San Andreas independent., 1857-09-19
The Mint Robberies.


that she is well provided with her quota of
thieves, who stand in high positions, and whose
blasting presence has proven such curse to
every portion of California. 1t is we'll known
fact, that for the last three or four years. the
people of California have beenconstantly losing
this the case in regard to all institutions where
are deposited or handled large amounts ofpubllc
money. For long time I" tarred fingers" have
been looked upon, watched and cared Tor as
one of "the peculiar institutions OF this coun-
try; but it remained for the U. S. Branch MINT
to bring forward the greatest discovery of the
day. and add to "science," by teaching the
slippery trick of cariny the heel Not long
aoo the wonderful fact was supposed to be dis
covered that large quantities of gold had been
escaping -unsuspected by any one-through
the conducting fues and chimney attached to
the Mint: but later developments have pretty
well satisfied the public in consideration of gold
being very heavy substance, that it did not
rise but rather sunk, and was conducted into
some lower obscurity.
When Banks bursted up, and Expresses went
down, and a great portion of the community
were covered with the scattered and falling
fragments or engulphed in the gaping assures,
the public were credulous enough to believe
that there yet remained one place of safety !;
one little nook, secure from foul hands and dirty
fingers; one "safe," concerning which there
could be no doubt-about which no word of
suspicion could ever be raised-the strong
box of Uncle Sam, placed in the San Francisco
Branch Mint, as monument of perpetual safe
ty for all deposits. But again has the too con-
fiding public been deceived again have they
been taught another important lesson in the
oft established fact, that MieUes aciN steal wher
ever the opportunity is favorable.
When the Strengthening up of affairs at the
Mint took place, and it was discovered that
Uncle Sam's strong box was not place of per-
feet safety, it was endeavored to be proved
upon scientific principles that it was entirely
possible for the gold to have escaped through
the chimney. But the public not being suffi-
ciently versed in science to understand the
nlodus operandi of such reasoning, were inclined
to doubt, and on closer investigation, it was
discovered that the d" dashing Count Haraszthy
Meter and Refner, had by superior knowl-
edge of science" manages ,llect the
evaporated orc as it pass Ugh the .Rucs,
and appropriate it to his oWn use, proving de-
faulter to the lively tune of Sl52,00O. Scarce
J, ly is the public mind satisfied as to what be-
came of the eraporated gold, when it is again
surprised with the announcement that Billy
Bien an employee in the Coiners Department,
has, by waxing his heel, picked up and carried
off clippings to the amount of So ,333 and
because he failed to steal more, but little SYM
pathy is shown him. He is thrown into prison,
in a suffering conditions and, as he charges,
robbed by his lawyers, who have obtained all
his means, and now neglect his case, pay no
regard to his wants, and do not even furnish
him with those comforts which are necessary
statements are denied by the attorneys in the
case-one of whom alleges that Bien has proper
ty and securities to the amount of twenty five
or thirty thousand dollars.
Next comes q more important parsonage than
Bien-no less one than J. H. Szabo, Assistant
Assayer-who has managed to I" an,algdnate" q
sufficiency of chips" to amount to the pretty
little sum of $ll 900. He has been in the
habit ofdepositing this amalgam with his friends,
the Blums, who acted as agents in having it
coined; but the gold being of superior " fine
ness to any heretofore discovered in the gold
mines of California, the Blums, supposing the
Assistant Assayer was doing very good busi-
ness, resorted to the financial trick Of black
mailing" to which Szabo objected and after
signing paper to pay his friends, the Blums
the sum of $4,000, brought suit against them
on the ground of extorton. 1t was necessary
Szabo should appear in Court to give testimo-
ny; and he being particularly tender-footed
when questioned upon certain matters, lest he
should criminate Count Uznay and himself
added another link to the grand puzzle, and
served to further perplex those who have been
endeavoring to unravel the " Mint mystery"
As the matter now stands, Haraszthy has
eraporated $4,000; Bien waxed S3,333, and
Szabo amalgamated $ll, ,0OO-making in all
$780, ,O0O There are ninety-one officers and
employees in the Mint Supposing each one
has had time and opportunity to steal his full
proportion, multiply the above sum by the
fues, divide by the chimney, then, if well ~a1ea
and properly amalgamated, it will produce the
sum total of what has been abStracted from
Uncle Sans strong box in the Branch Mint
All eyes are now turned to the Grand Jury,
in San Francisco, and it is expected that more
developements will shortly be made, as cloud
of suspicion hangs over the Mint and every per-
son employed in and about it, 1t is earnestly
to be hoped that Courts and Juries will do their
| whole duty and give the establishment q thor