The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-04-25
He Tells Why He Suspects
Jones of Having Substi-
tuted Bogus Bars.
IMPORTANT DUPLICATE KEY.
The Shortage Supposed to Have
Occurred During the Silver
Administration.

ton Of Jones Is still being conducted with
closed doors, and the Nevada papers are
not able to publish accounts of the pro-
ceedings, except the Appeal, which ap-
peared this morning with full account.
At 10 o'clock this morning Mason resumed
his testimony for the Government. He
was questioned good deal by General
Clark, bringing out more positively facts
elected by the testimony the day before.
He reiterated the statement that the
stealing began after the cleanup of June,
1892. He was very positive on this point,
and explained how the system of book
keeping in the mint clearly demonstrated
the fact
The defense took the witness and asked
him good many questions. evidently with
view OF confusing him. The witness was
perfectly cool and answered each as ur-
banely as he did in the direct examination.
Finally the question was put point blank,
Have you personal feeling against the
defendant, Jones?'
''None whatever, or against any one else
in the case. was sent from Washington to
find where the shortage was. 1t was i'm
material to me where the facts direct me.
I am here to find the one who is guilty, if
i
ish the guilty and recover the amount
stolen. 1 have reasons for believing that
the defendant is the guilty one. This is
why the Government has begun proceed
ings against him. Personally, there is no
feeling in the matter whatever"
did Harris tell you that he thought
Jones guilty when you came here?"
mo. The first learned of Jones being
regarded as party was by reading a letter
in Washington which Harris had written
to Superintendent Adams when he re-
ported the shortage to him. The letter
was forwarded by Adams to the depart
ment, and it was there 1 saw it and first
learned of Jones'"
Didn't you also find out that bullion
had been stolen under the present admin
istraIion?'
eyes"
"How did you discover it?"
Harris, the melter and refner, discov-
cred it and reported it?"
when did he report it ?''
HE reported it as soon as he discovered
it. think early in February" (The dis
covery was made by Harris on February
10. The missing bar weighed thirty. nine
ounces and was worth about $780,
What did he think had become of the
barr"
HE thought it was stolen by Mr.. Jones'.
''What other matters did Harris letter
to Adams contain?"
"Itw was all in relation to the shortage"
GLOW did he account for it?"
"He said that bars had been stolen or
else were of such character that they did
not hold up to their assay value"
Coffin then discussed Mason's theories
of the case, and said he had theories in the
case, but had endeavored to get at the
facts. When he paused for a moment, Mr.
Woodburn rose up and said he desired to
ask a question relative to the Standard
mine, entered originally in the gold book
as No II. Commissioner Edwards glanced
at the clock and remarking that it was II
announced that there would be recess
until 1 o'clock.
The cross-examination of Mason was re-
sumed at the afternoon session. Attempts
to rattle the witness on the part of Coffin
failed. The matter of theories was again
reverted to, and the witness said his
theory, based on his investigation, was
that the first stealing took place in June of
1893, when the Standard mine deposit OF
1000 came to the mint. After the ten
and third bars had been remelted $40 900
in gold had been taken out and silver SUBJ
stituted, SO that the bars after remelting
were only worth about $4,000. What he
had before testified relative to converse
ton with Jones regarding the matter was
gone over. He said he had told Jones he
considered that the change in the bars
L. I
ment. Jones had replied: "Well, that
looks pretty rough for me, don't it?'' or
words to that effect.
Another thing that strengthened the
theory of the witness was the fact that
Harris had found duplicate key to the
refinery in Jones' desk. This evidence
came out quite Unexpectedly to the de-
Tense and caused attorneys to put their
heads together. The witness continued
that the only key to the room which was
supposed to exist was in the hands Of Su-
perintendent Harris, who had told him
that he had found the key in Jones' desk
about the time he had suspended him.
Cofin's cross-examination was continued
on the theory that the shortage occurred
after the silver administration came in,
and from the questions it was manifest
that the defense would be made on these
lines.
Mason was asked by Coffin if his orders
were to fasten the shortage on any admin
istration or person.
mo, sir. 1 have investigated every
thing that l could learn of street rumors
and from every source possible, both in
and outside of the mint"
HAS any one tried to influence your in
vestigation2"
mo, sir"
"Do you know of bullion being taken in
the mint at any time to make good the
melter and refner's accountsP'
eyes, sir. Mr. Jones told me he took in
$3.50 in June, 1884,"
"When does your investigation show
that the first shortage existed2"
II think in 1892, before the annual settle
ment.'
"Why do you think so?'
because of the melts in the settlement
that year and 1893 and 1894 that consider
to be like the one here in court, bogus"
"Have you investigated any or all
melts?"