The Topeka state journal., 1919-12-22
TOPEKA STATE JOURNAL
Information Bureau
FREDERIC j. HASKIN, Director.
Washington, D. c.
THE BAD CHECK.

washington, Nov. SO.-TO make the
check as a relia BILE bit of paper as a
United States gold certificate is the
object of a campaign now being car
ried on by Washington merchants and
bankers, and to some extent by those
of many other cities.
The bad check is a pest everywhere.
but there are few large cities where
1t flourishes as 1t does in Washington
or rather. as it has in the past. For
the local business men are now out
after the check artists in earnest.
This reaction follows a golden era
times been gullible. and obsequious.
They have trusted to their ability
to read character at first glance. But
only too often the character-reading
system has gone wrong, and the guile
less looking customer has turned out
long record of successes.
The wave of crime Which followed
the war brought a considerable in
crease in bad check operations. Pro-
feSsional crooks, say the police, steer
comparatively clear of straight forg-
cry and check-raising. as the, penalties
are severe and there is a small chance
of pleading carelessness. But pass
ing checks when there is no account,
or when the account is overdrawn is
popular pastime both with profess
stonal and amateur check artists, and
the alibi of ignorance of the exact
amount in bank is worked steadily
Once in while, of course, an honest
person does proffer a check in good
fa1th when his balance is too low to
back it. but this excuse has been so
often used by crooks that it is diff
cult to make 1t convincing.
Time was when a naughty express
sion or a burst of oratory along the
line of "I am Mrs HopeweH ST.
Charles. My word of honor has never,
been doubted in this town before" was
guaranteed to reduce a banker. mer-
fluttering apology. Now, one hotel
manager says. When we ask a patron
for references, either he gives them
willingly. and we check them up and
serve him, OF he gets blustery and
RACES, in which case we stay calm and
keep our money in the safe
Due to this level-headed philosophy,
hotelkeepers suffer far less from bad
check passers than do merchants.
Most large hotels keep their own
credit records, very much like those
of the merchants credit-rating bu-
reaus. If an unidentified patron asks
that a check be cashed the manager
presents a form to be filled out to
show the applicants name. address,
and financial references. This record
is verified and kept in the hotel for
future use. Hotel records are supple
hotel journals warning MANAGERS
aSai--st persons who are trying to beat
their way and pass bogus checks on
hotel clerks.
Once in a while. however hotels get
taken in. temporarily, at least. A
short time ago a young woman blew
into Washington from a farm in q
nearby state. Her longing for good
clothes and luxuries had never been
Gratified, and Washington looked easy.
SheP obtained some blank checks.
established herself in a big hotel and
proceeded to hand out worthless
checks to clothiers. milliners. florists,
and at the hotel. 1t was not long be-
fore she was apprehended. but mean
time she had tricked a number of sup
posedly fool-proof business men with
her line of talk and some clever acting.
Even more than the hotels. banks
insist on satisfactory credentials before
honoring checks. Not so long ago"
says Washington bank cashier, "a
forger could Walk into bank with a
check prepare and the clerk would
merely ask lin. How'll you have
it?'" Now many banks make it a
rule TO cash checks only for their de-
positors, and positive Identification is
demanded. The way of a forger un-
der such circumstances is decidedly
hard.
III
the different states according to the
stringency of state laws and vigilance
OF state prosecution. In some states
the passer of an overdrawn check is
given twenty-four hours in which to
make it good: in other states a longes
time is set In practically every state
the penalty for forgery is heavy In
the District of Columbia check artists
and bad check reformers are both
very active. There is no definite law
penalfzing presentation of bad cheeks
in the District. The matter is largely
covered by general laws on larceny
and misdemeanOrs, but the general
opinion is that a specific law would
better conditions.
Washington has for some years been
one of the favorite haunts of check
artists. Right now about eighty men
and women are under indictment for
passing bogus government checks in
Washington. Yet the number of war
workers engaged in this business has
not been excessive, according to the
Washington detective bureau. That is,
the increase in bad check cases dur
ing the war has been in fair proper
ton to Washington's increase in pop
ulation.
The uniform is used as cloak for
all sorts of check schemes. Two pro-
fessionals, for instance, toured the
country for some time dressed as
OHlleU states SOi0lerS. One WOOlO
offer a check in payment for a pur-
chase. While the shop Keeper looked
it over. the other soldier would step
up. stating that he was a recruiting
officer and offer to indorse the check
and vOuch for the boys character
These crooks. among many others,
were pursued thru the bulletin of the
merchants credit association. and
thru retail credit bureaus The re-
tail dealers credit rating bureau is, as
one business man puts it. the Brad
street of the retail merchant. 1t is a
local affair. a central storehouse of
credit information for the city, where
the merchant can obtain facts as to
the standing of John Doe and his wife
If they had any experience with
checks or other forms of credit.
The problem of the merchant is to
ascertain the value of n check whil4
the customer waits. The function of