THUMB CHEQUE SIGNATURES

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 316, 6 January 1909, Page 4

THUMB CHEQUE SIGNATURES

The old Chinese system of ideiililbition by means of thumb-marks has been adapted to modern banking in Wyoming, and tlie method made famous by Mark Twni 11 iii •Tuild'nhcad Wilson" is now in practical use in the First A'atiunJl Bank of Cheyenne as a means of identifying the signatures of the many foreigners who make deposits at that institution (writes a Now I'ork correspondent). in fact. the thuniJi-nm>!< lias become as necessary 011 i-heipies drawn by that class of the bunk's depositors 'as is the written signature 0! the drawer. The system lias been in use for more Lluin a year, and in that time the bank has not had the slight.»ot trouble with its foreign depositors. The itrrangemeal works lo perfection. There are probably more nationalities represented in and around Cheyenne than in almost any other eity of the country. The great mining camps of the State, together with t lie railroads, have brought hundreds of laborers from Asiatic countries, Coreans, Japanese, Chinese, Mexicans, Indians. Lithuanians, Czechs, role.-., .Hungarians, liolieininns, Creeks, mid the like. llany of these peiiple deposit their savings in the First National, and very fc;w of them can write their names, especially in letters that can lie read <liy an ordinary Ameiicaa business mail. So now each foreign patron of the bank when lie makes a deposit is required to place his thumb on an inked pad ami then 111:1 ke :in impression 011 a card, which, with his ordinary signature and his name as written by the bank cashier, is depasited h the records of the bank. Whenever a elieijue is presented drawn by this palm) I,is lliiimb signature must appear on the clieipie anil must correspond with thai on the card in the record. II it does not so correspond the eheipie is thrown out as a forgery. The bank ollicers have already become so expert in reading thumb signatures that tliey recognise the marks of many of its patrons without reference lo the records.