The Nevada Democrat., 1857-10-14
NEVADA CALIFORNIA WEDNESDAY MORNING. OCTOBER A. 1857
The Mint DefaIcations-NIeIter and Refiner's
Deparfment.

Department.
The Grand Jury, embanneled for the Septem-
Der term of the U. S. Circuit Court, at San
Francisco, adjourned on Saturday the Sd, after
giving the branch mint thorough overhauling.
Augostin Haraszthy, late melter and refner,
was presented for embezzlement. We copy so
much of the report of the jury as relates to this
department.:
Much of our inquiry was directed to solving
the mystery attending the large deficiency in
the melter and refner's department, but after an
investigation as thorough as We could institute,
we have been unable to arrive at any solution
which satisfactorily accounts for so great de-
ficiency as we found to exist in that department
In 1854, when DIR. John Hewson was melter and
refner, there we're melted 798.257 l75-l000
ounces of gold bullion, showing an actual loss
of lO4 72-1O00 ounces. This small loss is attri-
buted to O. large amount of impaired gold bars
received in the mint at the time, on which little
or no loss occurs We find by the first settle
ment made by the late melter and refner, Col.
Haraszthy, made in 1855, there we're melted
], $40. 800 634 1000 ounces of gold bullion, with
an actual wastage of PA sS2-lOOO ounces, the
legal wastage allowed this officer by law being
2.74I G0O-l0O0 ounces. This settlement was
highly favorable to the melter and refner.
We next find that in the settlement of 1856
there were melted 2,041 ,5S4 52l-l000 ozs gold
bullion, with an actual loss of 3, 1856 4l5-l000
ozs. This increase of loss is said to be caused
by the great increase of business in the branch
mint, causing the melter and refner to work
his department day and night, which prevented
the same care being observed to avoid loss.
This possibly may have been the case, as the
mint was worked to three or four times its ca
pacity, owing to the great demand for coin at
that time.
We now come to the fiual settlement made in
April 1857, the result of which is so astounding
that it has led to the presentment of the late
melter and re6ner. We find that there was
melted in the branch mint, from September,
1856, TO April, 1857 l,373,095 605-l000 ozs. of
gold bullion, showing the extraordinary loss
unaccounted for of 1916 l9l-l000 ozs gold
The only light thrown on the disappearance OF
so large a quantity Of gold, is that shown by
the developments in the case of Bein that con-
siderable amounts of gold bullion have been
taken from the mint by other hands than those
of the late melter and refner.
1t may be said that the amount indicated in
the Bein case is comparatively small, yet
we have no means of determining the actual
amount taken in that way. While it is believed
that Bein's depredations on the gold of the mint
far exceeds the amount acknowledged by him.
SZabo will rest under merited suspicion until
he satisfactorily accounts Tor the gold deposited
by the Blums for him. This, together with the
gold found in the chimney and on the roof of
the mint and adjoining buildings, have increased
the difficulties Of arriving at any satisfactory
result as to the extent of the amount of gold
distracted from the mint. We refrain from say
ing anything further on this subject, as the case
of the melter and refiner is before the Honora-
BILE Court.
The gentleman in charge Of the melting and
refining department at this time has been highly
successful in the introduction of checks, which
indicate from time to time the probable loss in
this department In future no excessive loss
can be sustained without immediate detection.
Had these checks been adopted at an earlier
day the mint could not have sustained any con-
siderable loss.