forty centuries of ink-µÚ48²¿·Ö
°´¼üÅÌÉÏ·½Ïò¼ü ¡û »ò ¡ú ¿É¿ìËÙÉÏÏ·ҳ£¬°´¼üÅÌÉ쵀 Enter ¼ü¿É»Øµ½±¾ÊéĿ¼ҳ£¬°´¼üÅÌÉÏ·½Ïò¼ü ¡ü ¿É»Øµ½±¾Ò³¶¥²¿£¡
¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ªÎ´ÔĶÁÍꣿ¼ÓÈëÊéÇ©ÒѱãÏ´μÌÐøÔĶÁ£¡
checks¡¡as¡¡drawn¡¡by¡¡Davis¡¡or¡¡in¡¡failing¡¡to¡¡discover
the¡¡forgeries¡¡at¡¡an¡¡earlier¡¡date¡¡than¡¡that¡¡at¡¡which
they¡¡were¡¡made¡¡known¡¡to¡¡them¡£
¡¨The¡¡relation¡¡existing¡¡between¡¡a¡¡bank¡¡and¡¡a
depositor¡¡being¡¡that¡¡of¡¡debtor¡¡and¡¡creditor£»¡¡the
bank¡¡can¡¡justify¡¡a¡¡payment¡¡on¡¡the¡¡depositor's¡¡account
only¡¡upon¡¡the¡¡actual¡¡direction¡¡of¡¡the¡¡depositor¡£
'The¡¡question¡¡arising¡¡on¡¡such¡¡paper¡¡£¨checks£©
between¡¡drawee¡¡and¡¡drawer£»¡¡however£»¡¡always¡¡relate
to¡¡what¡¡the¡¡one¡¡has¡¡authorized¡¡the¡¡other¡¡to¡¡do¡£
They¡¡are¡¡not¡¡questions¡¡of¡¡negligence¡¡or¡¡of¡¡liability
to¡¡parties¡¡upon¡¡commercial¡¡paper£»¡¡but¡¡are¡¡those¡¡of
authority¡¡solely¡£¡¡The¡¡question¡¡of¡¡negligence
cannot¡¡arise¡¡unless¡¡the¡¡depositor¡¡has¡¡in
drawing¡¡his¡¡cheek¡¡left¡¡blanks¡¡unfilled£»¡¡or¡¡by¡¡some
affirmative¡¡act¡¡of¡¡negligence¡¡has¡¡facilitated¡¡the
commission¡¡of¡¡a¡¡fraud¡¡by¡¡those¡¡into¡¡whose
hands¡¡the¡¡check¡¡may¡¡come¡£'¡¡£¨Crawford¡¡v¡£¡¡West
Side¡¡Bank£»¡¡100¡¡N¡£¡¡Y¡£¡¡50¡££©¡¡Therefore£»¡¡when¡¡the
fraudulent¡¡alteration¡¡of¡¡the¡¡checks¡¡was¡¡proved£»¡¡the
liability¡¡of¡¡the¡¡bank¡¡for¡¡their¡¡amount¡¡was¡¡made
out¡¡and¡¡it¡¡was¡¡incumbent¡¡upon¡¡the¡¡defendant¡¡to
establish¡¡affirmatively¡¡negligence¡¡on¡¡the¡¡plaintiff's
part¡¡to¡¡relieve¡¡it¡¡from¡¡the¡¡consequences¡¡of¡¡its
fault¡¡or¡¡misfortune¡¡in¡¡paying¡¡forged¡¡orders¡£¡¡Now£»
while¡¡the¡¡drawer¡¡of¡¡a¡¡check¡¡may¡¡be¡¡liable¡¡where¡¡he
draws¡¡the¡¡instrument¡¡ill¡¡such¡¡ill¡¡incomplete¡¡state
as¡¡to¡¡facilitate¡¡or¡¡invite¡¡fraudulent¡¡alterations£»¡¡it
is¡¡not¡¡the¡¡law¡¡that¡¡he¡¡is¡¡bound¡¡so¡¡to¡¡prepare¡¡the
cheek¡¡that¡¡nobody¡¡else¡¡call¡¡successfully¡¡tamper
with¡¡it¡£¡¡£¨Societe¡¡Generale¡¡v¡£¡¡Metropolitan¡¡Bank£»
27¡¡L¡£¡¡T¡£¡¡£§N¡£¡¡S¡££§¡¡849£»¡¡Belknap¡¡v¡£¡¡National¡¡Bank
of¡¡North¡¡America£»¡¡100¡¡Mass¡£¡¡380£©¡¡In¡¡the¡¡present
