Evening star., 1909-08-29

went directly to the presidents office. he noticed
that the cashier, Cheever at the window of the
paying teller, instead of Wilson.
Mr. Carleton l shouldn't have had this happen
for the world said President Williams the New
more SO as the finger of suspicion points strongly
toward one of our most trusted employees
Il have just come from Mr.. Hassemann," Carle-
ton said He tells me that both you and he are
anxious to avoid publicity. quite understand how
desirable this is from his point of view, and yours
Have you the check?"
Williams drew the slip of paper from his desk and
passed it to Carleton, who studied it intenty.
That is obviously not sg gnature, although
very cleverly executed, said the latter 1t would
pass muster almost anywhere, unless suspicion
directed to it. Curtiss & Co. deny any knowledge of
the check and their Endorsement of it. Apparently
the person who committed the forgery counted on
the fact that the Roosevelt Trust a insti
tuition and uptown one, its officials would not be
familiar with the signatures of firm and of Cur
tiss & Co., with the form of check used by Loring
& Co. There is absolutely similarity between this
and our regular Autographed blanks. Now as to the
certifcation, Mr.. Hassemann tells me that he called
up Mr.. Wilson on the telephone and obtained his as
that the check was o. K This seems to me
to be very like Mr. Wilson's signature. What do you
make Of it, Mr.. Wiliams?
THE bank president cleared his throat nervously
Its bad business all the way through, Mr.
Carleton" he declared, very bad business! When
this check came in this morning for collection, Mr.
Cheever, cashier, brought it straight to He
said that Mr. Wilson, the paying teller, repudiated
the certcation and declared that he had never seen
the check before.
When Mr. Hasselmann informed me this morning
that Wilson had assured him Saturday that the
check was all right sent for Wilson and demanded
his explanation. He not only denied that he had
given any such assurance to Mr. Hasselmann, but de-
clared he not in the bank at the time-ten min
utes past twelve last Saturday-Mr Hasselmann
says he had his conversation with him. Wilson's
explanation is that shortly before twelve o'clock a
young woman of his acquaintance called him up on
the telephone, asking him to meet her at noon and
that he left the bank to keep the appointment
promptly the hour. He says he did not return
until o'clock, when he remained to finish up his
work for the day.
:" Did anyone see him go at twelve?" asked
Carleton quickly.
The correspondence clerk and the boolkeeper
the only other persons in the bank that time
Mr. Cheever (the cashier) and l left little before
president of the Mellor Trust Company and one
of directors at his home in Newark The
respondence clerk thinks he Wilson go out; but
he might easily have returned almost Immediately
And Wilson has been with the bank-how long?"
About eleven years He came to first quite
a lad and gradually promoted until he reached
his present post / thought to see him ge.
wrong like this, and the president sighed
We'll such thing is not altogether unknown"
Carleton remarked. " Had you noticed that he
living beyond his salary, anything of the sort''
= know that he has been out late nights leading
gay life in ultrafashionabe set, and that takes
money, more money than he can afford to spend on
the salary pay him. | have demonstrated with
him about it,. but he seemed to resent my well
meant advice
" He didn't appear to fear detection" observed
Carleton dryly. From whom the telephone
call that he says took him away from the bank?'
:" He appeared reluctant to tell, at first; but at
last | got him to say it from Miss Nathalie
Meor Mr.. Mellor's daughter, asking him to meet
her at the soda fountain in Cromer's drugstore,
couple of blocks from here. He also said that
though he waited sometime for her. she did not ap-
pear took the precaution to call up Miss Mellor,
and she denied that she had called him up talked
to him at all This indeed what expected her
to say for at that time she receiving Mr. Cheever
and, her fafh har'c hntco IN 7
taxed Wilson with lying me- he refused to discuss
the matter further