Weekly independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1887-1914, 1896-03-08
The Mint Steal

began with Chic: Clerk Noteuare OF
the stand to- further cruas-eSamina-
ton by Nr. Woodburn. Notepare
said the same opportunities to steal
eIisted N the ingot melting room as
II the refinery. Had the spurious
melt bean made In the night. the
watchnen would have k;rown that
operations we're being carried on az
the Mint Harris had the same &C
CESS TO the vault and books Us did
Jones The books up TO 1896 show
10 shortage and =ere passed as cor
rect 10y :hs Superintendent. Quar-
te..y statements, containing the re-
ports o! the Meter and Refner. are
forwarded 20 Washington by the Sup
~e-iutsEdenL Dana Brown. weigh
clerk. and Chas Thompson. nIelte-,
made most Of the figures in the Meter
and RetineT's record while Jones
vas arsistznt Meter and Refner 10
false entries were made IL the looks.
Had searched 10. the tags. but did
not ind them. Lkens told ne tags
should be there. Never had seen the
tag book. and did rot know whether
Il Eas there OF cot. The records Of
the tags are placed in ! book. Was
IL the Mint when the spurious melt
Was discovered ard confined his in
Ve-igaUoa to the SuperintsDdert's
department Did not know who dis
covered that leaves were missing from
the consolidation record There IS
nothing 70 show that 5. +. No. ICi
eYsr went 70 the refinery. II II did
II u have h.cn stolen from the
vault. The figures ICi are smaller
than the figures I3i, and The figures
a are different from the ctLe. two
sets % figures on the bogus bar. EN-
amined the bullion passed over TO
Harris from Zabnski and none Of II
was stamped ike this. Had neye.
stated that he knew the spurious melt
was made II June. ISg3. Ted Dolan.
Tom ConDors, Arthur kaycrait and
myself were weighing the bullion in
the vault when the gold bar was
found 70 be missing. Did not rcmcm
Der whether they were asked 10 search
Tor II before they began. Did
not know whether II could have
been stolen By any person while ,hey
were weighing the bullion. l.. IL.
Ellis vent 10 San Francisco two Gny :
after Jones did IL February. lsGJ. on
the same nature OF business. Wgs
taking no deeper interest IL the case
than his Position with tie Government
] required.
Redirect examination by Clarke
Most Of the bullion il the Mint Was
shipped Ia San Francisco Ill ApnI.
l7'1, upon Il Geographic order from
the Director Of the Mint. 20 that 1t
might be rcwurked to test It's gcuu-
Incness instead Of assay Ing II. Was
always friendly with the defendant
and Il no desire io see linn convict
cd. From the time Jones entered the
Mint III 1880 H. .A6sIstGu, Meter and
Iiciiuer until july /, 1894. he received
S2,UOu per amnum; from tina; time IN
til he WAS discharged he was reduced
Ia $500 per aunum; while he was
weigh clerk he received 500 per
day.
On re examination WoOdburn
asked Notewarc il hc would tot rath
or sec Jones behind the bars than
Hirsch Harris. Notewarc replied: -
III hc Is guilty. | would
Independent OF that, guilty or not
guilty continued Woudburn.
No, sir; cmphntically no. was the
reply.
y deposit Of the same iineness Us
the spurious melt, 49, in gold md
Ji3 Ill silver, was received from the
Savage mine December II. 1891.
More OF the same iincneSs was re-
ccivcd from the New York mine in
1893. The bullion shipped Ia San
francisco Tas found to be genuine.
George Likcns was the next wit.
ness. Clarke asked a good many
questions tending 10 show that Ia
briski did not have the active nan
agemcnt Of the refinery; also Ia show
the working Of gold in the refinery
When metal is sent up to the refinery
Il tag accompanies ii; "a record Of these
tags IL kept in - book; these tagsand
records for 1892 % were taken away
III the latter part Of juno, IS9J. by
whom the witness could not positively
swear, but Thought that it was Jones.
Cross examination: DO not know
whether the tags Of ls9O.9l ere
taken away with those OF E2 and H3.
Pierce gathered them up and gave
them to some one: at times he left
Pierce and llcncy at the cuPcl FUR
mace; tho spurious melt could have
been madc in TINT room; Pierce il
dead; no committed suicide after leay.
ing the Mint.
L,kcn's examination was concluded
at 4 O'Clock and Court adjourned till
10 o'clock to-day.
DIED.