Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1893-02-16
great many appncatlousror assistance

great many appncatiousfor assistance
In getting mutilated currency re-
deemed, and as he prepares the afi-
davits for the parties he makes him
self thoroughly acquainted with the
circumstances of each, and can narrats
some interesting cases An old man
living out In this county came in one
day heartbroken over the loss OF sew
eral thousand dollars which no had
placed under the hearth for safe-keep-
ing, and which mice had almost totally
destroyed. IL took some correspond
ence, but he finally got new bills foi
the old ones Another man had twist
ed up wad Of paper without looking
at II and lighted his cigar, when he
found that his new cigar-lighter was a
ten-dollar bill. An interesting case was
that of an old negro from down in one
of the adjoining counties, who was at
the Union depot about a year ago
buying ticket home. lie had a roll
OF bills In his hands and
couple OF St Louis toughs jumped
on him and tried TO rob him.
In the scramble that ensued the bills
were torn TO shreds and the pieces
strcwn over the floor, but the old ne.
gro held onto most Of his wealth, while
the thieves, failing in their attempt.
made their escape. The Africans
walls over his misfortune brought the
suggestion from some one that maybe
the treasury officials would help him,
and he went up to inquire. A few
aflidavits and little time brought him
an entirely new lot OF bills In exchange
for the pieces. Mary Davis, an elderly
negro woman living over on Morgan
street, came 10 Mr. Barlow some
months ago I'm peck o. trouble" She
had twenty.dollar bill, which she
was trensuring rs the apple OF her eye,
and being about 90 make n visit one
Sunday afternoon she though, the bost
place for her fortune would be In the
oven OF her stove where she carefully
placed H. Returning late in the even
ing SHE built n fire without thinking
of her treasure, and II was some time
afterwards that she attracted the at.
tcution of the household and her
neighbors by dashing water over the
hot stove and screaming at tho top of
her voice. The charrcd remains of the
bill were nearly destroyed by the
water, but enough was saved to sat
isfy the government as 20 tho truth of
the story, and Mary got brand new
twenty bill
Perhaps the most interesting case
that has come up before tho depart.
ment In St. Louis was the ono OF young
Miss H., which was taken before MIR.
Barlow for an affidavit some months
ago. Her father who lives out on Dor.
cas- street and IL an employee in one of
the who aale drug houses, had made
her presents OF little sums till she had
sixty.hvo or seventy dollars saved
up Her pct dog one day got hold OF
", and when his young mistress came
in Il was all torn 10 pieces and most OF
!, ,hcwed iuto pulp. She vas in terri.
Ole distress, aud not wishing her pan,
To know Of her loss, she, nj the suX.
gcstiou OF n friend, applied To the sub
treasury. Part OF the pieces wcro
large enough IN come within the three
hfths rule, and so about one-third OF
the amount was cashed Mt once. The
rest had to GO through the process OF
satisfactory proof, but In due time she
received a draft from Washington fol
the full amount
Instances like the foreg could be
| given In great numbers, though the in
stances In which the losers pocket
their losses, 10 use an old but common
| expression. are much more numerous
The amounts range all the way from q
one dollar bill lover which sum one
man OF some means spent two month,
OF correspondence a year or so ago. ur
To packages containing thousands OF
dollars. Perhaps the largest amount
ever redeemed ut st. Louis after tots
destruction was the instance which oc-
Cured about four months ago The
treasury at Washington had shipped
by express 10 the sub-trcasury at that
point package OF currency amounting
TO forty Thousand dollars. The express
cur with all it's contents was burned.
aud the express company was respons l.
bic for the loss OF the forty thousand
dollars under its contract Realizing
this. the company took Chief Clerk
Kicker OF the 'sub-treasury and
had him present when the safe was
opened very carefully, and the charred
remains Of the money examined. The
packages could be plainly seen aud
identified as to the amounts, as paper
when burned will sometimes retain IL,
lettering, and 40 these bundles OF
burned paper were carefully shipped b.
Washington, from which point forty
thousand dollars in crisp new bilis
came back.
When We realize the immense amount
OF money that Is lost or destroyed every
year, and never found or made good
we can appreciate what a sum Uncle
Sam has constantly accommodating for
the right side of his profit aud loss no-
count OF cOurbe many losses occur
which arc total and caunot DE made
good, because IL would be practically
impossible IN some OF the cases To sat.
isfy the United States treasurer 10 such
an extent az TO preclude the posi-.
bility Of fraud But there arc also
many lohses OF money occurring all the
time which could easily be made good
II the parties were aware OF the law
and the methods OF procedure. The
grand total OF these losses, which are
clear profit TO the government, runs up
into the millions. Globe Democrat
An Opposite View. III you would
be successful" said old Fudgely 10 his