been completely
gained, the swindler makes a strike for his greatest effort. He comes
in the bank in a hurry, presents a sixty-day note, endorsed by
first-class men, for a larger amount than he has ever before
requested, and it generally happens that he gets the money without the
slightest difficulty. Then he has a sudden call to attend to important
business elsewhere. When the note or notes mature, it is discovered to
be a very clever forgery. This has been done time and again, and it is
rare that the forger has been apprehended.

The latest mode is for the forger to imitate a private check by the
photo-lithographic method, after having obtained a signed check. The
signature, after being photographed, is carefully traced over with
ink, and the body of the check is filled up for whatever amount is
desired. The maker of the check is requested to identify the person
who holds it, and as a general thing he does not wait to see the money
paid. The moment his back is turned, the layer-down palms the small
check and presents the large one. This way of obtaining money is
without the assistance of a middleman.

Private marks on checks are no safeguards at all, although a great
many merchants believe they can prevent forgery by making certain
dots, or seeming slips of the pen, which are known only to the
paying-teller and themselves. This precaution becomes useless when the
forger uses the camera. Safe-breakers are often called upon by forgers
and asked to secure a sheet of checks out of a check-book. When this
is accomplished a few canceled checks are taken at the same time.
These are given to the forger and he fills them up for large amounts,
after tracing or copying the signature. The safe burglars receive a
percentage on the amount realized. If your safe, vault or desk is
broken open where your check-book is kept, carefully count the leaves
in your check-book, also your canceled checks. If any are missing
notify the banks and begin using a different style of check
immediately. The sneak-thief, while plying his trade, often secures
unsigned bonds of some corporation which has put the signed bonds in
circulation, leaving the rest unsigned until the next meeting of the
directors.

Frequently unsigned bonds are left in the bank vault for safe keeping.
These are stolen and sent to the penman or "scratcher." Then a genuine
signed bond is purchased, from which the signatures are copied and
then forged. The same trick has been