case¡¡the¡¡fraudulent¡¡alteration¡¡of¡¡the¡¡checks¡¡was
not¡¡merely¡¡in¡¡the¡¡perforation¡¡of¡¡the¡¡additional
figure£»¡¡but¡¡in¡¡the¡¡obliteration¡¡of¡¡the¡¡written¡¡name
of¡¡the¡¡payee¡¡and¡¡the¡¡substitution¡¡therefor¡¡of¡¡the
word¡¡'Cash¡£'¡¡Against¡¡this¡¡latter¡¡change¡¡of¡¡the
instrument¡¡the¡¡plaintiffs¡¡could¡¡not¡¡have¡¡been¡¡expected
to¡¡guard£»¡¡and¡¡without¡¡that¡¡alteration¡¡it
would¡¡have¡¡no¡¡way¡¡profited¡¡the¡¡criminal¡¡to¡¡raise
the¡¡amount¡£¡¡¡£¡¡¡£¡¡¡£¡¨
A¡¡Pinkerton¡¡case¡¡of¡¡international¡¡repute£»¡¡best
known¡¡as¡¡the¡¡¡¨Becker¡¨¡¡case£»¡¡included¡¡the¡¡successful
¡¨raising¡¨¡¡of¡¡a¡¡check¡¡by¡¡chemical¡¡means¡¡from
12¡¡to¡¡22£»000¡£¡¡The¡¡criminal¡¡author¡¡of¡¡this¡¡stupendous
fraud¡¡was¡¡Charles¡¡Becker£»¡¡¡¨king¡¡of¡¡forgers£»¡¨
who¡¡as¡¡an¡¡all¡¡round¡¡imitator¡¡of¡¡any¡¡writing¡¡and¡¡manipulator
of¡¡monetary¡¡instruments¡¡then¡¡stood¡¡at¡¡the
head¡¡of¡¡his¡¡¡¨profession¡£¡¨¡¡Arrested¡¡and¡¡taken¡¡to
San¡¡Francisco¡¡he¡¡was¡¡brought¡¡to¡¡trial¡£¡¡Two¡¡of¡¡his
¡¨pals¡¨¡¡turned¡¡state's¡¡evidence£»¡¡and¡¡Becker¡¡was¡¡sentenced
to¡¡a¡¡life¡¡term¡£¡¡Through¡¡an¡¡error¡¡on¡¡the¡¡part
of¡¡the¡¡trial¡¡judge¡¡he¡¡secured¡¡a¡¡new¡¡trial¡¡on¡¡an¡¡appeal
to¡¡the¡¡Supreme¡¡Court¡£¡¡The¡¡jury¡¡disagreed¡¡on¡¡a¡¡second
trial£»¡¡but¡¡on¡¡the¡¡third¡¡trial¡¡he¡¡was¡¡convicted¡£
Becker¡¡pleaded¡¡for¡¡mercy£»¡¡and¡¡as¡¡he¡¡was¡¡an¡¡old
man¡¡and¡¡showed¡¡signs¡¡of¡¡physical¡¡break¡down£»¡¡the
court¡¡was¡¡lenient¡¡with¡¡him¡£¡¡Seven¡¡years¡¡was¡¡his
sentence¡£
After¡¡his¡¡incarceration¡¡in¡¡San¡¡Quetin¡¡prison£»¡¡he¡¡described
in¡¡one¡¡sentence¡¡how¡¡he¡¡had¡¡risen¡¡to¡¡the¡¡head
of¡¡the¡¡craft¡¡of¡¡forgers¡£¡¡¡¨A¡¡world¡¡of¡¡patience£»¡¡a¡¡heap
of¡¡time£»¡¡and¡¡good¡¡inks£»that¡¡is¡¡the¡¡secret¡¡of¡¡my¡¡success
in¡¡the¡¡profession¡£¡¨
On¡¡completing¡¡his¡¡sentence£»¡¡his¡¡reply¡¡to¡¡the¡¡question£»
¡¨What¡¡was¡¡the¡¡underlying¡¡motive¡¡which¡¡induced
you¡¡to¡¡forge£¿¡¨¡¡was¡¡one¡¡word£»¡¡¡¨Vanity£¡¡¨
The¡¡detailed¡¡facts¡¡which¡¡follow¡¡are¡¡from¡¡the¡¡¡¨American
Banker£º¡¨
¡¨On¡¡December¡¡2£»¡¡1895£»¡¡a¡¡smooth¡speaking¡¡man£»
under¡¡the¡¡name¡¡of¡¡A¡£¡¡H¡£¡¡Dean£»¡¡hired¡¡an¡¡office¡¡in
