Jasper County Democrat, Volume 22, Number 104, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 27 March 1920 — THE BANK REPLIED ‘NO FUNDS’ [ARTICLE]

THE BANK REPLIED ‘NO FUNDS’

When Check ofoMusic Dealer Came Back From Winamac. W. E. Burrell or W. E. Bunnell —it is difficult to determine from the signature which name is' correct —a young man who is said to be selling pianos and talking machine on commission for a Kankakee, 111., firm and has his headquarters at Winamac, was in Rensselaer for a couple of weeks recently and is said to have departed on Monday night of last week after having purchased a music record of C. B. Steward for some 65 cents and tendering in payment therefor a check for $5.65 on the Citizens National bank of Winamac, which he drew in Mr. Steward’s favor and received the balance of the amount In cash. Mr. Steward deposited the check in bank here and in a few days it came back endorsed “No funds. He has since learned from the Winamac bank that his check is but one of quite a number that had been Issued by Burrell or Bunnell on the same bank for small amounts with no funds there to meet them. * The young man while here stopped at the Makeever house and is also said to have roomed for a while at Mrs. T. W. Haus’s home. At the former place he left an unpaid bill of about S2O for room rent and it is probable that he failed to pay Mrs. Haus also. It is said that the young man prevailed on a Winamac young lady, who was employed in a doctors office there, to take charge of a music store which he opened in Winamac. The girl is said to have had some S4OO saved up which he succeeded in borrowing from her. Whether or not she lias gotten this money back or is secured in any way, our informant was unable to learn. The young man had called on Mr. Steward on three or four different

occasions previous to the check episode and said that he wanted to secure floor space for a few pianos and phonographs in Mr. Steward’s room, as he was going to open up a sales room and office here also. He later came to Mr. Steward and wanted to sell him a contract he had secured for a phonograph, or to have the latter advance him some money on same. Mr. Steward told him that he was not in that kind of business and told him to go to a bank. The young man returned after a time and said that he could do nothing at the banks here as he was not known, but that he could get all the money he wanted at Winamac. It was then that he purchased the music record of Mr. Steward and asked the latter If he could give him $5 in cash if he would write the check for $5.65. It Is supposed that the $5 he secured from Mr. Steward was used in paying car fare to make his getaway. It is understood that the young

man sold a phonograph while here to a young woman on College avej. nqe, but whether any other sales or not were made, the writer is unadvised.