The San Francisco call., 1896-03-07
Supplies the Proof That Jones,
and Not Zabriskie, Was in
Active Charge.
HIRsCH HARRIS TESTIFIES
How the Shortage Was Discovered
and His Predecessor Placed
Under Suspicion.

CARSON. NEv., March 6.-The long
missing record book of tags in the Carson
mint was found last night in the cupel
room, where it had been placed for safe
keeping during the Pierce regime. This
book will play part in the trial OF John
T. Jones for completely with James Heney,
convicted of having stolen bullion TO the
value of $23, 900 from the mint. This
morning the bullion tags from July 10,
1898, to May, 1894, we're placed in evidence
TO show that Jones was in active charge OF
the refineryiduring Zabriskie's term. The
tags were read to the jury, and were either
signed "John T. Jones' or 'Zabriskie, per
Thompson; none were signed by
Zabriskie.
Meter and Refner Hirsch Harris to-day
testified that he was appointed on June l,
1894, and received the keys on June s. The
spurious melt was passed in to him in the
1894 settlement as containing 1143.6S5
ounces of gold 1921 fine. The weight of
the spurious bar was exactly the same as
the original Bodie melt. Jones and
Zabriskie were both present, and Jones
checked off the spurious bar with the rest
when they had a settlement
"When the granulations were being
made" said Harris, Il suggested to Jones
that they be assayed, but he said granula-
tions were never assayed because two
granulatlons might differ ten points. Ii
those granulations had been assayed the
shortage would have been detected at
once. When Mason got here he began
checking the bars. When he reached the
settlement melts he began assaying
The bogus bullion had the right number,
corresponding with the records, and the
right weight. but instead of 4S2 ounces of
gold it contained only 14H ounces, a loss
OF $50 ooO."
The records show that bar 164 was re-
ceived on November 9, 1892. No. II had
been stamped on the bar, but as it fell
below the required fneness in gold few
points the II was Cancelled with a cold
chisel and No. 164, the amount OF the
silver purchase, was placed there. On the
ba- in evidence the II was not cancelled,
which proved that the persons who did ii
neglected to place the same marks on it
that had been there originally.
81 investigated the metal in the mint, "
Harris continued, land found there was
shortage of 4O60 ounces of gold, in value
over 600. l spoke to Jones of the de-
ficiency, and he said not to mind that, as
I would find 1t in the slums. When 1 got
the slum returns 1 saw l did not have
enough and asked for a cleanup. Jones
told me that my figures were wron G, that
such a shortage was impossible. The
metal did not come up 10 its pretended
value, as stamped on the bars. There
must have been $4,000 less in the bars
than was claimed.
81 tried to trace the consolidation melts,
but could not, as the record is broken. No.
was made in December, 1892. The hand
writing is that of John T. Jones. The
records do not show consultations s, 9, 10
and IL, but u is there. The records had
been mutilated by tearing out the leaves
The first loss Harris had noticed was OF
800 ounces OF gold out of melt of 5000
ounces. Other losses came rapidly on the
heels of this, and he finally ordered a
cleanup. 1t was possible that the deposit
room molds were used to make the bogus
melt.