the¡¡Chronicle¡¡building¡¡at¡¡San¡¡Francisco£»¡¡under¡¡the
guise¡¡of¡¡a¡¡merchant¡¡broker£»¡¡paid¡¡a¡¡month's¡¡rent¡¡in
advance£»¡¡and¡¡on¡¡December¡¡4¡¡he¡¡went¡¡to¡¡the¡¡Bank
of¡¡Nevada¡¡and¡¡opened¡¡an¡¡account¡¡with¡¡2£»500
cash£»¡¡saying¡¡that¡¡his¡¡account¡¡would¡¡run¡¡from
2£»000¡¡to¡¡30£»000£»¡¡and¡¡that¡¡he¡¡would¡¡want¡¡no
accommodation¡£¡¡He¡¡manipulated¡¡the¡¡account¡¡so¡¡as
to¡¡invite¡¡confidence£»¡¡and¡¡on¡¡December¡¡17¡¡he¡¡deposited
a¡¡check¡¡or¡¡draft¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Bank¡¡of¡¡Woodland£»
Cal¡££»¡¡upon¡¡its¡¡correspondent£»¡¡the¡¡Crocker¡
Woolworth¡¡Bank¡¡of¡¡San¡¡Francisco¡£¡¡The¡¡amount¡¡was¡¡paid
to¡¡the¡¡credit¡¡of¡¡Dean£»¡¡the¡¡check¡¡was¡¡sent¡¡through
the¡¡clearing¡house£»¡¡and¡¡was¡¡paid¡¡by¡¡the¡¡Crocker¡
Woolworth¡¡Bank¡£¡¡The¡¡next¡¡day£»¡¡the¡¡check¡¡having
been¡¡cleared£»¡¡Dean¡¡called¡¡and¡¡drew¡¡out¡¡20£»000£»
taking¡¡the¡¡cash¡¡in¡¡four¡¡bags¡¡of¡¡gold£»¡¡the¡¡teller¡¡not
having¡¡paper¡¡money¡¡convenient¡£¡¡He¡¡had¡¡a¡¡vehicle
at¡¡the¡¡door£»¡¡with¡¡his¡¡office¡¡boy¡¡inside¡¡as¡¡driver£»¡¡and
away¡¡he¡¡went¡£¡¡At¡¡the¡¡end¡¡of¡¡the¡¡month£»¡¡when
the¡¡Crocker¡Woolworth¡¡Bank¡¡made¡¡returns¡¡to¡¡the
Woodland¡¡Bank£»¡¡it¡¡included¡¡the¡¡draft¡¡for¡¡22£»000¡£
Here¡¡the¡¡fraud¡¡was¡¡discovered£»¡¡and¡¡here¡¡the¡¡lesson
to¡¡bankers¡¡of¡¡advising¡¡drafts¡¡received¡¡a¡¡new
illustration¡£¡¡The¡¡Bank¡¡of¡¡Woodland¡¡had¡¡drawn¡¡no
such¡¡draft£»¡¡and¡¡the¡¡only¡¡one¡¡it¡¡had¡¡drawn¡¡which
was¡¡not¡¡accounted¡¡for¡¡was¡¡one¡¡for¡¡twelve¡¡dollars£»
issued¡¡in¡¡favor¡¡of¡¡A¡£¡¡H¡£¡¡Holmes¡¡to¡¡an¡¡innocent¡
looking¡¡man£»¡¡who£»¡¡on¡¡December¡¡9£»¡¡called¡¡to¡¡ask
how¡¡he¡¡could¡¡send¡¡twelve¡¡dollars¡¡to¡¡a¡¡distant
friend£»¡¡and¡¡whether¡¡it¡¡was¡¡better¡¡to¡¡send¡¡a¡¡money
order¡¡or¡¡an¡¡express¡¡order¡£¡¡When¡¡he¡¡was¡¡told¡¡he
could¡¡send¡¡it¡¡by¡¡bank¡¡draft£»¡¡he¡¡seemed¡¡to¡¡have
learned¡¡something¡¡new£»¡¡supposed¡¡that¡¡he¡¡could
not¡¡get¡¡a¡¡bank¡¡draft£»¡¡and¡¡he¡¡took¡¡it£»¡¡paying¡¡the¡¡fee¡£
Here¡¡came¡¡back¡¡that¡¡innocent¡¡twelve¡dollar¡¡draft£»
