Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1893-09-21

TeCJF
81 am not in q position to say any
thing" concluded Superintendent
Bosbyshell. 81 have no statement to
Make
Tho vault had been sealed since the |
administration of Daniel NJ. Fox, and |
contained between $30,000,00O and
$40,o00,o00 in gold. The bars vary in |
value from $4,000 to $1,000 each, and |
$1,000,000 worth of gold weighs one
and three'quarter tons. ..l-
WASHINGTON, Sept 15.-Acting Mint
Director Preston, this morning, con-
firmed the statement made in the Phila-
delphia Ledger that an examination of
the vaults in the Philadelphia Mint had
disclosed shortage of more than 5000
ounces in gold bullion, valued at $134,-
900.
The vault in which the gold is short,
had, when it was sealed in 1887, about
$l6,000,000 in gold bullion.
d. M. Fox was superintendent of the
mint at that time and o. o. Bosbyshell
succeeded him in November, 1889, re-
ceipting for the gold in the sealed vault
without weighing it. The shortage was
discovered only on Tuesday, when the
vault was opened for the purpose of
coming the bullion.
The superintendent of the mint at
Philadelphia is under bond of 100000
and some OF the wealthiest men of the
city, including George w. Childs, is on
it. A thorough examination is being
made to fix the guilt.
Superintendent o. q. Bosbysheli of
the Philadelphia Mint, was almost in
accessible to visitors to-day and to the
few who did see him he would say
nothing about the alleged shortage Of
5000 ounces of gold bullion from the
reserve vault. His subordinates were
equally reticent.
The fire-proof vault in which the bull
{ion has been stored for six years forms
portion of the foundation walls sup
| porting the superstructure. The COM
partment where the bullion was stored
is on the main or first floor. Tha,walls
of the vault are IA inches thick, aud are
composed of steel lattice-work in
closed in brick masonry. The interior is
u feet by about IL feet in floor dimen
sions and about 12 feet high.
Bullion is stored in a metallic com
partment occupying only a portion of
this interior and any suggestion that
| the gold could have been distracted after
having once been stored away is laughed
at by the mint officials. Fifteen watch
men are on duty at night and every 10
minutes one of them touches an electric
registering button on the vault, thus
ensnring constant surveillance.
PHILADELPHIA Pa. Sept. l6.-The mys'
terry surrounding the absence of Henry s.
Cochran from his post as chief of the de-
post weigh room at the Philadelphia Mint
was the dominant feature of the day in
the mint sensation. But one person in
terested in the missing 5000 ounces of gold
| bullion seems to know anything about
Chief Cochran's whereabouts, and that
man is Chief of the Secret Service Drum
i mono, and he will not talk. a---..z-----
Superintendent Bosbyshell was APP
parently as anxious to learn about Coch-
ran as anybody else. and at noon he sent
messenger to another part of the mint
to see il the latter was in the building.
The messenger returned with the an
nouncement that Cochran had not been
seen to-day.
Cochran is 63 years of age and has been
employed at the Philadelphia Mint for As
years. Chief Clerk Cobb endeavored this
morning to show that Cochran's absence
bore no significance and had no reference
to the prevailing sensation. MIR. Cobb de-
clared that the chief of the deposit weigh
room never asked for a leave of absence
when he wanted to go away.
Treasury Agent Morgan was at the mint
this morning end denied that he was en-.
gagged in Weighing gold. He said he had
finished all the weighing he had to do and
declared. that the whole affair would prove
to be a tempest in teapot"
Acting Director OF the Mint Preston re.
turned to Washington early this morning
Superintendent Bosbyshell said this
afternoon There is not single thing
in this matter TO worry any one of my
bondsmen; nor is there anything to worry
me. | am not losing any sleep over it
This whole thing could be explained now
but when man has paddock put ovel
his mouth, what can he do"'
When Chief Drummond was asked abou
the whereabouts of Cochran, he professec
ignorance, and when further asked il HI
would say anything concerning the short
age, he replied; ~ can say nothing. ThI
story will be given out all at once and no
, BY piecemeal." The chief of the secre
service thought the first information woulC
: come from Washington.
1t is generally known that Secretar,
Carlisle has issued orders to everybod!
! connected with the mint service to pre-
serve absolute silence, and this account
for the extreme reticence maintained.
Mr.. Cochran lives on farm at Darby
and so far as known he is not at his home
Henry S. Cochran, chief weigher a
the mint, and for 43 years trusted EN-
$ ploye of that institution, has confessed
. TO Superintendent Drummond, of tn
D United States Secret Service, the thief
), of gold bullion valued at $l34,093.4C
All Of this has been recovered with tn
exception of 10 bars, valued at abou
$4,000, which, it is said, will be full
met by property belonging to Cochra
9 at Darby, 1t is thought that he ma
d reveal the hiding place of some of til
e still missing bars. Cochran is now i
= /, custody.
An OFFICIAL STATEMENT.
= WASHINGTON, Sept. 16.-rhe Treasur
s. Department has made public the exa'
IL facts in relation to the reported loss {
e gold bullion from the mint at Philade
Is phia, US follows:
IL "On account of the demand for coin
n vault in which some SIG, ,O0O, 900 was store
20 in 1887 by Mr.. Preston, during the teri
y Of MIR. Fox as superintendent an
Us which was reGeipted for by Mr.. o.
Bosbyshell without weighing, was opene
OH the 9Th instant, and the bullion n
IN weighed by Mr.. Morgan, and was foun
IA to be 80 bars short, valued at about Sl34
is 600. Mr.. Morgan Immediately reported
10 the mint bureau the results, when he WI
20 directed to return TO Philadelphia at on'
ie and reweigh the bullion.
"On the second weighing it was sti
is found to be short. Since this bullion WI
n, stored in the vault the weigh clerk, an o.
e. employe at the mint, had sole custody ,
IN ii. and circumstances indicated that
ro knew what had become OF the missir
fe bullion. He was charged with its embe
element and he finally admitted it;
le furnished information as to whe
n | over 81 000 of il was secreted.