Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1882-05-29
THE TREASURY DIES.
A Discovery that Startled Secretary Folger
and Cost an cficial His Position.
lBy Telegraph

10y lcieBIhpu.I
CHICAGO, May 27th.-The Times Wash
ington special says: Secretary Folger, in
pursuit Of the Treasury investigation, has
eight hours to startling incident in tie
Bureau of Engraving and Printing. Coming
right upon the heels Of charges that certain
employees in that Bureau had been in collu
SION with counterfeiters, the incident in itself
Is very interesting. Secretary Folger has had
laid before him specific information charging
that such collision existed in the past and
that 1t was possible such collision did exist at
the present time. the Secretary has been
conducting a personal investigation, and in
the course Of which he has found evidence Of
n startling character, explaining in a great
degree the success Of the Brockwsy -Smythe-
Doyle gang of spurious money-makers. Last
Thursday night Professor CASTELAR, was nearly
the last one to leave the engravers' room, and
in going out, his quick eye got sight of what
appeared to him TO be die of the Govern
ment. At this time the great safes had been
closed, and every plate issued that day had
been receipted for and charged up as returned
to the safe. Mr.. Casliear saw that what
looked to be a die Of the Government hal
over it q piece of paper as if it had been
DROPPED THERE CARELEssLY.
He walked up quickly, and lifting up ths
piece Of paper found two Of the Government
dies, representing tens upon natioual bank
bills, surrounded by aeometric lathe work, the
most difficult of all things for counterfsiter
to reproduce by hand. He was very much
startled, remembering all that has been
charged against the management OF the Bu-
resu Of Engraving and Printing. The fact
of the discovery of two dies outside the safe
was enough, in itself, unexplained, to warrant
much that had been said. He picked up the
two dies and went at once to Colonel Irish,
Chief of the Engraving and Printing Bureau,
and placed them in his hands, with the ex-
PLANTATION Of where they were found Colonel
lrish Immediately went to the Secretary of
the Treasury and placed them in his hands,
giving him history of their discovery. The
Secretary at once took steps to learn how this
could have happened 1t was apparent that,
had not Professor Cssilear's attention been
directed to these plates, they would have
been within reach Of any Of the watchmen to
have picked up during the night and to have
been returned again during the day, SO a
transfer could easily have been made. Sec
rotary foiger the next morning ade requi-
sition In writing upon Mr.. Bell, custodian,
for
THE TWO MISSING DIES.
An examination of the receipts showed that
they had all been delivered to Mr.. Bell and
iSi 40 having Deeu placeQ In bnt
safe. If two dies could be left oct in this
way through MIR. Bells lack of attention. the
whole system appears to be very weak. Mr..
Bell endeavored in every way to find the
missing dies. During the latter part of the
day he gave it up, and tried to have his safes
closed again, as they had been the night be
fore without them. Colonel Irish refused to
allow him to close the Safes He came into
the room Just as Bell was about closing them,
and warned the custodian that the cafes
should not be closed until the Secretary gave
orders. From this on the Secretary Of the |
treasury took charge, and it was net until |
o:oV O'Clock last night that the great safes |
were closed. Meanwhile the combination of |
the safes had been called for by the Score. |
tiry, and by him changed so the Safes when |
closed last night, were closed on a cembipa. !
zion known only to the Secretary. This |
me rning he sent officer to open the safes |
And calling, further, on Mr.. Bell for the miss.
log dies. Mr.. Bell
COULD GIVE NO INFORMATION,
Finally he came in to Colonel Irisb and
snd ne would have to make a reauisition
upon him for them. Colonel Irish told him
he did not have than in bis possession. and
had no information to give him on the SUI
]act. The Secretary investigated the case
very thoroughly, and informed your corr.
sooDdent late this afternoon he had arrival
a. the conclusion that the leaving of the dies
out was bit of carelessnegs and NO. mi
through any criminal intent on the mart NJ
Bell. About half-past 3 Mr.. Bell was in.
formed the dies were 10 the possession of tbe
Secretary OF the Treasury. He was at tbe
tme time harded letter from The Sao,o+o, |