The Washington herald., 1914-03-02
HISTORY BUILDERS.
Men Who Postponed CasLiss Their
Cheeks.
Cwritten expressly for The Herald)
BY DIR. Z. }. EDWARDS.

Written expressly for The Herald)
n BY DIR. Z. J. EDWARDS.
i I HAPPENED to mention Incidental.
= iy one day to Asa Potter. who was
formerly banker Of Boston. and
was intimately associated On business
with Jonas French. at one time chair
man Of the Democratic state central
committee, of Massachusetts, an incl
dent which had been narrated to me
by the late Charles Finney Cox. who
was for many years in a post Of high
executive authority In the Vanderbilt
railway system
/ said: Mr.. Cox told me of an ex-
traordinary incident which came within
his personal knowledge and which re-
lated TO a curious disposition respect
ing his investments by a man who
owned a large block of the securities
Of the New York Central and Hudson
River Railroad companies. This mans
dividends, which ip the aggregate each
year were large. were forwarded to
him by check After his death the sd-
ministrators upon his estate discovered
a large number of these dividend
checks which had never been deposited
or offered for payment. This investor
had kept them in a secure place, but
had evidently felt that the money
which these dividends represented was
as safe in he form OF checks as in any
other. The aggregate amount was
some ten thousand dollars. The ad-
ministrators presented them, and they
were duly paid over to the estate"
Il can tell you OF an incident some
what similar to that. although the
amount involved was not so large"
said Mr.. Potter. For many years be-
fore his death, John p. Healy was the
Boston city solicitor. His relations
with prominent politicians were inti-
mate. and he could. II he had been SO
disposed, have secured nomination and
probably election to a more conspicu-
Gus office than the one which he held.
He was a man Of great personal popu-
larity, the soul of honor. and was wide
ly respected.
Among his more intimate personal
friends was Frederick Prince, the Bos-
tor banker who for many years was
the treasurer Of the National Demo-
cratic committee. That relation to ma
tional politics brought Mr.. Prince into
very close association with the men
who were of the highest influence in
Democratic politics, not only In Massa-
chusetts, but throughout the United
States
Prince had any knowledge of the pc
culiar way in which Mr.. HeaIy kept
a portion, at least, of his bank ac-
count. but I have always had an idea
that Mr.. Prince did have his own sUs-
picion Of Mr. Healy's unique method Of
banking.
1T was not known generally, how
ever. until after Mr.. Healy's death
Then those who administered his es-
many unpaid checks which had been
given him for payment for services.
either professional or as a public serv-
ant have forgotten what the aggre-
gate amount of these checks was. but
I do recall that while not a large sum
1t was a considerable amount OF money.
Inquiry was made to learn the rea-
son why so many checks of this kind
some Of them dated months back-had
never been presented by Mr.. Healy for
payment. Then 1t was learned by
those who had the most confidential re-
iations with him that when he received
a check he looked upon II as so much
cash. He put il in his wallet, wher"
it found the company Of many other
checks II at any time he was in need
of money he would take out his wallet
and draw from It one of these checks.
which having been cashed, furnished
him with all the money he needed for
the time. Then when again he found
il necessary to use actual cash he
would draw another check from his
wallet and get it cashed- That was
his habit for years. No one could eN-
plain this idiosyncrasy. but It seems to
have been something like the one
which persuaded the investor in the Sc
curities of the New York Central Rail
road Company to keep his dividend
checks for years"
Copyright leIL)