The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1886-07-02
CRANkS AT THE MINT.
Weak Minded Men and Women
Hunting for MYTHICAL Millions

weak-Minded Men and Women
Hunting for Mythical Millions.
Lots of cranks visit the Philadelphia
Mint The majority look sensible, and
are well dressed. but some can be
identified as insane at the distance of a
block, and the attire of these are in
keeping with their intellects. Men and
women who are little .gone in the
upper story" as the poet puts it. 60 to
the mint usually with but one Grand
to collect thousands of millions of dol
lars which they firmly believe is there de-
posted to their credit. Most of them are
from the city, or vicinity. but once in
awhile one puts in an appearance who
has come Il goodly distance by rail
to get money supposed to be all
ready. BY long and painful expert
ence the jolly chief usher of the mint
has been led to adopt one unvarying
mode of treating his cranky visitors.
He don't fling them into the street.
He don t even order them away. or adj
wise them to go to a place where intel
lccts are cheaply repaired. but, instead,
he agrees to all they say, acknowledges
that there are tens of thousands of
millions of dallars, as the case may be.
waiting for them, and then gets rid of
them by some polite excuse for tenn
porary delay in payment Of their
claims, or sends them upon fools er-
rands to see Government officials who
exist only in Imagination.
Yesterday a lady with wall eye, Il
ragged black cloak and a bushy head
of uncombed hair, walked up the Chest
nut street steps of the mint and de-
manded to be introduced to the Treas
urer of the United States"
"He is OUT said the chief usher,
who had had painful previous cxpe-
ricnce with this visitor.
''When will he be in?n she asked.
iic-cely.
II don't know, madame"
"Show me the chief clcrk9'
''Hc has gone to lunch.'' ..r
"When will be be mp
'In couple of hours. Call again"
"I'll wait" said the lady with the
unfurnished skull, Il have twenty-five
thousand dollars here on deposit. I'm
going to draw it to-day. No nonsense,
young man. and she sat firmly down
upon II leather-covered chair.
BY persuading her to let her money
lie day or two in order to draw in
tcrest.' she was induced to depart
Not long ago clean-shaven gentle
man, forty or forty-live, we'll dressed,
looking the typical man of business,
came to the mint and asked to see the
cashier. He was taken to that officials S
office.
II am General Jackson" sad the
visitor, land have several millions on
deposit here, placed to my credit by
my friend, the Baron Alphonse de
Rothschild. of Paris
'Ah. General, glad to see YOU. Be
seated. Your moneys all right"
but | want to take it away.'
"Now?n
Fright off,
Il am sorry" said the official, "but
the fact is we have nothing we could
give you except silver. Your deposit
would fill several wagons. Leave your
address and we will send it."
General Jackson thanked his in
formant, wrote John, IL -Girard
avenue; and left in the coniidant en-
peetation of seeing his three millions
cartcd home.
Some years ago, when the chief
usher OF the mint hadn't very much eN-
percncc with cranks, u wild-cyed gen
tlcman, with a spare body and fierce
mnstache, strobe into the mint and
asked for one hundred thousand dollars
which he said he had left there
Get out. You have no money
here"
''Do you think I'm a foolp Don't |
know what's what? l tell you the
money belongs to me. Hand it over,
or Fiji And the visitor stepped
forward, glowing with indignation.
with his fist upraised. He was pacitied
and told to go to Chestnut street wharf,
where his money was due at two p. M.
by Trenton steamer.-PAiladelphia
letter.