bank.
when such check comes back and
they are asked to take 1t up they will
look unutterable scorn at the teller or
collector and say: I put it back? Well.
l guess not. Why should l pay It? l
didn't make it out. Mr.. So-and-so gave
It to me, and II 1t isn't good that's his
lookout. Go after him. The idea!
Surely you don't expect me to pay out
my own good money for Mr.. So-and-
sor
by drawing several diagrams, exert
ing much patience and diplomacy, you
may convince such q woman that she
haa to cover the had checks she de-