Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1907-09-12
|sECRE CHECK SIGNS.
Ways by Which Millionaires Pro-
tect Their Signatures.
.FolLs AGAINST FORGERlEs.

IN the Absence Of the Hidden Mark az
Bank Will Refuse TO Pay--An In,
stance Which Shows How the Secret
Sign May Serve Other Purposes.
If all reports be true, then the life
Of the millionaire, like that of the po-
liceman, is most certainly not a happy
one. {55s: u
There Is little doubt that certain
class of criminals regard millionaires
as legitimate prey, and the million
aires, knowing this, are compelled to.
contrive schemes to thwart their cum
ming. #
The modern method of doing BUSH
ness by check has to large extent,
provided the forger with opportunities
for the exhibition of his workmanship.
Therafore many of the millionaire's
schemes for his protection relate to
his signature on checks, and these
schemes. which usually consist of Sc,
cret marks entirely apart from the
signature, Indicate to the bank the
genuineness Of the checks and are
mostly Of a simple character.
Far and away the most clever idea
for protecting a check signature is the
one utilized by an American million
aire whose name Is as well known In
Great Britain as in the States.
His idea is an extremely simple one.
1t is this: On the back Of each check
that he signs he makes a tiny blot,
which looks SO innocent and natural.
But should the blot be missing then
the bank will decline to honor the
check. This little blot saved the mill
lionaire $5O, 900 on one occasion alone.
Early one morning he was kidnapped
His captors threatened violence unless
they received 10000 immed iately. The
millionaire thought. Then, after hest
tation fora few minutes, he offered to
write out check for the money then
and there on the understanding that
Immediately the check was cashed he
was to be released.
| The terms were accepted and the
millionaire wrote out the check, but
he left out the blot He certainly had
great confidence In his plan, for 1t was
impossible to tell what might happen
when the check was presented and
payment Of 1t refused.
However, the kidnapers went off to
the bank and presented the check OF
course the cashier looked for the blot,
4 and when he saw that 1t was missing
he suspected that something was
wrong. Payment of the check was
refused on the ground that II was In.
complete, and the men went away, fol
lowed by officials Of the bank, who
were fortunately able to rescue the
4 millionaire from the desperadoes
i hands.
Another man of great wealth. dis,
j poses of the signature difhculty In q
different way altogether. He protects
himself by never giving an uncrossed
check. and this fact has duly been
4 notified to the bank.
4 Each day his bank pass book is ex
i amined by his private secretary, and
i there is an entry in the book which
4 has no business there then the matter
j can be looked into at once. or course
a If the bankers pass forged check
n then, generally speaking. they mus
bear the loss themselves :Ss
Il This system has many disadvan
q tages. 1t means that the man mus
q never allow his check book out OF hi
& possession and must place unreservet
confidence in his secretary and bill
stair "a s#
!. The private secretary supplies hi
!, employer with any cash required. re
Iceiying in exchange duly crosse,
: check for the amount 1t Is the privat
secretary, therefore. who has to protec
his signature from forgery, and thi
d he does In a very ingenious way. 81
!. has had q copy of his signature Gu
out OF cork This he uses as he woul
an india rubber stamp, and he claim
that 1t is as impossible to initiate tn
I markings of the cork as it Is imposs
d BILE to duplicate the impression OF th
( human thumb.
{ At any rate, the novelty Of the Idle
e has sufiiced to scare OFT would be fol
t gers. for 1t is stated that no one ha
4 ever attempted to copy the cork sill
d nature. 55
vi Placing small grease spot on til
/. check Is another protective ide,
e though the spot has in this case to i
e precisely In prearranged position
e In "a further case the check Is nevt
y torn out OF the check book quit
le straight. There Is always lift
4 piece torn off down part of one sid
seemingly in quite an accidental maj
ner. .R
But still all these devices may Id
O. at times, and in every case the expel
le snce and cuteness Of the bank ofEicla
so afford additional protection. Indee
i. this experience Is perhaps the create
II safeguard Of all. PearsOn,s Weekiy.
10 Electric RAiIsay irseystsr.
Of The electric railway had many