Morning appeal. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1877-1906, 1892-04-05
THE MINT CHARGES.

The S. F. News Letter publishes
the following terview with Super
intendent Wright, relative to tn,
charges against the U s. Mint:
There is no possible way Of
smuggling bullion into the Carson
Mint, as charged The building is
closely watched at night by three
armed men, two of whom are inside
and one in the grounds. Every hour
the man outs de is relieved by one
from the Inside, and it is his duty on
entering the building to inspect it
room by room, to see that everything
is all right. No person can get into
Mint after closing hours, except on
aTermit from myself, and the watch
men are not even perni ted to speak
to each other while on duty. There
is no truth in the statement that |
ever discharged any of these men.
The watchmen there now were APP
pointed by Inc when / took charge
of the Mint
1.-The story about the deposits Of
bullion after hours arose from the
fact that for years past it has always
baen the custom of the Mint to &C.
commodate Wells, Fargo & Co. by
receiving any of their shipments
arriving by the train arriving ct Car
son at Z P NJ. The bullion was not
deposited In any sense of the word,
no official receipts being given until
morning, he risk over night being
assumed by the company. After
these charges first cropped up, Mr..
Leech, Director Of tho Mint at
Washington, wrote ME OIL tho sub
jet of taking IL this 6ullio: for the
accommodations of the express peo-
pie, and on lis suggestion the prac-
zee was dropped, and nothing is
received after : P. NJ, the official /
closing hour No bullion can be !
stolen from this Mint, or any other, I
for that matter, unless every person /
In the building is in the conspiracy !
Every ounce of bullion received is
checked from the counter through
four different departments, the heads
Of which are dire tly responsible
until it appears again in the form Of
coin, accounted for to tho smallest
possible fraction.
1.-The only explanation that can be
given about unknown owners is,
that in order to receive large ship
ments of ore in one day, different
names must be used. Uuder the law
only 10000 onces can be deposited
N one day by one person. Conse-
,uently, when 100, 000 ounces or less
;oIne along they are subdivided into
OTIS, which are deposited in the
names of different people known to
he Mint officials. The cheeks i'll
urn are made out to the same
PARTIES, who endorse them without
aking them from the counter, after
VhicL they are forwarded to the
'wners of the bullion. 1t would be
Ilfficult to handle The bullion from
he mines at Virginia unless this
method of doing business was adopt
d, as it would nscessitate the almost
onstant attendance of the mining,
at Carson. There
as never been any concealment of
his system of deposits, and as to un
nown owners, there is NO such &C 1
cunt on the books of the Mint. 1t {
not customary to ask who owna
ullIon when it comes in, it being I
.ken for grained that the person :
laking the deposit has right to do
}. The Mipt officials are responsible
# the correct weights and returns, !,
nd as | said before, each depart y
ent acts as a check on the other to q
yep these things all straight "