River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1897-05-13
ROBBED UNCLE SAM.
A Woman Once Made Rich Haul on
the National TREASURY


There is no department in all the
United States that Uncle Sam guards
with such Jealous care as the nationa.
trea sury. Enough arms and ammuni-
ton are stored in the building to stock
an arsenal. and the slightest alarm
would bring a regiment of bluecoats to
its defense in 80 seconds. The closest
watch is kept over the most trusted en-
ployes, and it would seem that theft
of any description is impossible. Yet
il is on record that a clever woman once
robbed the treasury OF no one knows
how many thousands.
II was never known Just how long her
thefts had been going on. but the story
of her detection is somewhat romantic.
1t was one day in the fall of 1sss that
this woman, wishing to celebrate the
anniversary of her birth, took day
Of, leaving a certain amount of money
in her desk which had been sent by the
suo-treasury of New York for rcdemp-
ton. 1t happened that in her absen ce
the sub-treasurer telegTaphed for an
immediate return of the new money due
in exchange for that which he had
work on the money assigned the alb
sentee. This substitute soon discov-
cred fraud and reported the case at
headquarters.
The woman's method of procedure
was certainly ingenious. From her
bundle of money she would select nine
bills of the same issue and denomina-
ton. From each of these she would
cut portion-from the first a piece
equal to one-tenth, from the second a
piece the size of two-tenths of the whole
bill, from the third three-tenths, from
the fourth four-tenths, from the fifth
ive-tenths, and so on up to nine-tenths.
She then took the first-tenth snd past
Pr it TO the bill from which she had cut
two-tenths, using a piece of paper the
size of one-tenth TO make up for the
piece taken out. The three-tenths and
another piece of paper took the place
Of the four-tenths, and so on until,
when she had finished, she had one
more bill than she started with. She
then put all her pasted bills in the
package, including the extra one, and
took out one that had not been cut for
ncr own use. having counted neF
money, she arranged it in the usual
package and put her seal upon il, after
which it was counted by two different
persons who did not open the pack
ages, but merely counted the ends. and
hence did not see how many patched
bills had been sent by the sub-treasury
of New York. After this it was all
sent to the macerator. which COM
pletely destroyed all evidences of her
guilt.
As il so happened that she had not re-
moved the extra bill on this particular
day there was no convincing evidence
against her, and she was simply dis
charged. 1t was afterward heard that
she had lost all her ill-gotten wealth ut
tie hands of dishonest dealer in real
estate. and not long ago she died of
cancer in small town in New Jersey.
This matter was kept very quiet at the
time of its occurrence, but il stands on
the records of the treasury, and en-
rloyes of the department vouch for its
truth.
1t ought TO be said. however, that no
such fraud can ever occur again. as
measures have been taken by which il
would soon he detected if attempted
Pittsburgh Dispatch.