raised¡¡to¡¡22£»000£»¡¡and¡¡on¡¡its¡¡way¡¡had¡¡cost¡¡somebody
20£»000¡¡in¡¡gold¡£
¡¨The¡¡almost¡¡absolute¡¡perfection¡¡with¡¡which¡¡the
draft¡¡had¡¡been¡¡forged¡¡had¡¡nearly¡¡defied¡¡the¡¡detection
of¡¡even¡¡the¡¡microscope¡£¡¡In¡¡the¡¡body¡¡of¡¡the
original¡¡12¡¡draft¡¡had¡¡been¡¡the¡¡words£»¡¡'Twelve
¡£¡£¡£¡£¡£¡£¡£¡£¡¡Dollars¡£'¡¡The¡¡forger£»¡¡by¡¡the¡¡use¡¡of¡¡some
chemical¡¡preparation£»¡¡had¡¡erased¡¡the¡¡final¡¡letters
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'twelve£»'¡¡is¡¡it¡¡appeared¡¡in¡¡the¡¡genuine¡¡draft£»
there¡¡was¡¡the¡¡word¡¡'twenty¡two'¡¡in¡¡the¡¡forged
paper¡£
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and¡¡the¡¡word¡¡'dollars'¡¡the¡¡forger¡¡inserted¡¡the
word¡¡'thousand£»'¡¡so¡¡that¡¡in¡¡place¡¡of¡¡the¡¡draft
reading¡¡'twelve¡¡dollars£»'¡¡as¡¡at¡¡first£»¡¡it¡¡read
'twenty¡two¡¡thousand¡¡dollars£»'¡¡as¡¡changed¡£
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'2'¡¡and¡¡the¡¡character¡¡''¡¡had¡¡been¡¡punched¡¡so
that¡¡the¡¡combination¡¡read¡¡'12¡£'¡¡The¡¡forger¡¡had
filled¡¡in¡¡these¡¡perforations¡¡with¡¡paper¡¡in¡¡such¡¡away
that¡¡the¡¡part¡¡filled¡¡in¡¡looked¡¡exactly¡¡like¡¡the¡¡field
of¡¡the¡¡paper¡£¡¡After¡¡having¡¡filled¡¡in¡¡the¡¡perforations£»
he¡¡had¡¡perforated¡¡the¡¡paper¡¡with¡¡the¡¡combination£»
'22£»000¡£'
¡¨The¡¡dates£»¡¡too£»¡¡had¡¡been¡¡erased¡¡by¡¡the¡¡chemical
process£»¡¡and¡¡in¡¡their¡¡stead¡¡were¡¡dates¡¡which
would¡¡make¡¡it¡¡appear¡¡that¡¡the¡¡paper¡¡bad¡¡been¡¡presented
for¡¡payment¡¡within¡¡a¡¡reasonable¡¡length¡¡of
time¡¡after¡¡it¡¡had¡¡been¡¡issued¡£¡¡The¡¡dates¡¡in¡¡the
original¡¡draft£»¡¡if¡¡left¡¡on¡¡the¡¡forged¡¡draft£»¡¡would
have¡¡been¡¡liable¡¡to¡¡arouse¡¡suspicion¡¡at¡¡the¡¡bank£»
for¡¡they¡¡would¡¡have¡¡shown¡¡that¡¡the¡¡holder¡¡had¡¡departed
from¡¡custom¡¡in¡¡carrying£»¡¡such¡¡a¡¡valuable¡¡paper
more¡¡than¡¡a¡¡few¡¡days¡£
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had¡¡been¡¡made¡¡in¡¡the¡¡paper£»¡¡the¡¡manner¡¡in
which¡¡they¡¡had¡¡been¡¡made¡¡betrayed¡¡the¡¡hand¡¡of
an¡¡expert¡¡forger¡£¡¡The¡¡interjected¡¡hand¡writing
was¡¡so¡¡nearly¡¡like¡¡that¡¡in¡¡the¡¡original¡¡paper¡¡that¡¡it
