The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1893-09-16
.THE MISSING BULLION.
The Alleged Shortage Larger
Than at First Reported.
THERE MAY HAVEBEEN A MISTAKE.

Agent Morgan, of tho Treasury Departs
ment, VIII Not Admit q Deficiency.
while Chief Clerk Cobb Doubts tho
Correotusss of tho Statement.
WASHINGTON, Sept. 18.-Acting Director
Of Mint Preston yesterday admitted the
ruth of the report Of the loss of $l34, 900
worth of gold bullion from the Philadel-
phia mint, but refused to make my Of
fetal statement 1t Is said Mr. Bosby-
shell, the present superintendent of tho
mint, will be compelled to mako good the
shortage.
PHILADELPHIA, Sept. 16.-The bullion
missing from the mint Is part OF $4,000
900 worth Of gold bullion which was
brought from New York and deposited In
the vault in 1887, when Daniel M. 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
treasury a short time ago to coin gold
made 1t necessary to draw upon the bull
ion in this vault. In order that the con-
dition of the bullion might be officially
ascertained Superinteu 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 thevault was opened.
When Superintendent Bosbyshell as,
sumed charge Of the mint he gave his re-
ceipt for this bullion without having il
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 nc
difference.
But finally the director agreed that tbs
Treasury should be represented when the
vault was opened and the bullion re
weighed, and a few days ago William Il
Morgan came here from the mint bureau
lin Washington.
On Tuesday the seals Of the vaults wer,
removed, the vault opened and the bullion
reweighed, Mr.. Morgan being present
Then it was that the discovery was mad
that there was over 5000 ounces, or abou
1874, 900 worth of bullion less In the vaul
than what there should have been.
Mr.. Morgan said this morning that h
wasn't prepared 20 admit that there wa
any shortage at all. "All men are liabl
to err" said he, as he referred 70 a POSSIBLE
mistake on his own part.
Chief Clerk Cobb doubted the correct
ness of the story, He believed a mistak
had been made, and everything would en'
satisfactorily.
"Fhe seal was not tempered with" sal,
he, "and there is no evidence Of feloniou
ENTRY. There is a gallery around the vault
and it is under surveillance all the time,
An air of mystery still surrounds the al
legged shortage. A report was current las
night that mint official had been arreste
on charge OF stealing the gold and he'll
j. under heavy bail, but all efforts to confirr
\ this rumor were fruitless. Acting Min
! Director Preston arrived here last evenin
, from Washington and was in conferenc
!. ut the Lafayette hotel for several hour
! with Chief of the Secret Service Drum
i moud, Superintendent Bosbyshell, of til
:, mint; Treasury Agent Morgan, David Il
4, futile, smelter and reiuer at the mini
4 and Treasury Agent Underwood. 1t wa
S said that the accused was closeted wit
|. the above and that an effort was bein
i made to make him confess, but when TIA
I, conference ended none of the participant
! would talk. All attempts TO learn whH
4 the outcome was were met with rebuifs.
The anxiety Of the mint officials, an
i the fact that everybody concerned abst
! Ilutely refuses to discuss tue matter, in
=, measure substantiates the original repol
~ of the actual shortage. ."..