The New York herald., 1922-06-25

one to make an exact calculation OF the
effect Of such lecture on his listeners.
Here, as in everything else where a
message Is TO be got across, the per-
sonal equation enters very largely. But
as I told my unseen but countless hear
ors that night how checks and drafts
and other symbols Of our wealth
constitute the greatest field for crime
exploitation existing to-day. 1 nad the
feeling. as fancy every c.ie who has
sc addressed an audience must have.
that his message was registering better
than IL he spoke in hall in sight OF
his hearers. At least he could be sure
that every word he spoke could be
heard, that there were no distractions
for his auditors in the appearance.
movements OF mannerisms Of the speak,
er or Of those in his audience.
I thought I could sense a certain
tenseness in those thousands who were
listening In as recounted some of the
daring forgery exploits CT the pictur-
esque and clever gangs who have made
deathless criminal fame for such men
as Charley Becker. the master penman.
who exacted stiff fee from his clients
for forgery job: OF John Ross. who in
vaded Wall Street and picked up not less
than $1,000 900; Of Henry Wade wilkes.
the head OF an international gang that
victimized the bankers Of Continental
Europe from Sicily to Poland: OF J. II.
Stoddard. whose sense OF humor was
so great that he actually forged his own
pardon from the Tennessee State Prison ;
and finally Of the forser who raised a
$27 check to $4,000 and drove his vic
tim to ruin and suicide.
l told OF these personalities to i'm
press on my hearers the dangerously
subtle sort Of brains that are constantly
at work on the schemes by which or
sanized gangs of forgers and penmen.
whose operations extend from coast to
coast, with a skill and cunning unex-
celled in or out Of the world of crime.
are working with such success that New
York banks alone within the last few
months have lost 500. 900. according to
the estimate Of an Assistant District
Attorney.
A warning against the depredations
OF these gangs in some such striking
and impressive manner as that afforded
by radio broadcasting should. by all
rights, serve to convince all those who
heard 1t OF the necessity OF guarding
their checks and other instruments OF
credit against crooks as they would
guard any other valuable possession.
Indeed. to hnd a deterrent against this
form OF spoliation by criminals becomes
matter of more imminent concern
af tv,-
trinsic value. since to-day fully 50 per
cent. of our business Is carried on
through the use OF checks, drafts and
other alterable paper.
II such warning is to be effective
to stem losses whic1, are yearly increas-
ing by approximately $1,000.00o It is
essential that check users when drawing
their checks shall observe the simple
precautions which I recommended to
them. II may spur them to observance
to remember that a signature on the
lower right hand corner o. a check may
represent all that the drawer has or
len ultimately is upon the drawer. since
banks are only held responsible in law
Ger the exercise Of a reasonable amount
of caution.
Therefore the points the ether waves
tore to my listeners that Sunday night
az vital in pushing back this wave of
Forgery and check tamperins were
these:
Never typowritc checks.
Never permit any checks to 60 out
on which an erasure has been made or
attempted.
Write every letter and figure clearly
and carefully.
Leave no margins.
Use the most modern safety paper
which will show the slightest alteration.
fortified by check writing machine
which drives the ink into the actual fiber
of the paper.
Keep your blank checks under lock
and key.
If these six commandments which the
ether waves waited to check users shall
prove effective in .rousins them to the
danger and to the necessity Of obeying
them. feel safe In asserting that not
the least OF the radiophones blessing TO
man will have been it's effectiveness In
checking crime and protecting society
from the Vaccinations OF criminals.
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