New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-09-17

MISSING GOLD RECOVERED.
4 CLERK HAD STOLEN II.
II :. COCHRAN. An OLD EMPLOYE OF TlIH
MINT. CONFESSES THE THEFT.

WHEN CHARGED WITH THE CRIME HE ADMITS
HIS GUILT AND MAKES RESTITUTION OF
slo7oco-How THE ROBBERY WAS AC.
CoNPLIsHED-THE GOVERNMENT
LIKELY TO LOSE NOTHING.
Washington, sept 16.-The Treasury Depart
ment las made public the exact facts in relation
to the reported loss of gold bullion from TN" mint
at Philadelphia as follows
"On account Of the demand for coin vault
in which some $4,000. 900 was stored in 1881
by Mr. Preston during the term of Mr.. Fox -
superintendent. and which was reccipt"d for by
O. C. Bosbyshci without weighing, opened
on the 9Th inst. and the bullion reweieh"d bN
Mr. MORGAN. and was found to b. thirty bars
short valued at about S134.000. Mr. Morgan
Immediately reported TO the Mint Bureau the r'-
suits when hc was directed to return to PhIla-
dlphia at onc' and rcwcieh th" bullion. ON the
second weighing it was still found TO be short
"Sincc this bullion was stored in the vault the
weigh clerk an old cmployc AT the mint, had
sole custody of il. and circumstances indicated
that he knew what had become of the missing
bullion He was charged with it, cmbczzrm"ni
and he finally admitted it hc furnished informa-
ton as to where over ~ 90 600 Of it was sccreted
which was recovered yesterday, and more will be-
recovered to-day. as he has expressed willing
ness TO give it up. but aS 10 how much cannot be-
accurately stated, but probably between $4,000
and 5000.
1T is believed al the Treasury Department that
the Government will lose nothing. This state
mcnt j. made in order 50 allay all sensational
news"
The name of the implicated official is Henry ;.
Coclran Ills salary WAS 5000.
Now that the Government is practically
assured of recovering more than four-dfthS Of
the amount Of gold absuactcd from the vault III
the Philadelphia Mint, On" story OF its dis
appearance and IN" circumstances leading 10
the captur. of tine cnlprit gradually coming
ont Secretary Carlisle had hardly issued hS
order directing that the hnlon in the several
mints of the country hc coined when Henry :
Cochran, i'm charge of the reserve vault III the
Philadelphia Mint. became uncast that j"
mentioned the matter TO several of the employees
of the Philadelphia Mint intimating that III"
gold would not be- found intact when the vault
should be opened and the gold weighed. He
did not however, confnc himself 10 mere pro-
tcstations to the employees, but Oh Thurs lay.
September :. canr to Washington and visited
Acting Director of the Mint Preston AT his
home in tins city. he cndc'yord to p.r'uad
MI Preston ip id 80 ''iifltlF fIHit' Nf'li'
tin. orI.r for coining the bullion 81 tie Phil
I,lpha Mint. and 10 slip the coin from tac
Ncs-York Sub-TrcaSury for that purpos". Mr..
Preston informed him that the ORDER could not
be revoked.
The unusual zeal displayed by Mr Cochran in
the matter aroused suspicion AIr. Pre--
toni niipd aDd wic, ihr iurthct request WIS
preferred from Philadelphia that Mint official
should b. present when tnc vault Wi- opened, W.
Preston was led to ask why such q copr~' should
br pursued when the wn"i" r~P'h>lnIb rsrN
npon the Superintendent of ia" Philadelphia MINT
40 suspicion IL entertained that superintendent
l0spy shell lad th" least idea oi shortage 80 th'
reserve vault, or that IN asking for i" presence
of "a Treasury official lie d"~ii'c Z" dl'id' lh' IT,
-uun-ib ibilify In response 10 tins request. MI
Morgan, Of the Mint Bureau, wa~ d"iaii"' 10 hr
present.
Suspicion. Of course. pointed for Obvious r'l-
sons To- Well icrk Cocman, who ioI forty -ih'c'
years las been employee In I'll" lhlaI'iiIih
Mint. and for number Oi ycu- h.- h1d nihr u
at" charge OF the vault IN question mel liuh-
mond. OF the Secret N,rNicr ot tir Mica stats
was at once communicated With aud on Ih'Io-
day went 10 Philadelphia, attn 8 conference WIN
Acting Director Preston, and Immediately hrsr1
work OH the ease. The result W. that ON fiidaN
evening Nj. Cochran paac a iulI ronI"'-i"n ~
Chief Drummord and Nh Preston, VINO prd come
over from WASHINGTON on the AFTERNOON uhih. u"
stated that for tine last eight or Ten yrlfs
hc had been abstIactins bn!I'n baI7 il', , ~,
vault. During that um" i' lnd t1k'n "'nul
S34, 900 worth Within the last ten days hc han
taken S1OO 900 worth.
The method he employed was Substantially
this l;V means of "a crooked NlTc D." pul"t
the bullion bars from the top Of pil" wh"r"
they were placed cro~Swi-" Ink" railroad th"
When they fcll upon the NpOr hc would hf means
Of this hook pull tine bars to the iron 'diitc'I
door the bottom Of which WaS - nv" llI-"
ON one side the bolts having ru~t'd. by pushing
tho door inward the bar OF gold conid easily %"
removed His habit was to do TINS si"'lIhS
b, tore the employees Of the Mint 'hlnr 10 ''iI
vorl, i'm the morning ~ the gold bars wcIsh
only from twelve to fifteen pounds "aci: II"
couIN carry them home ~ccrred in his luncheon
boskct I'm this way he took ont Of the NaGli
and carried away S3i 900 of gold bullion. u
mean, of the same hook. and in the same way a,
heretofore described. j" took ont OF the EAulf
within tie last ten days = 10000 IN gold bullion
Instead of removing hi. from the Mint buildings
however. he s"crctcd il in Tn" V'ntilat"r l"lt
where IL was found after he made MS con'@sl,n
hc himself ,howing ,tS hiding place TO the
officials ,o..,, &c.,, 1900, L.
q place ut-idc of Philadelphia said to bc worth
,lrc,dv rccovcrd-Sl 10000 AT the Mint ana
= Oo0 at his homc-it j. believed that tl" Toy
,rnment can make mp the difference between th"
ct1i ana stnlru and the 81 1.O00 recovered.
|ncl,ran j.. now in tn" cuStoIA "f two secret
service DETECTIVES. but j. not inc1ir'rat"i Us
.oon ~ he makes good the lalour" - - u"
Iic,nd Inc will be liberated. Superintendent
posLv.b"u thinks there is but littlc probability
n Cochran being prosecuted II" VIII "n ms
da,.s In an a-ylun.' the superintendent said to-
n;obt for I think and Chief Drummonl con
cIrs viii, me- that his mind l. unDalanr'l
Fy.SEy1TOR UfENEE MTLLEES HEALTH.