and forger, for self-protection, use great care in
selecting a "middleman," the middleman to protect himself also uses
the same care in the selection of men to "present" the forged paper.
He endeavors, like the backer and forger, to throw as much protection
around himself as possible, and for the same reasons he also uses
ex-convicts as the men to "present" the forged paper at the banks. The
"presenters" are of all ages and appearances, from the party who will
pass as an errand boy, messenger, porter, or clerk, to the prosperous
business man, horse trader, stock buyer, or farmer. When a presenter
enters a bank to "lay down" a forged paper, the "go-between" will
sometimes enter the bank with him and stand outside the counter,
noting carefully if there is any suspicious action on the part of the
paying teller when the forged paper is presented to him, and whether
the "presenter" carries himself properly and does his part well. But
usually the middleman prefers waiting outside the bank for the
"presenter," possibly watching him through a window from the street.
If the "presenter" is successful and gets the money on the forged
paper, the middleman will follow him when he leaves the bank to some
convenient spot where, without attracting attention, he receives the
money. He then gives the presenter another piece of forged paper,
drawn on some neighboring bank. They go from bank to bank, usually
victimizing from three to five banks in each city, their work being
completed generally in less than an hour's time. All money obtained
from the various banks on the forged paper is immediately turned over
to the middleman, who furnishes all the money for current expenses.
After the work is completed the presenters leave the city by different
routes, first having agreed on a meeting point in some neighboring
city. The "presenters" frequently walk out of the city to some
outlying station on the line of the road they propose to take to their
next destination. This precaution is taken to avoid arrest at the
depot in case the forgery is discovered before they can leave the
city. At the next meeting-point the middleman, having deducted the
expenses advanced, pays the "presenters" their percentage of the money
obtained on the forged paper.

A band of professional forgers before starting out always agree on a
basis of division of all moneys obtained on their forged paper. This
division might be about as follows: For a presenter where the amou