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 middle man. Private marks on a check 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 checkbook. 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 played on unsigned bank notes,
but on the bank notes almost any name will do, as no person looks at
the signature, as long as the note appears genuine.

The ingenuity of a countless army of sharpers is constantly at work in
this country, devising plans to obtain funds dishonestly, without
work, but, in fact, they often expend more time, skill, and labor in