The San Francisco call., 1896-03-13
JONES' TRIAL At CARSON,
Inspector Mason Tells the Jury
What He Knows About
Bogus Melts.
Other Witnesses Testify as to the
Defendants Transactions in
Stocks.

CARSON, New, March 12.-The morn
ing session IN the trial of John T. Jones,
the alleged bullion thief, opened with
Andrew Mason resuming his testimony.
THE spurious MELT" he said, "could
have been made from two to five ounces
short in weight and never have been de-
tected. It would have been impossible to
make the bogus melt in February, 1898.
1t must have been made by June, 1898.
1t could have been made by taking silver
melts containing little gold or adding a
little base metal. | account for the un-
usual surplus OF 1895 in silver to the trans
mutation of gold for silver in making
bogus melts.
Witness thought that every rich melt
might be bogus. 1t would be possible for
the refiner to substitute any metal and
send it to the assaver for assaying. The
only way to detect 1t would be for some
one to discover 1t. Inspectors were
present in the settlements of 1891, 1892 and
1893 Jones had told the United States
Attorney that he had probably $4,000 or
$40. 600 he had made in stocks.
Detective Gallagher then took the
stand. He said he had conversation
with John 7. Jones at Bryson's saloon
and Jones had stated that he borrowed
$1,000 and by stock transactions had made
$50, 600. Jones stated that he knew he was
susp ected and wished to assist all he
could IN the investigation.
G. r. Chandler, clerk of Wells, Fargo &
Co.'s Bank of San Francisco, was the next
witness. He testified that he had exam
ined the records OF Wells, Fargo & Co.
Bank. Defendant had stocks of several
mines--Con. Virginia and Ogerman. The
profit as shown by the books was $21 on
200 shares of Con. Virginia mining stock.
7. R. Hofer, Wells Fargo d Co.'S agent at
Carson and cashier of the Bullion Bank.
was then called. He testified that he had
made an account of Jones' transactions
with said bank and that the stock trans
actions from September %, 1891, to De-
cember 6, 1892, showed loss of $3.50 %.
T. r. Hofer, cashier of the Bullion Bank,
and Colonel Ives of the San Francisco
the defendant had lost money in stocks,
not having made in stock speculations the
large sums he squandered.
George Mclaughlin was again recalled
to give expert testimony regarding the
stamping OF the spurious bars TO show its
age. Witness gave a detailed account of
his stamping of the bars and their differ
ent temperatures. The bar stamped had
| been placed in the custody of the clerk of
] the court. The bar was produced in court.
1t was one OF the spurious bars. The
spurious bar that had been heated and
stamped was placed alongside the one that
had not been SO treated. and the witness
showed the jury the difference in the
stamping and color.
They were very much interested in the
exhibit and crowded around the witness.
The object of the testimony was to
show that the spurious bars we're stamped
hot and therefore melted in 1898. Hot and
cold stamping had been done on the same
bar and the jurors were shown the differ
ent appearance through a glass. The die
that stamped the bar in settlement had
been broken since the stamping was done
as a piece of the figure was clipped out.
Chris Zabriskie, a very important witness
for the Government, was expected to-day
but was delayed. Hej will arrive in the
morning and the Government expects to
show by this witness that Jones was short
in his accounts several thousand dollars in
the bank of Candelaria before he went into
the mint and obtained his position in the
mint through parties who wanted him to
make good his shortage and they COM
PEELED him to give up certain sum every
month of his official salary.