Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1889-05-09


When a small portion of a United
States note is returned TO the Treasury
with sufficient proof that the remainder
OF II has gone out OF existence, the
Treasury will give the full valuo OF the
original note Naturally the greatest
destruction Of money is wrought by
fire. and bits of bills with charred
edges are constantly coming in for re-
demption.
But several instances have occurred
where men. in their desperation at
their loss, have simply boxed up a lot
OF ashes, in which there was not the
slightest trace Of the original material.
and demanded hundreds and thousands
OF dollars for them. Such requests are,
OF course. refused, and the senders are
informed that their only recourse is to
ask Congress BY special act to indem-
Nifty them.
The extreme limit in this direction
was reached 10 a recent case which is
still pending. A Texan wrote TO the
Treasurer that a certain large amount
OF money belonging to him had been
ourued and that he had forwarded the
remains by express in box The
box caine all right, properly wrapped
and with seals uabrozen. but when IL
was opened there was absolutely
nothing but air inside OF Il. EVIDENT
~ that was all that was left Of the
mans money, but the department sent
him letter inquiring whether that
was his mcaning Of It or II he mad for
gotten to put in the pieces. His reply
has not yet been received.
Next to fire the young baby Is put
down in the department as the most
destructive agent Innumerable aHl-
davits are received in which John
Jones. or whatever his name may be,
''being duly sworn. deposes and says,"
that his infant son did chew up and
swallow the missing portion OF certain
50 bills, and that the said missing por-
tions were thereby wholly destroyed
and are now no longer in existence.
3 The fashion of keeping small pet
dogs has often been the cause Of many
solemn affidavits being sent to the de-
partment Your pug and your poodle
seem to take especial delight In masti-
eating the fruit and the reward OF the
many days Of severe toll OF the head
Of the house. c4
The fancy OF mice for $40 bills as
lining for Injurious nests has been
impressed upon the redemption bsreau
by long series OF examples. Only a
fcw days ago several hundred dollars
worth OF nest lining was redeemed for
Southern man who had for many
years given up all idea OF finding his
missing treasure There was 500 of
il in the FIRST place, notes OF almost the
first Issue made by the Government
early in war times 1t had been
hidden away in place supposed to be
secure and had disappeared. A quar-
ter OF century later, in repairing the
porch OF the old house. the nest o; the
wealthy mouse had been discovered,
and enough Of the fragments recovered
10 secure more than half of the orig
inal deposit.
Also from the South come most OF
the mouldy, worm-eaten bills which !
have been hidden in bottles or buried |
IN the earth for years There are not
50 many savings banks in the South as
In thrifty New England, and hiding
places are used.
But the habit OF using the parlor or
kitchen stove as safety deposit vault
is not confined to any one section Of
the country. Neither is the custom
OF burning up this treasure by some
other member OF the family who is all |
unaware Of its value. Years ago the |
clerks in the redemption bureau
ceased TO decIaim upon the stupidity
OF such people. IL has become mat
tor OF course with them. and they ex-
pect about so many letters every week |
from people who have warmed 81 pair
OF hands with $1,000 worth OF silver
certificates
Evidence Of family row crops out
In a queer way in the bureau occa-
sionally. Mr.. Blank sends on the half
of $40 note with torn edge and an
aiiidavit that the remainder OF the
note has been destroyed. Presently
comes tho other half with corre-
spondingly ragged edge and an afiida-
Wit from Mrs. Blank that the first half
has been destroyed. Then the re-
dempuon bureau people know that
there has been an exciting time over
money in the BlanS Emily, and there
Is before them ~ "a picture OF Blank
TO one fof thenote and his
wife to the o.,; 4 end until IL parts in
tine middle.
There are not many attempts 10 de-
fraud the Government through the re-
demption bureau and none have been
succe8sful- The sending OF the two
halves OF a note OF large denomination
by dliorent people, each one swearing
that the other half Is destroyed and
asking for the full value of the note,
frequently looks like an attempt 10 de-
fraud, but the officials think that in
most cases the senders believe they are
telling ths truth.
Countsrfeit money comes from every
part OF the country, mutilated, Prob
ably by design, with requests for its
II Is always indellbly
Stamped "countorfeit' and returned
n fho sender The redemption bu-
rpau Is not good place for showing
\ e aaeer ? even in a fragmeptary
,ondiiion
lhe redemption bureau people must
% hptolfalnlpg correspondents Al
eaaf, people like TO continue writing
q them, when thoro Is no necessity for
A mao up 10 Pennsylynnia sent IA
moll|ated g. bin nome time ago, aud
oceived Ia retirn a check for 9b on 4
9 ! y