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Show Defacing a Counterfeit Hill. I happened to bo in the United Stales sub-treasury on Wall street tho other day, says a N. Y. Star gosslpor, nnd was rather amused at a llttlo iucldont I witnessed. A gentleman ontored, and, approaching ono of tho clorks, handed him n 20 bill and asked if it wore counterfoil Tho clerk took it, wont awuy. und in a fow minutes re-turucd re-turucd nnd handed out the bill without n word. Cut across its face with a die was tho word Counterfeit." Tho rugo of tho ownor know 110 bounds. Confound you!" ho shouted. "I didn't nsk you to destroy tho bill. I simply asked you to toll mo If it wcro counterfeit. It's worthless now." "It novor was of any value," mildly responded tho clerk, "and tho rulo of tho department Is that all bills olfored In this way must bo defaced when counterfeits beforo returning thorn to tlio party presenting them." "Now that," remarked tlio examiner to me, "is an almost dally occurrence. A man gets a counterfeit bill passed on him ami, being in doubt, ho conies In hero to nsk ubout it, and it isdostroyed for him. Ho is naturally Indignant, us doubtless he gave value for it and .would Hko to liavo a chauco to pass it off on somo oue else. llt the law is Imperative on us and wo must destroy nil such bills under penalty. If that man had taken his bill to a bauk It would have hcon returned to him O. IC, but ho made the mistake of bringing bring-ing It hero. Tho national banks uro supposed to deface counterfeits us well us tlio treasury. They seldom do It. however perliapn not nun caso nut of 1U0. They are afraid of insulting a customer. |
