The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-03-30
|OFTEN TRUSTED
WITH BIG SUMS
New York Messengers Often
Garry Great Fortunes.
BOYS Do THE WORK
Are Especially Chosen Ia Wall Street
Dfstrict-Often Sent to Other
Cities to Carry Valuable
Securities.

From the New York World
The Disappearance of $4,000 bill from
the pocket of Benson Lang, T-year-old
messenger boy while on his way from the
brokerage house of Hornbower & Weeks,
at AZ Broadway, to the National City
bank, was but an instance in a traffic in
millions that is being carried on daily
in the financial district below the dead
line" at Fulton street. with no more Sc
curity than the hands or pockets of
youngsters whose ages range from Is to
"a years.
Yet with all the temptation put before
the youths instances of incorporation
are exceedingly rare Wall street trusts
them implicitly as it does its bonded ex-
press companies, its highly paid bank
presidents and cashiers and insurance
presidents and directors who go astray
with much more frequency than the small
boy custodians of great wealth.
One boy will frequently handle mil
lion dollars In checks, cash and security
Charles F. Sullivan, who lives in Jersey
City and works for one of the messenger
companies which have stations in the
lfuditidi piotiitt, iittS Oitch Ioiiditu as
much money as he could carry. He toted
more than 100000 in small bills from one
of the banks to a brokers' office last Au-
gust.
The idea that a messenger boy should
be entrusted with such a sum of money
may seem strange to many persons who
are not familiar with the scope of the
messenger business in Wall street. Such
transactions are not unusual. Some OF
them carry large fortunes in money,
bonds, Jewels and securities as the aver
age mortal would cake of soap.
One day a prominent Wall street house
sent boy to bank with coupons call
ing for $4,000 in currency. Three hours
later he was found playing craps in the
hallway. He had won 80 cents. He had
obtained the currency on the coupons and
it reposed In his inside pocket.
A craps game was raided on the side
walk in New York two months ago. and
In the pocket of John Conner, district
messenger, the police found 5000. 1t was
brought out In court that he had been
sent by broker to deposit the money
in bank
sent to Other Cities.
Messengers carrying thousands of dol
lars in securities also travel every week
day up and down town In the elevated
and subway. Boys are even sent TO Phil
auSlDnlu, bOSlOfi dHd SHitd6O Will &c
sums A boy will take a million dollars
in bonds to Philadelphia at an expense
of about &c. whereas an express compa-
ny's charges would be about $40.
on another occasion that has been re-
called a boy collected $4,000 on a certified
check and turned it over to the cashier.
As he was going out the head of the firm
handed him over 81 bill with request
that he purchase dozen oranges. The
temptation of this small bill was too great
for him and he disappeared. A week
later his mother returned the 81 to the
firm
The boys regularly employed as mes
sengers by banks and firms get from "a
to SIS a week. They are known as run
ners.'' With some hanks and private
firms. though. the regular employment
OF district messengers has become a GUS
tom. 1t saves the trouble of hiring boys
and the looking up of their references,
and the employers have the advantage of
looking to a responsible company IL any
thing goes wrong. Each downtown mes
senger office has number of boys who
are called TRUSTEES" by their compan-
ions They are the ones who regularly
carry funds.
Great care Is taken in their selection
so that none but those of absolute re-
spectabillty and good character are over
engaged No boy is given this work who
livcs In a lodging house He must live
with parents or responsible guardians.
Their pay is no greater than that OF the
boy who delivers letter, and not nearly
as remrnerative as that of the youth who
escorts Adamless Ewes TO the theatre
They are supposed to earn 80 cents an
hour for the company, out Of which they
get Is cents for themselves, If they hus-
lie and do two errands within that time
the company gets 60 cents and they get
30 cents But frequently it takes them an
hour TO 60 to bank and make a de-
post because OF, their having TO stand in.
line. a. . result 4ke boz nss'st stand re-.