Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1875-06-09
TREASURY LOOSRNESS.
Extraordinary FaeIIItiesfOr Plumber
ing the Cash ROOm-Easy Clerks and
Unknown Visitors.

Extraordinary FaeIIItiesfOr Plumber
ing the Cash ROOm-Easy Clerks and
Unknown Visitors.
Washington special to the Chicago Times.
Now that the recent robbery has DEM
onstrated the gross carelessness of Spin
ner's management, it is beginning to
be seriously believed that when the
money in the vaults Is counted, as it
will have to be before Mr.. JnO. @. New
assumes charge, large deficits are GER
tain to be found. The reasons given
for this are good. If any private bank.
ing concern were conducted upon as
loose principles as is this branch of the
Treasury Department, it would never
be able to declare a dividend to stock
holders. The recent investigation since
the robbery has shown that the charac-
ter of the clerks employed in Spinner's
department has not been of the best.
Every possible opportunity has been
offered to men of not over certain char
acter to steal, and it is not unreason-
able to suppose that from time to time
various ambitious clerks have carried
out sums of money whose loss has not
yet been discovered. AT present there
is no practical means of determining
the real balance of money left in the
Treasury vaults. When Mr.. New
comes in the money viii lie counted,
which will involve a labor of several
weeks. This clumsy and laboriOus
method Of finding the sum total Of the
money in the vaults is the only method
Of accurately determining the balance
on hand, as this balance is not
determined more than once a
year or so. The remainder of
the time, clerks given to thieving can
act with impunity. No special dex-
terity is required The worst bung-
ling thief in the world if once installed
as a clerk would have no trouble IN
stealing his way to afortune and avoid
ing discovery. In the first place the
Treasury Department Is crimlnally
careless In making up packages OF
money each day to be sent out without
retaining the numbers of the bills. If
the department only had the numbers
of these bills it would be rendered an
absolute impossibility for the thief
who has them to get rid of them. The
Bank of England never allows a pack
age Of money to be sent out without
retaining the numbers of the bills so
sent. This action has served as a very
powerful check upon theft IN the treasV
ury department. Here there is no such
precautiOn taken, and IN the case OF the
late robbery there is no possible means
Of identifying the bills stolen.
One Of the loosest points about the
management here Is the extraordinary
license given to visitors to enter the
cash-rOOm. When enc considers the
strict rules of private banks in such
cases he can fully comprehend the
carelessness Of the management here.
Four people are given the power to per-
NIT visitors to enter the cash-roOm-
Secretary BristOw, Assistant Secretary
Conant, Gen. Spinner, and Assistant
Treasurer Wyman. BristOw, it may
be said to his credit, very rarely issues
a pass to a visitor. Wyman also OBJ
iects most seriously to visitors, and if
he could have his own way the whole
system of visiting would long ago have !
been abolished, but Conant and Spinner /
are the men who would allow the whole |
world to enter the cash-rOOm if only |
certain forms are complied with.
COnant is a vain old game-cOck who !
can be fattered into a,seventh heaven
Of complacency by a little judiciOus |
Difference. The creates, blackleg in the
country, IL he approaches COnant with |
that due humility which this financial |
bladder expects, can have no difficulty /
IN getting a pass for himself and |
friends to enter the cash-room. As to
Gen. Spinner, a pretty woman could |
have every thing he has IN the world |
for the mere asking. Under such an
easy system Of guardianship, the cash
room has been daily invaded by visit
Ors.
In McCartee's division they manage |
things better. Things are closely |
watched, few only being permitted to |
enter at a. time, and no employee Of the |
bureau is allowed to depart at night !
until every sheet Of money has been !
accounted for. Sometimes ladies have |
been kept there until 8 O'Clock in the |
morning, waiting for missing slips to |
be accounted for. Under such circum-
stances all are rigidly examined.