The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1908-08-24
0vershadowing in Its 1ightiness
FARMER TOOK NO CHANCES.
canny Virginian Would Not Leave
His Money in Bank at Night

His Money in Bank at Night
Bank officials see many curious
sides of human nature" said a
prominent Virginiau while talking 20
some old friends IN ~, lobby Of u
Washington hotel recently II spent
a wee, down I'm q town in Clarke
County last month and one day dur
ing my stay ,Hea / aauutgfsI into
the local national bank just before it
closed for the day VIII e. I vas
talking to the bank teller, middle
aged cuuntryman came NJ TO the
window He looked both we!l-to-do
and intelligent The teller broke OH
talking to me to attend to hls
duties
What can do for you, slr?' he
asked the stranger
want to draw out my $500, an
swered the farmer, handing in his
check, payable to self, and his bank
book
Why, what's wrong? asked the
teller, obviously much astonished.
You only deposited this amount with
us this morning.
"I haven't any fault to find with
YOU returned the farmer, carefully
couUting his money and putting It In
an old leather wallet. 4 think these
banks are pretty good places, but
reckon I'm not such a darn fool as
to leave my money here over night
Nov, that actually happened"
went on the Virginian, as his friends
laughed incredulously. And I'd a
heap rather be that overcautious Vir-
ginia farmer than as gullible as
friend of mine who lives in rural
| district in Nebraska. He's a lawyer
! Of some prominence in that state, and
as a side issue TO his law practice he
often collects bad debts for city busi-
ness firms.
We'll, one day last summer man
appeared In his Office and said he rep
resented a hardware firm in Lincoln.
This firm had bill Of $50 against
a farmer living about 10 miles out
side the village, The lawyer looked
over the mans papers and found
them apparently all right Knowing
that the farmer was well on and
would probably make prompt pay
w""i 70 .-.-' % co'l""t the money
.H ... ..-..-... 80. ....a ra!i 10 per
cent. So when the stranger went out
Of the Office he wrote a note to the
farmer, requesting an immediate
| answer, aud posted 1t.
\ NINtta la Ia Lat
ter from the farmer saying the bill
| had been overlooked and inClosed
his check for $50 in payment A
little later that morning the city man
came in. and The lawyer handing
him the letter and its inclosure, said:
" 1 knew he would pay up prompt
ly."
But he has made the check pay
| able to you, and I've got to catch
The train to Lincoln. Can you coma
up to the bank with me at once?' re-
sponded the stranger.
No, I'm particularly busy this
morning,
" Oh, all right replied the strang-
| er, Just make me out check on
your bank deduCting, of course, your
commission from the amount
80 he promptly wrote out check
for $l35, gave it to the stranger, and
then they parted. The lawyer
chuckled all the morning over maxi
| ing Sl5 so easily, but the laugh
changed to a curse when he went to
the bank and found the farmers
| check was a good forgery.
"He had been the victim of expert
confidence men. The scheme had
been well worked out; for the strang-
er representing a bogus firm, had
confederate who picked the lock OF
the wealthy farmers rural delivery
box, extracted the lawyers letter.
and then, allowing a few days TO
elapse, sent the forged letter and
check to the lawyer. Oh, IL was neat.
very neat, and the lawyer whistled
in vain for his $685." finished the
| Virginian,
'Oh, well," laughed one of his list
eners, as he rose to CO. tits not the
first time Nebraskan has been taxi
en- in, especially by smooth takers
Washington Post