As an aid in the transmission of sealed packages, the thumb print is
invaluable. The print will determine absolutely whether the wax has
been broken in transit, and it will also establish the identity of the
person putting on the seal.
Packages so protected have been left by train robbers where all other
packages in the safe were taken. The thumb print was too suggestive of
danger to make tampering with such packages safe.
In the ordinary usage of the thumb print on bankable paper, the city
bank having its country correspondents everywhere, often is called
upon to cash a draft drawn by the country bank in favor of that bank's
customer, who may be a stranger in the city. The city bank desires to
accommodate the country correspondent as a first proposition.
The unidentified bearer of the draft in the city, may have no
acquaintance able to identify him. If he presents the draft at the
window of the big bank, hoping to satisfy the institution and is
turned away, he feels hurt. By the thumb print method he might have
his money in a moment.