The Topeka state journal., 1897-11-06
COUNTING THE COIN.
The Task at Washington Will Take
All Winter.

Washington, Nov. 6.-Treasury Off
cials are surprised at the light sentence
"a fine of S50-impOSed upon ThomaS
Martin, the former treasury employe
convicted of stealing silver dollars
during the count of money by Substl-
tuting pieces of lead of about the same
weight.
The treasury officials, as heretofore
stated. hold circumstantial evidence
that Martin stole much more money
than he admitted. He was convicted
of stealing Is silver dollars. After his
arrest, and pending his trial. the dlS-
covery was made that the lead had
been substituted for more dollars than
%. Treasurer Roberts did not know
how much the shortage might aggre-
gate, and ordered that the count in
vault No. 1 should be made by hand
instead Of by the process of weighing,
which has been used for years. This
hand counted in vault No has been
going on for about two months, and 1T
is estimated that it will not be COM
pleted before March or the 1st of April
Up TO a week ago the aggregate OF
lead discovered was 200 or 500, repre-
senting that many dollars which have
been abstracted by somebody. The
substituted points to Martin. The
pieces are like those found in
the bags with which Martin was known
to have tampered. The trouble now,
however, is that there is no evidence to
convict Martin. Nobody can swear
that he did the work, as nobody saw
him.
Treasurer officials will not say ex-
actly how much money is missing, but
admit that it amounts to $100 or $2OO
1t is not known how much money will
be found gone, as less than One-fOurth
of the money in vault No. 1 has been
counted. Some days the count reveals
no shortage, while other days a few
of the lead substitutes are found in
sacks. It is not improbable that Mar
tin began his work of theft during the
count four years ago, but it was not
discovered. He had no opportunity
again until the count began this year.
Four years ago he worked in vault No.
l. Nobody suspected him then. He
had been at work some time on the
him.
Martin has never worked in vault No
2, the smaller of the two vaults. That
vault contains As, ,000, 900 silver dollars
1t was counted by the weighing process
several months ago, and will not be re-
counted by hand.
The big vault, where the shortage
has been discovered, contained $104 900, =
900 when the present treasurer went
into office. The count of this vault
by weighing was more than half
through when Martin S theft was dis
covered. Since the hand count began
$2S 900, 900 have been counted. The count
proceeds at the average rate of $3.50, 900
a. day This will give an idea of how
long will be consumed in counting the
remainder, $176, 900 900.
About twenty more persons are en-
ployed in the hand count than was nee
essary by the weighing process Most
of these extra people have been drafted
from different bureaus, but ten addi-
tiOnal labOrers had to be employed at
a cost of $50 per day. 1t is estimated
that the count will cost $40, 900 as a re-
sui of Martins theft.
Twenty-eight ladies do the counting
of the silver dollars. They sit at four
long tables, and the jingle of silver is
heard in all directions. Each lady has
tray before her. With dollars stacked
twenty high. this tray holds 1000. AS
a tray is filed a sealer takes charge
puts the dollars in bags and sends
them to the weighers. To prevent any
thing happening, each bag is weighed
any discrepancy calling for another
count.
Besides ladies and the laborers
supervising capacity, several repr-
there are eight persons employed in the
supervising capacity, several repre-
Sentng the former treasurer. d NJ
Morgan. Whatever loss is revealed at
the conclusion of the count will fall up
on Mr.. Morgan, who, as known is still
responsible through his bondsmen.