took¡¡a¡¡great¡¡while¡¡to¡¡decide¡¡whether¡¡or¡¡not¡¡it¡¡was
a¡¡forgery¡£
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the¡¡use¡¡of¡¡chemicals¡¡the¡¡coloring¡¡of¡¡the¡¡paper¡¡had
been¡¡restored£»¡¡so¡¡that¡¡it¡¡was¡¡well¡nigh¡¡impossible
to¡¡detect¡¡a¡¡variance¡¡of¡¡the¡¡hue¡£¡¡It¡¡was¡¡the¡¡work
of¡¡an¡¡artist£»¡¡with¡¡pen£»¡¡ink£»¡¡chemicals£»¡¡camel's¡¡hair
brush£»¡¡water¡¡colors£»¡¡paper¡¡pulp¡¡and¡¡a¡¡perforating
machine¡£¡¡Moreover¡¡the¡¡crime¡¡was¡¡eighteen¡¡days
old£»¡¡and¡¡the¡¡forger¡¡might¡¡be¡¡in¡¡Japan¡¡or¡¡on¡¡his
way¡¡to¡¡Europe¡£¡¡The¡¡Protective¡¡Committee¡¡of¡¡the
American¡¡Bankers'¡¡Association¡¡held¡¡a¡¡hurried¡¡consultation
as¡¡soon¡¡as¡¡the¡¡news¡¡of¡¡the¡¡forgery¡¡reached
New¡¡York£»¡¡and¡¡orders¡¡were¡¡given¡¡to¡¡get¡¡this
forger£»¡¡regardless¡¡of¡¡expensehe¡¡was¡¡too¡¡dangerous
a¡¡man¡¡to¡¡be¡¡at¡¡large¡£¡¡It¡¡was¡¡easier¡¡said¡¡than
done£»¡¡but¡¡the¡¡skill¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Pinkertons¡¡was¡¡aroused
and¡¡the¡¡wires¡¡were¡¡made¡¡hot¡¡getting¡¡an¡¡accurate
description¡¡of¡¡Dean¡¡from¡¡all¡¡who¡¡had¡¡seen¡¡him¡£
Suspected¡¡bank¡¡criminals¡¡were¡¡shadowed¡¡night¡¡and
day¡¡to¡¡see¡¡if¡¡they¡¡connected¡¡with¡¡any¡¡one¡¡answering
the¡¡description£»¡¡but¡¡patient£»¡¡hard¡¡labor¡¡for
nearly¡¡two¡¡months¡¡did¡¡not¡¡seem¡¡to¡¡promise
much¡£¡¨
Not¡¡satisfied¡¡with¡¡their¡¡success¡¡in¡¡San¡¡Francisco
these¡¡same¡¡bank¡¡workers¡¡began¡¡a¡¡series¡¡of¡¡operations
in¡¡Minneapolis¡¡and¡¡St¡£¡¡Paul£»¡¡Minnesota¡£¡¡This¡¡information
by¡¡chance¡¡reached¡¡the¡¡Pinkertons¡¡who¡¡laid
a¡¡trap¡¡and¡¡captured¡¡two¡¡of¡¡the¡¡gang¡£¡¡Shortly¡¡afterward
Becker¡¡on¡¡information¡¡furnished¡¡by¡¡them¡¡was
also¡¡arrested£»¡¡taken¡¡to¡¡California¡¡and¡¡after¡¡three¡¡separate
trials¡¡as¡¡before¡¡stated£»¡¡sent¡¡to¡¡San¡¡Quetin¡£
This¡¡triumph¡¡of¡¡the¡¡forger's¡¡art£»¡¡I¡¡examined¡¡in¡¡the
city¡¡of¡¡San¡¡Francisco¡¡and¡¡although¡¡it¡¡was¡¡not£»¡¡the¡¡first
time¡¡I¡¡had¡¡been¡¡brought¡¡into¡¡contact¡¡with¡¡the¡¡work¡¡of
Becker£»¡¡was¡¡compelled¡¡to¡¡admit¡¡that¡¡this¡¡particular
specimen¡¡was¡¡almost¡¡perfect¡¡and¡¡more¡¡nearly¡¡so¡¡with¡¡a
single¡¡except