The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1913-09-05
A VISIT TO
THE BANK
What Resulted From an
UNEXPECTED Meeting.

I am retired from the banking bust
ness after thirty years service. On
one occasion during this long term a
singular thing occurred. The bank l
was connected with was a small affair,
and we rarely had in the vault over
fifty or sixty thousand dollars In cur
rency, but at one time, owing to a pc
culiar financial condition Of the coun-
try, We had over 100000 on Saturday
at the close Of banking hours.
That Saturday night l fell to think
ing about this great sum on hand. Our
safe was an old pattern and could be
readily opened by any bank robber
with an ordinary capacity for his busi-
ness. The combination was known to
two officers Of the bank (the president
and cashier) and myself. I was paying
teller. l was not thinking Of any dan
ger from within, only from without. I
sat at home thinking about 1t till after
midnight, then, without any definite
purpose, put on my hat and walked to
the bank. I strolled past the building.
turned back and, yielding to an I'm
pulse, went in, made straight for the
vault, saw no evidence Of change and
was about to turn away when a desire
seized me to see that the cash was
there. I was turning the combination
knob when the door opened and the
cashier entered.
"What are you doing hereY he ask
ed, evidently astonished and at the
same time suspicious.
II came to see that the cash il all
right. What did you come forT
II came for that too. I confess I
didn't expect to find the teller Of the
bank opening the vault"
"And I didn't expect the cashier to
put In an appearance. Your tone indi-
Gates a suspicion that I am here to
rob-"
II can't think Of anything more sus-
picious than the teller Of the bank
opening the vault at / o'clock In the
morning"
At that moment a door at the other
end Of the room opened, and who
should walk in but the president. On
seeing us he looked surprised.
whats ~happened?" he asked quick
ly. "Any funds missing?"
II think not" said the cashier. "But
there is no telling how much would
have been taken had l not arrived at
the nick of time"
II was worried" I faltered, 'at hav-
ing so large an amount Of currency in
the safe and could not resist an i'm
pulse to come and see that all was
right"
"And count the funds!" sneered the
cashier.
"What brought you?" asked the pres
ident Of the cashier.
The cashier tried to stammer out a
better excuse than I had given and.
failing, finally blurted:
"And what brought you. for the mat
ter Of that?"
II? I often come to the bank before
going to bed to see that all is safe.
Tonight. having so much currency in
the safe, l was especially anxious"
"Havlng come first" 1 said, ION the
same errand, I presume I am caught in
the act"
what were you opening the vault
for?" asked the cashier. Couldn't you
see that It hadn't been tempered
WITH" .0l..
II could see that 1t hadn't been
blown open, but l couldn't see that the
lock hadn't been picked or that some
one knowing the combination hadn't
opened 1t and taken the funds"
Gentlemen" said the president, 1--WE
will have a look at the money and go
home"
1 was directed to open the safe. The
bills were found in piles IS they had
been left in the afternoon. and the safe
vas closed, and we separated.
The next day I was called before the
president for an examination. which
lasted two hours, and when 1 came out
Of his private Office I saw the cashier
60 in. as I inferred. for a similar pur-
pose. Notwithstanding that I showed
a clean record. the president and cash
Ter after consultation decided to dis
miss me.
I appealed to the board Of directors.
giving them a statement of the facts.
After a meeting or consultation the
board gave out a decision that the
meeting Of the three In the bank vas q
coincidence, that there wal no guilt at
tached to any one Of us. hut, rather. we
were all to be commended for our
w~atchfulness.
The only good this did me was that I
retained my position. l was still under
suspicion. This was fostered by the
cashier, who. l supposed. won over the
president to his views. Nevertheless
the president acquiesced in the decision
OF the board and e~xonerated me.
II wa but a few weeks after all this
happened that we were startled at an
announcement that the president had
resigned and the cashier had been pro-
NOTED to the vacant position. I was
smarting under what ! considered q