The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-02-12

etnment cannot REIN DurSe him Tor the loss
of about $4,000 by fire when he make afti-
6avit to the fact of the destruction. This
is not a new case. The treasury depart
ment and the President have been APP
pealed to, and a score of letters have been
written 10 the old gentleman explaining
why the government cannot accept his
word or oath for the debt owed and pay
H. These letters have been unable 10 con-
vince him of the futlity of his effort to
SECURE return of his money. He is now
writing to Senator Cullom and the sena-
tor is trying in patience and sympathy
to explain that he is powerless to help
him.
The case is that OF F. ]. Bissen of Foun
tain Green, Hancock county. Mr.. Bissell
had the misfortune to burn about $4,000 in
greenbacks, treasury notes, and silver GER
tihcates last spring. He tells how it was
done, and there is no doubt that 1t is
very sad case. Mr. Bissell is farmer,
and after selling some land last spring, in
stead of depositIng his money in bank,
he hid it in an unused fiue. He had, ac-
cording to his own statement, S4400 in
box, which he wrapped in an old carriage
curtain and deposited it in the bottom of
this unused fiue in a storeroom. Last
March he returned from helping neigh
Dor with his butcherng, and as he neared
his own house saw that the chimney was
burning. He ran to the store room and
tried to get out his treasure box, but the
fire was very. hot, and all he could get
was twenty golden double eagles and some
small silver pieces, which were stuck to-
gether. But the box besides the 800 in
gold, $,130 in paper, all greenbacks, except
l5which was in silver certificates He took
the gold to Carthage and showed it to a
banker of that city, who wrote to the Sec
rotary of the Treasury and made affidavit
that the box contained $500 in gold 49, 100
in currency, and several dollars in silver.
Ia ant he Nfa I'll 10 he trnn
and a check for 500 was returned to him
for the gold. 1t was also explained that
the treasury department could not redeem
currency unless it could be identified. Mr..
Eissell had not even cent the ashes of
his currency to the treasury. He had only
sent his affidavit that it was burned.
Mr. Bissell would not accept the check
for $500. He looked upon 1t as an attempt
by the government to satisfy his claim for
$500. He returned 1t to the United States
treasurer and there Ut is now, waiting for
him to claim 1t. There has been much cor
respondence with Mr.. Bsseu, but the
treasury officials were unable to convice
him that he had no claim upon the govern
ment. He wrote to President Mckinley
and to Secretary Gage, and they answered
his letters. telling him that only Congress
could make good his loss Then he wrote
to Senator Cullom and he has kept up
correspondence. The seator realizes that
it is very sad case, as the loss seems to
represent Mr.. Bissef's savings for years.
He has an afflicted son, and is in sore need
of his money, but Senator Cullom can do
nothing for him, as Congress cannot APP
propriate $1,000 to pay for money without
having the evidence that IL was burned.
An affidavit cannot establish the fact of
the destruction of the money. Congress
has the power to appropriate $1,000 and
make it a present to Mr.. Bissell or any
body else, but it is not likely that Con-
gress will do so. 1t never has passed
such an appropriation bill and probably
never will. 1t would be very dangerous
precedent to establish for Congress TO
come to the relief of every man who loses
his money or has 1t burned. There would
not be money enough in the United States
treasury to pay all the claims that would
be presented.
Mr.. Bissell, however, argues that the
real money Is in the treasury, and that
what was burned was only the promise
to pay of the government. He writes:
IT intend to have It, for it Is all in the
treasury and nowhere else. Now, If 1t
had been gold that was destroyed then il
would have been my loss. But 1t was
nothing but paper stamped as money, and
the treasury has 1t there sure and certain,
and skeptics and fanatics cannot change
it, Again he writes: "Some may be
skeptical, but I want nothing but right
and honorable dealing. This money, as
we call IL, was Dut BIeenDaCkS
and treasury notes and silver bills, and
only allegations of the United States
treasury, not the true money, for if 1t
had been the true gold 1t would not have
| been destroyed. 1t would have been like
that which / sent to the treasury. And
| ii is impossible for paper to stand such
| heat. No person or men can do the i'm
possible. We must leave that to our
| great Creator"
This shows what effect the financial dis
| cussion has had on the mind of this old
| farmer in his losses. He believes that the
| United States treasury has the gold and
silver represented by the currency burn
| ed in his chimney, and here he is cor
| rect. But he also believes that the gov
| eminent can give him new promissory
notes for that burned, as would his neigh
Dor under similar conditions. What he
fails to understand is that the govern
ment has out many millions of these notes
representing the coin in the treasury and
cannot redeem them except on evidence
| These notes were all numbered and IL
Mr.. Bissell had the numbers he might be
| able TO make case, but with only his
| affidavit that 49, 1870 was burned he cannot
make a case. Senator Culom can do
nothing for him, however much he might
| desire.
There are many cases like that of Mr.
| Bissell, though few seem so plain and an
| peal for sympathy as does his case For
the treasury officials do not doubt Mr..
Bissells word They grant that he tells
the truth and nothing but the truth. But
they are unable to help him. They adj
init that the government is in all prob-
ability $3.50 better off because of Mr.
Bisselfs fire, and that his money is in
| the treasury and can never be redeemed
| But that does not alter the situation
is estimated that per cent of the paper
| currency issued is never presented for re-
| demption. As the total of all paper cur-
rency outstanding Dec. 81, 1897. was 81.
lO90S $50, the estimated amount of this
that has been destroyed and will never
| be presented for redemption Is little more
than 100000. Mr.. BsselPs loss goes into
this unknown destroyed" currency. The
government has the coin represented hy,
IT, but ii cannot make good losses like
those of Mr.. Bissell simply because II has
no means of knowing that the currencv
is destroyed and will never be presented
for redemption.
AS an example, the government during
the war and Immediately following issued
SS6SOOO,0O0 of fractional currency. COM
monty known as shinplasters This frae-
tional currency was called In many years
ago, but there is still outstanding S15. 9s3-
6iO.H of such money, with no likelihood
0f min ~ ~