The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1898-01-29
HARDTOFO0L UNCLESAM
MANY VAIN EFFORTS TO GET GOOD
MONEY FOR BAD.

Seems Easy, but Difficult and Danger
ous-Attclnpts TO Swindlc with Notes.
Why men who in ordinary business
affairs are scrupulously honest do not
hesitate to swindle the Government is
one Of the problems which puzzle the
! department officials at Washington, &C.
cordinS to correspondent Of the New
York Sun. There is no doubt that
this curious mental attitude toward the
Government is very general. The
Treasury Department sees more exam
pies Of it than any other of the de-
partmcnts, and Of the Treasury expert
ence the redemption division gets q
full share. It is there that $275, 000,-
900 in worn and torn Government cur.
rency is sent every year to bo ex-
changed for fresh, crisp greenbacks OF
shining coin. Mr.. Re]yea, who has
been chief OF the division for ten years,
says it is great place to study human
| nature.
In the redemption division they give
you whole note for three-ffths of q
note Of the same denomination. They
give you half the face value of note
for piece Of it greater than two-t ifths
| and less than three ifths. Finally
they replace note entirely, however
small the fragment offered for redemp-
ton, if the owner can show to the sat-
| isfaction of Mr.. Relyea and his assist
ants that the remainder of the note
was accidentally destroyed. Bear
these facts in mind:
! Less than two-tifths of q $40 bill is
worth nothing unless it can be proved
| that tho remainder Of the bill was de-
| stroyed accidentally.
More than two-ffths and less than
three ftths OF the bill is worth S., but
| with the same condition fulfilled it is
! worth $40.
Three tifths Of the bill is worth $40.
Not long ago a doctor in Alabama
sent to the redemption division one
half Of a $40 bill, accompanied by an
affidavit saying that while on q spree
he had used the other half to light
cigar. The half which he forwarded
was nicely charred along the inner
edge. The story would have been
very plausible if the redemption divis-
ion had not received within twenty
four hours from an Alabama bank the
other half Of the same note. The
theory Of the Treasury officials was that
while on a spree the doctor had strug-
gled for the possession Of the bill with
some one, who had wrested half of it
from him; that the despoiler had turned
the half into the bank and received SIS
for it; that the doctor, recovering his
senses, had found the other half in his
pocket, and, mot wanting to lose his
money, had conceived the plan of sing
ing the edge of the note and saying the
other half had been destroyed. So he
calmly committed perjury in an at
tempt to rob Uncle Sam Of s..
A short time ago man in Chicago
sent an affidavit to the Treasury &C.
companying the singed half of two $40
bills and one $40 bill. This affidavit
was typewriter and in perfect form.
1t stated that the deponent was a COM
mercial traveller; that, returning from
journey, he had been cleaning out
his travelling bag, when inadvertently
he had thrown into the fire an en-
velope containing $50 in bills; that, in
accordance with section so-and-so OF
the law of such o date, he would like
to have the money restored to him, etc.
The clerk who brought this docu-
ment to Mr.. Relyea commented on it's
completeness.
'"The story seems unnatural" said
Mr.. Relyea. "Hold up the claim for
q time"
Twenty-four hours later big ship
ment Of mutilated currency came from
the Sub-Treasury at Chicago. Mr..
Relyea asked if there were any hall
notes in the shipment. In four o,
five minutes clerk brought him the
missing halves Of the bills which the
Chicago man had sent in.
The attempt to defraud was plain.
The matter was put Of once into the
hands of tho Secret Service Bureau
An agent was sent to Chicago. HI
found the young man who had made
the affidavit, though it was made un'
der false name. He told the young
man that it was customary to investi.
gate cases Of the kind; that there was
no doubt he would get the money,
The young mans fears were lulled tt
rest. He admitted his identity as
tho maker of the affidavit. He was
put under arrest, and then the story
of his crime came out He was Of de-
cent family, but be had fallen into ba(
company, and had been persuaded K
attempt the fraud by older compan
ions. They furnished the money ant
prepared the affidavit. They cut tn
bills in half, and for one half obtained
$25. The other half they singet
and attached them to his affidavit