登陆注册
15383400000059

第59章

As we hurried down to Wall Street, Kennedy took occasion to remark, "Science seems to have safe-guarded banks and other institutions pretty well against outside robbery.But protection against employees who can manipulate books and records does not seem to have advanced as rapidly.Sometimes I think it may have lessened.

Greater temptations assail the cashier or clerk with greater opportunity for speculation, and the banks, as many authorities will agree, have not made enough use of the machinery available to put a stop to embezzlement.This case is evidently one of the results.

The careless fellows at the top, like this man Carroll whom we are going to see, generally put forward as excuse the statement that the science of banking and of business is so complex that a rascal with ingenuity enough to falsify the books is almost impossible of detection.Yet when the cat is out of the bag as in several recent cases the methods used are often of the baldest and most transparent sort, fictitious names, dummies, and all sorts of juggling and kiting of checks.But I hardly think this is going to prove one of those simple cases."John Carroll Was a haggard and unkempt sort of man.He looked to me as if the defalcations had preyed on his mind until they had become a veritable obsession.It was literally true that they were all that he could talk about, all that he was thinking about.He was paying now a heavy penalty for having been a dummy and honorary officer.

"This thing has become a matter of life and death with me," he began eagerly, scarcely waiting for us to introduce ourselves, as he fixed his unnaturally bright eyes on us anxiously."I've simply got to find the man who has so nearly wrecked the By-Products Bank and Company.Find him or not, I suppose I am a ruined man, myself, but I hope I may still prove myself honest."He sighed and his eyes wandered vacantly out of the window as if he were seeking rest and could not find it.

"I understand that the cashier, Bolton Brown, has been arrested,"prompted Kennedy.

"Yes, Bolton Brown, arrested," he repeated slowly, "and since he has been out on bail he, too, seems to have disappeared.Now let me tell you about what I think of that, Kennedy.I know it looks bad for Brown.Perhaps he's the man.The Surety Company says so, anyway.But we must look at this thing calmly."He was himself quite excited, as he went on, "You understand, Isuppose, just how much Brown must have been reasonably responsible for passing the checks through the bank? He saw personally about as many of them as - as I did, which was none until the exposure came.They were deposited in other banks by people whom we can't identify but who must have opened accounts for the purpose of finally putting through a few bad checks.Then they came back to our bank in the regular channels and were accepted.By various kinds of juggling they were covered up.Why, some of them looked so good that they were even certified by our bank before they were deposited in the other banks.Now, as Brown claims, he never saw checks unless there was something special about them and there seemed at the time to be nothing wrong about these.

"But in the public mind I know there is prejudice against any bank official who speculates or leads a fast life, and of course it is warranted.Still, if Brown should clear himself finally the thing will come back to Dawson and even if he is guilty, it will make me the - er - the ultimate goat.The upshot of it all will be that Ishall have to stand the blame, if not the guilt, and the only way I can atone for my laxity in the past is by activity in catching the real offender and perhaps by restoring to the company and the bank whatever can yet be recovered.""But," asked Kennedy sympathetically, "what makes you think that you will find your man, whoever he proves to be, in New York?"I admit that it is only a very slight clue that I have," he replied confidentially."It is just a hint Dawson dropped once to one of the men with whom he was confidential in the company.This clerk told me that a long=20time ago Dawson said he had always wanted to go to South America and that perhaps on his honeymoon he might get a chance.This is the way I figured it out.You see, he is clever and some of these South American countries have no extradition treaties with us by which we could reach him, once he got there.""Perhaps he has already arrived in one of them with his wife.What makes you think he hasn't sailed yet?

"No, I don't think he has.You see, she wanted to spend a part of the honeymoon at Atlantic City.I learned that indirectly from her folks, who profess to know no better than we do where the couple are.

That was an additional reason why I wanted to see if by coming to New York I might not pick up some trace of them, either here or in Atlantic City.""And have you?

"Yes, I think I have." He handed us a lettergram which he had just received from Chicago.It read: "Two more checks have come in to-day from Atlantic City and New York.They seem to be in payment of bills, as they are for odd amounts.One is from the Lorraine at Atlantic City and the other from the Hotel Amsterdam of New York.

They were dated the 19th and 20th."

"You see," he resumed as we finished reading, "it is now the 23rd, so that there is a difference of three days.He was here on the 20th.

Now the next ship that he could take after the 20th sails from Brooklyn on the 25th.If he's clever he won't board that ship except in a disguise, for he will know that by that time some one must be watching.Now I want you to help me penetrate that disguise.Of course we can't arrest the whole shipload of passengers, but if you, with your scientific knowledge, could pick him out, then we could hold him and have breathing space to find out whether he is guilty alone or has been working with Bolton Brown."Carroll was now pacing the office with excitement as he unfolded his scheme which meant so much for himself.

