The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1893-09-16
NVkITeg5d Shortage Larger
Than at First Reported.
THERE MAY HAvBBBBN A MISTAKE

THERE MAY HAVBBEBN A MISTAKE
Agent Morgan, Of the Treasury Depart
ment, win Not Admit a Deficiency,
While chief Clerk Cobb Doubts the
Correctness of the Statement.
WASHINGTON, Sept. 16.-ActinR Director
Of Mint Preston yesterday admitted the
truth Of the report Of the loss of s134, 900
worth Of gold bullion from the Philadel-
phia mint, but refused to make any Of
fetal statement IL is said Mr. Bosby-
shell, the present superintendent Of the
mint, will be compelled to make good the
shortage
PHILADELPHIA, Sept 1G.-The bullion
missing from the mint is part of s15OOO,-
600 worth of gold bullion which was
brought from New York and deposited in
the vault in 1887, when Daniel NJ Fox
was superintendent of the mint The
vault was locked and sealed at that time,
and to all appearances the seals had never
been removed
The seal in question is placed by an
official of the treasury department, and is
known as the department seal
The orders issued by the secretary Of the
y
made it necessary to draw upon the bull
ion in this vault. In order that the CON
dition of the bullion might be officially
ascertained Superinten dent Bosbyshell re-
quested Acting Director of the Mint Pres
ton that he or some other official Of the
treasury department should be present
when the vault was opened.
When Superintendent Bosbyshell as
sumed charge of the mint he gave his re-
cept for this bullion without having it
weighed, because the seals Of the vault
were intact, and Director Preston informed
him that as he had no question as to the
contents of the vaults at that time he was
solely responsible, and the presence Of a
treasury official would, therefore, make no
difference
But finally the director agreed that the
treasury should be represented when the
vault was opened and the bullion re
weighed, and a few days ago William f.
Morgan came here from the mint bureau
in Washington.
On Tuesday the seals Of the vaults were
removed, the vault opened and the bullion
reweighed, Mr.. Morgan being present
Then it was that the discovery was made
that there was over 5000 ounces, or about
Sl34O 600 worth of bullion less in the vault
Mr. Morgan said this morning that he
wasn't prepared to admit that there was
any shortage ut all. 'All men are liable
| to err, said he, as he referred to a possible
| mistake on his own part.
Chief Clerk Cobb doubted the correct
! ness of the story. He believed Il mistake
had been made, and everything would end
satisfactorily.
"The seal was not tampered WITH" said
he, "and there is no evidence of felonious
entry There is a gallery around the vault
and it is under surveillance all the time u
An air of mystery still surrounds the al
legged shortage A report was current last
night that a mint official had been arrested
on a charge of stealing the gold and helt
under heavy bail, butall efforts to confirm
this rumor were fruitless. Acting Min
} Director Preston arrived here last evening
J from Washington and was in conference
at the Lafayette hotel for several hour
with Chief of the Secret Service Drum
= moud, Superintendent Bosbyshell, of tn
mint; Treasury Agent Morgan, David K
Tuttle, smelter and refner at the mint
, and Treasury Agent Underwood. 1t wa
said that the accused was closeted witt
the above and that an effort was bein
! made to make him confess, but when tn
conference ended none of the participant
would talk. All attempts to learn wha
the outcome was were met with rebutfs
The anxiety of the mint officials, an
4 the fact that everybody concerned absC
lutely refuses to discuss the matter, in
measure substantiates the original repol
q of the actual shortage.