The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1896-12-02


from which he had stolen it," replied
Mr.. Preston. "He did not dare to do
this without remelting it, as the gold
was 30 fine that it would be sure to
create suspicion. He had ct his homo
o crucible aud he remelted the gold,
mixing it with silver and lead. This
last product he sent to as through the
express company, and was able to do
so without suspicion. We found ono
bar of gold in Cochran's house the day
he confessed, and we also found $4,000
in gold eagles. 1t was curious house
1t was honeycombed with secret clos
cts, and it was in these that the money
was found. Cochran kept up his steal
ing to tho last. The day the weighing
was completed Cochran came down
early. He was there before any Of the
other employees Of the mint. We had
weighed part OF the gold. The vault
was open, and there was truck in it
loaded with bars of bullion. Cochran,
finding no one about, picked up
twenty of these bars, and, one at a
time. threw them into the ventilator
shaft OF the vault, so that they fell in
between the roof OF the vault and the
floor above. When he confessed he
told where this gold was and we got it
back. The remainder was partially
covered by that which We found at the
house, and we received something
from Cochran's property and his
bondsmen. Uncle Sam is, however,
still $4,000 or $4,000 short from
that"
"Whst did they do with Cochran?"
I asked.
"He was tried and sent to the peni-
tentiary for a term of six years and
seven months. he is now in prison.
He weighed $50 pounds when he was
arrested. He does not weigh 15O
nov, and has lost 100 pounds since
his theft was discovered"
"Do you think he was insane?"
''That is a question" replied the
director Of the mint. t''He seemed to
be monomaniac on the subject OF
gold. he claimed that he had saved
the United States millions of dollars
by guarding It's treasures, and he was
indignant when the gold was taken
from him. Since that time we have
not kept gold bullion in vaults OF this
nature, and there will probably never
be robbery of that kind again"
"Has Uncle Sam ever lost Us much
as this in the past2"
There was little loss in Cochran's
case," replied Director Preston. "The
money was nearly all recovered.
There have, however, been big losses
in the past. In 1856, just about the
time that entered the Treasury De.
partment, Uncle Sam lost $780, 900 at
the San Francisco mint. When one
of the settlements was made it was
found that this much was short. The
smelter and refuer claimed that this
was waste, that it had been lost III re.
fining or had escaped up the aues. 1t
is a question in my mind whether he
did not tell the truth. At any rate,
he was arrested, but not convicted.
Shortly after his trial be left the
United States and went to South
America. He was drowned there"
"There was q queer robbery at San
Francisco in 1878, by which colored
night wstchman stole $40, 900 in gold.
1t was known that gold was in some
way or other icing taken ont of the
mint, but it could not be traced. The
detectives finally discovered that
Henry Smith, the night watchman,
had selling bullion. they arrested
him and charged him with taking it
from the mint. He denied the crime.
They then went to his house and thor.
oughly investigated it. They took up
the floors and broke the furniture,
but could find nothing. They next
attacked the yard. They dug the eoil
over with spades. and found little
furnace in which gold had evidently
at some time beer melted. This was
shown to the watchman, but he said
he knew nothing about it.; They then
went back and dug up flower bed,