In opening your account with a bank, you will be asked to give your signature and your address. Write your name naturally, as you are in the habit of signing it. The paying teller has to accustom himself to the peculiarities of the signature of every patron of the bank, and has to be constantly on the lookout for forgeries; for if he pays a forgery, the bank must stand the loss. He soon gets to know your signature as he knows your face. So don't have your signature on the bank's books as, John P. Williams, for instance, and then sign numbers of your checks, J. P. Williams. The letter "J" might stand for James or Joseph, and, if the account is in the name of John P. Williams, the bank is taking an unreasonable risk in paying out your money on a check signed, "J. P. Williams." It would have to make good any loss that might result thereby. A woman, for instance, will open an account as Florence Perkins Smith, and then send out checks signed "Florence P. Smith"; or "F. P. Smith"; or if married, will sign, Mrs. Harry B. Smith.

Then the paying teller must see that every endorsement on the check is technically correct. For instance, that a check made payable to John P. Williams is not endorsed "J. P. Williams," and again that a check payable to "J. P. Williams, Trustee," is not endorsed by J. P. Williams only, and not as "Trustee."

Before going to the paying teller's window you should endorse any check you are collecting; even though it is made payable to "Cash" or to "Bearer." If the check should turn out "no good," the teller can then see at a glance who cashed it, and communicate with the proper party. Compliance with these points saves much delay.

Every check should be endorsed exactly as it is made payable on its face. Many firms, as well as individuals, overlook this point daily.

The paying teller must watch for raised or altered checks. The law holds that any legal instrument is void if altered in any material way.

So many people, if they make a mistake in writing a check, will erase or alter the amount or the name, instead of taking a little more time and making out a new one. The banks have to be very cautious and particular about paying such checks, for they are paying out actual cash on doubtful orders. According to law, they must suffer the consequences if they pay to the wrong person or pay the wrong amount.

But all depositors must use every reasonable precaution to keep their checks from being altered in any way. Many people, especially in the rural districts, write checks in lead pencil. How easy it is for such checks to be changed if they fall into the hands of dishonest parties. The rejection of the account of any person, who will be so careless, is plainly only the part of safety.

The figures should be placed close to the dollar mark. In writing the amount of the check in words, begin close to the left hand margin, and when the amount is written, draw a line in the blank space left between the amount, and the word "dollars." The law says that where the figures and the written amount differ, the written amount shall govern.