The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-10-29
BAD CHECK EVILS
Topeka Merchants Victims of
Many Fund Forms,
Carelessness, Extravaganza and
Gambling to Blame.
LOSS NOT LARGE AFTER ALL
One-Tenth of 1 Per Cent Covers
TOpeka's Damages"
Young Boys Fall for Women
and Tin Horn Gamblers.
LOSS NOT LARGE AFTER ALL
BY MILTON TABOR.

Carelessness, extravaganza and
gambling form the three chief con-
trtbuttng causes for bad checks re-
ceived by the Topeka merchants and
business men generally. At least so
per cent Of all the insufficient" or
no fund checks locally can be traced
TO one Of these three factors
Carelessness is due mainly to lack
of ability or the inclination TO keep a
close tab on the bank book Often
checks are written for a slight sum
oyer the amount on deposit at the
DanE- Under existing laws and good
business practice, the banker is forced
TO refuse payment, even if the check is
only FOR a few cents over the Gus
toners balance It is not good policy
to overdraw accounts.
Some families. and many individuals.
are having a hard time getting back to
a pre-War spending basis. Tastes &C
quired when money was plentiful
seem hard TO dispense with The de-
mand for luxuries has not declined
10 the same extent as the earning
capacity of many persons who are on
the Merchants association no fund"
check list At least this is the con-
clusion, after careful investigation of
a 4arge number Of cases where the Of
fender is unable to make good checks
that have been returned unpaid to
merchants.
Women Are Offenders.
Women are as fragrant offenders Of
the NO Fund" check law as men,
where the buying Of Iuxuries is con-
cerned- Not all of them deliberately
attempt to defraGd the merchant,
altho the woman professional forger
or check artist is almost as common
as the male variety. The female Of
the species forms a source Of much
worry to the merchant, because she is
a better actor and has all the ear
marks of innocence when putting over
bum check Besides, the average
merchant hesftates to prosecute a
woman, even tho she succeeds in get
ting away with a considerable sum
Of money or valuable merchandise.
Recently a woman succeeded in
cashiug four checks at as many local
stores. Each was for $50 She was
a fast worker Within an hour she
had about $40 worth Of merchandise
and $50 in cash and had apparently
disappeared she claimed to live on
a farm near Silver Lake, and pre-
seuted checks signed by her husband.
The checks were written on the Silver
Lake bank. Investigation showed that
she had been camping near Silver
Lake during the potato digging sea-
SON When it came time TO move on
the family evidently decided to leave
some token of remembrance This
took the form of bad checks.
Pay Gambling Debts.
Young men give bad checks, for the
most part, to pay gambling debts a
few raise sufficient funds to take their
lady friends out for a good time by
floating spurious paper.
There are about twenty boys in their
teens on the bad check list. who have
lost money in the various forms of
gambling games and in order to pay
off their so-caiIed debts of honor"
wrote checks on banks in which they
had no money. Old Man Trouble
camps on their trail from the time
they cash the bum check until It is
paid 'or the court has imposed SEN
tence. For the merchant has an I'M
Caruy way of demanding remunera-
ton. after he has parted with perfectly
of payment in the form of a check.
The amount of money lost thru the
bad check route is remarkably small
in comparison to the amount of bust
ness done by check. Bankers and
merchants agree that 10 per cent Of
local business is done by check. The
loss thru this route is not more than
ore-tenth of I per cent This is one
of the leaks that merchants are trying
to stop thru the medium Of the Mer-
chants association The manager is
instructed to prosecute after giving
one notice to the person writing the
check. The county attorney, sheriff
and police force are cooperating in
giving bad checks.
Professionals Get Away.
If the check was written by a pro
fessfonaI artist, the chance is more