同类推荐
  • 北使纪略

    北使纪略

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 唐史演义

    唐史演义

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • Remember the Alamo

    Remember the Alamo

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 元诗纪事

    元诗纪事

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • The Epic of Kings

    The Epic of Kings

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
热门推荐
  • 阴阳神珠

    阴阳神珠

    重生大汉小山村,十年幻想指点江山气吞山河,哪知这世真的有妖真的有仙,村庄被屠,而他成了一妖童,随时可能被吃。
  • 雨萱珏恋

    雨萱珏恋

    她,一个落难千金,拥有令人妒恨的倾城绝色和聪明头脑。他,一个深山孤男,身怀武功,重情重义。原本是两个世界本不会相遇的他们却因为一个傻子而相识,却也因为傻子而经受着困苦抉择。当爱情和友情只能选择一个的时候,他们该会如何选择,前方等待他们的又将会是什么?他们之间又该何去何从。。。
  • 缘廷海棠

    缘廷海棠

    从何家出来的三剑客夜上华山龍岛,不幸惹上猫妖夜瞳,连滚带爬之际逃出华山。缘却因犯禁忌无力回天,偷偷离开何家,并一起把大姐二哥拖下了水:再帮我一次!
  • 福妻驾到

    福妻驾到

    现代饭店彪悍老板娘魂穿古代。不分是非的极品婆婆?三年未归生死不明的丈夫?心狠手辣的阴毒亲戚?贪婪而好色的地主老财?吃上顿没下顿的贫困宭境?不怕不怕,神仙相助,一技在手,天下我有!且看现代张悦娘,如何身带福气玩转古代,开面馆、收小弟、左纳财富,右傍美男,共绘幸福生活大好蓝图!!!!快本新书《天媒地聘》已经上架开始销售,只要3.99元即可将整本书抱回家,你还等什么哪,赶紧点击下面的直通车,享受乐乐精心为您准备的美食盛宴吧!)
  • 总裁情陷小妻子

    总裁情陷小妻子

    当看到那个嗷嗷待哺的婴儿时,他似乎喜欢上了这个小妹妹.当他回台湾来寻找这个“妹妹”时,意外发现她竟然是别人的未婚妻,心痛和嫉妒让他产生了夺爱的念头.男猪:魏卓轩,全球IT王国三大家族之一的创始人,精明干练,外貌唯美,是众多女孩追捧的对象,但他唯独钟情于那个小妹妹.女猪:蒋雨涵,台湾百货大王蒋一汉之独女,清新可人,感情专一,钟情于她的翔宇哥哥,并为之付出了自己最宝贵的东西,但是有一天,她遇见了另一个他……他是谁?为什么说他认识我,哼……事业,爱情,亲情,男猪和女猪最终将情归何处,敬请期待……
  • 逆天九尾狐

    逆天九尾狐

    为你,百转千回,甘落红尘——风轻尘;为你,忠心不二,愿赴生死——易言;为你,舍弃天下,孤老终生——皇甫彦绝;为你,千年陪伴,只为一笑——萧白;十里桃花,本王有时间一朵一朵掐——夜子染;十里桃花,给我留一颗赏花的呗~——九宫月薰
  • 红蚂蚱 绿蚂蚱

    红蚂蚱 绿蚂蚱

    本书集结了作者自发表作品以来迄今最好的短篇小说作品。李佩甫的创作擅长的是剖析当代农民的精神,通过他们的成长过程,反映了中原文化的独特生存环境。本书收入《无边无际的早晨》、《学习微笑》、《败节草》《豌豆偷树》、《画匠王》、《黑蜻蜓》等。
  • 很是随意的异世行

    很是随意的异世行

    某个世界的居民穿越到另外一个世界日常生活并随意拯救一下世界的故事新人第一次写书,文笔比较小白请见谅
  • tfboys之穿越时空的旅程

    tfboys之穿越时空的旅程

    一次小小的意外,原本在现实世界生活的好好的王俊凯,王源和易烊千玺,居然穿越到了终极系列里面,而且三人的身份极为惊人,铁时空,三大家族中的两大家族,本来满是抱怨的三人渐渐的跟那里的人渐渐有了感情,比如铁时空的东城卫,金时空的汪大东,丁小雨,王亚瑟,断肠人,银时空的五虎将,曹操,孙尚香,强辨团,小乔,铜时空的恶女团,以及自己的分身,眼看任务将要完成,他们却对那边依依不舍,究竟会有怎样的故事呢?
  • exo对不起,我爱你

    exo对不起,我爱你

    当你闭上了眼,你会觉得眼前是明亮的吗?至少当我闭上眼睛的时候,我会看得很清楚。你对我的爱不过是出于内心的愧疚,可是我要的爱并不是你想象的我要的,你只是一味的把你认为我所需要的塞给我,我们不要在浪费彼此的时间,好吗,我已经找到那个懂我的人,年华似光,我们变了……