Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1916-05-12
WATCH YOUR CHECKS
BY FREDERIC j. HAsKIN.

wy AsHINGToN, March sO.-The country seems to
wv be afflicted just with plague
checks. Although somewhat than usual,
this is nothing In fact the methods singu-
larly old The wonder is that they still work.
The president of a bank in a small middle western
town recently interrupted in the perusal of his
mornings mail by the sudden entrance into his office
of tall, wel-dressed man, who slapped him famil-
iarly the shoulder and called nim Bill"
Don't you remember me?" demanded Met you
a Smiths the other night" The banker could
remember having the man before,
there been several people at the Smiths night
with bank accounts. The went to explain that
h. in hurry to catch train and it had just
occurred to him to stop in and ask Bills bank
a check for him. He cody extracted a check-book
from his vest pocket and wrote out check for $3.50
Although mans signature suggested nothing to the
banker the check we-known bank it all
seemed perfectly regular, the banker casned it.
Now large number of Chicago detectives
searching for this tall wedressed stranger,
who has successfully worked this iimsy story in
nearly state in the union and far records
show, has never inside a police station. The
thing ridicuously simple. The merely trades
upon the of the bankers most influential
quaintance-someone friend the banker would
not care to offend rest easy OF course, he
rely great deal his ability actor, and
the characteristic American carelessness
which patience with small suspicious. For in
stance it would have been comparatively easy for the
banker have called Smith telephone and made
pertinent inquiries concerning the alleged friend
he did not do it, What is more if what the detec
either. The American Bankers association figures
that particular swindler averages about $500
month from this and other ingenious stories.
1t is a curious fact that the older and un-
likely story the credence is usually placed in it.
Swindes that we'll known when our grandfathers
boys still flourish and make large annual dent
in banking profits Americans, rule, slow to
suspect people We do not bite coins to if they
spurious; do not weigh the lamb chops and
some of do not always count change. But,
with a large army Of crooks constantly perpetrating
bank frauds of kind another, certain amount
Of healthy suspicion permissible, advisa-
BILE. The bankers doing their best to their
employees but every once in while some cashier
paying teller finds he mistaken.
Not long stranger entered bank in
lumber town after banking hours Saturday after
He asked to see the cashier, to whom he pre-
sented letter stating that he had $4,000 deposit
in a certain city bank about a hundred miles from
there letter bore the leterhead of the bank and
was signed cashier. The explained that he
needed $500 Immediately to place option
grocery store in the new town. and requested draft
for that amount the strength of the letter
The cashier looked up the cashier of the city bank
register and found the signature to be correct
after hesitation, he the draft for
$1,000 later in the afternoon, in the secuson of
his own home, the cashier began to feel trife
vous Why had felt any hesitation all in paying
the Surely the mans mad been peculiar.
All the next day, which Sunday, the cashier
red about It, and by Monday morning he was in cold
perspraton could hardly wait to get to the bank
to send a that city cashier An hour later his
worst confirmed The bank replied that
they heard Of srch individual and that their
cashier knew nothing of the letter 1t a plain
Of forgery.
In this instance however it too late
The cashier Immediately wired every clearing
the district to stop the draft and
apprehend the drawer. The afternoon the
caught.
the holds a bank responsible accept
ing forged signature the grounds that it is its