The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1917-11-08

| $4,000. This comprised three checks
aggregating $4,000, and he exhibited
| $4,000 in currency. At the Sutherland
] institution the slips do not itemize
such details as checks, drafts, curren-
cy, but one aggregate is given. Young
Sutherland o. KID the account, after
verifying the checks and counting the
bank notes, and directed this Waidner
| to the receiving teller. On his way to
! the latter, Waidner extracted $1,000
| from the currency and substituted a
check for that amount. He had casu-
ally mentioned to young Sutherland
that he might want to draw on the de-
post, and the latter naturally noted on
| the slip the cash limit of $4,000, the
checks to go out for collection. The
next morning check was presented
for $1,000, paid, and the bank was out
for that amount, for the deposited
| checks were worthless"
Not new. but not often tried" OBJ
served.
Second" proceeded Marvel with his
narrative, "the bond substitution. This
was where a man came into the bank
wishing to sell $4,000 worth of bonds.
They were non-registered, but of the
/ highest grade He offered fair dis
count, and Howard Sutherland knew
they were likely to go up on a rising
| market. The arrangements were set
tied and the purchase price paid in
currency. The banker placed the
bonds in box envelope, noting the
numbers and denominations on the
outside. Just then there was scream
outside of the room and Sutherland
| FASTENED to the door Of his Office to
trace the commotion. A woman had
| tainted, but to quickly recover. The
envelope was handed over to the cash
| Ter, placed in the vault, removed for
| sale two days later and found to con-
| tain some worthless mining stock. The
| fainting scheme had been put up to
| distract attention, while the broker
changed the securities behind the
back of the unsuspecting banker"
"These incidents might come Up at
any bank in the course of its history"
said.
"True," agreed Marvel; "or because
they are new house Sutherland &
Son might have been selected as fresh
victims by clever crooks. That phase,
however, fades into nothingness when
we come to consider. Incident three:
81 800, $4,000, and now $4,000. You
see the scale is an ascending one"
The $4,000 began.
Covers something so new, SO un-
usual, so inexplicable that it is fairly
staggering. A man, Mexican, came
to the bank sixty days since and depos-
tied $4,000. He named himself Miguel
| Cristol. and claimed to be a success
full miner who had made his pile and
| had come north to see a little Of life.
When he made his deposit he produced
a small metal box with four half keys
| fitting intricate locks. His interview
was with Dunbar Sutherland. Opening
the box, he had it's contents verified.
1t contained $4,000 in treasury notes.
He locked the box, sealed it, gave two
half keys to young Sutherland and
asked him to keep the box in a safe
place subject to CALL Sutherland &
Son have no safety deposit vaults. but
the box was placed uf1er special lock
and key in the treasure safe. He
drew out his regular account in
! termittently. Three days ago he
appeared, saying hs had a de-
mand for all his moasy, as he was
about to invest it In the purchase of a
hotel at Los Angeles. The beE x.N
brought from the vault. A cleSk -s1D
called in to witness the safe return of
| the contents to it's owner. The seals
we're removed, the keys fitted, the box
! opened"
My friend paused impressively. Then
| he reached over towards his desk and
took out metal box. 1t answered to
>the description of the one he had re-
ferred to and / knew It must be the
! same.
when they opened H." announced
Resilius Marvel-"this."
He moved the box about to indicate
that it was empty then as empty now.
He drew his finger across the inner
surface of the box cover A slight
! smudge adhered to his finger tips,
nothing more.
| "What?" inquired, at sea.
"Not a trace of the original enclos-
] ure was discoverable except thin
/ sooty gathering on the box cover, as
| YOU see. The Mexican blew up dread
! fully. His money! his money he de-
manded. The Sutherlands were dunn
| founded, distressed. No one could have
rihed the box without the joint key
parts. The seals had been found in
tact. Spontaneous combustion or
what not, the money had disappeared
and the trustee must make it good.
! Senior Cristol gave the Sutherlands q
! week to decide on settlement or a
suit"
But" began. and paused there
summarily. No sane man would
devise scheme to destroy money
on the risk of its value recov-
cry and where the act would bring no
/ gain. Marvel did not give me any
hint that might have enlightened me.
and before the interview had led to
further developments there was an in
terruption.
1t was the original of the first pho
tograph Marvel had shown me who
now burst unceremoniously into the
room-Howard Sutherland. His face
was flushed and heated. his eyes fired
with the widest excitement. He fell
rather than sank into chair, fairly