The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1898-03-29


the Ashen FiIm-ishe- Better Than
Afadavits-The Redemption Experts.
T. J. Bissell OF Fountain Green.
Ill, hal the misfortune 10 burn about
$1,000 In greenbscks. treasury notes.
and silver certificates last spring.
Mr.. Bissell Is a farmer. SAYS the Chi
cago Iater-Oceaa, and. after selling
some land. instead of depOsiting his
money II a bank. he hid it in an IN
used hue He had. according 10 his
statement, StiO1 In a box. which he
wrapped IN an old carriage curtain
and deposited II in the bottom of this
unused hne IN a st0rerOom. Last
March he returned from helping a
neighbor with his butchering. and as he
neared his own house saw that the
chimney was Burning He ran TO the
storerOom and tried 70 get out his
treasure box, b1; the fire was verv
hot, aud all he could get vas twenty
golden double eagles and some small
silver pieces, which were stuck togeth-
er- But he makes AFFIDAVIT 70 the fact
that there was IN the box. besides the
$500 IN gold, $3.50 in paper. all
greenbacks, except SIS, which was in
silver certificates. He took the gold
70 Carthage aud showed ii to a bank
CT Of that city who wrote 10 the
Treasury Mr. Bissell also wrote 10
the Secretary Of the Treasury and
made affidavit that the box containe /
500 in gold, $3.50 IN currency. and
several dollars IN silver. He sent the
lump OF gold TO the Treasury and a
cheek for 500 vas returned TO him for
the gold. l. was also explained that
the Treasury Department could not
redeem currency unless II couli be
identified Mr. Bissell had not even
sent the ashes OF his currency to the
Treasury. He had only sent his affi-
davit that i was burned.
Mr.. Bissel would not accent the
check for S40o He looked upon il as
an attempt by the Government 70
satisfy his claim fo- 800. He re-
turned II u the United States Treas
urer and there il Is now. waiting for
him - claim It. There has been
much spondence with NJ. Bis
sell. but the Treasury officials were
unable 20 convince him that he had
10 claim upon me Government. An
affidavit cannot establish the fact OF
the destruction Of the money. Con
Gress has the power 70 appropriate
5000 and make i present 10 Mr..
Blssell or anybody else but i Is not
likely that Congress viii do 50. Il
would be very dangerous precedent
to establish for Congress to come 10
the relief OF every man who loses his
money or has it burned. There
voRld not be money enough in the
United States Treasury 10 pay ell the
claims that would be presented.
Mr.. Bissell. however. argues that
the real money Is IN the Treasury aud
that what was burned was only the
promise 70 nay q the Government.
He writes: Il intend 10 have II. for
II Is al IN the Treasury and nowhere
else. Nov, il ithad been all gold that
was desire yedthea II would have been
ny .oss- But i was nothing but pa
per stamped rs money. and ths Treas
"! has Il there sure and certain an /
skePtlcs aai fanatics cannot change
II Again he writes. Some NAV he
skePtical. but I want nothing outright
and honorable dealings. This money.
a we call It. was nothing but green
backs and Treasury notes and silver
bills, and OILY allegation Of the United
States Treasury. no: the true MONEY.
for i il had been the true gold IL
would not have bean DESTROYED Il
would have been Ike that which I sent
to the Treasury. And j. is impossible
for paper 70 stand sTch heat. No per
son or men can do the impossible
We must l-a-e that - our great
Creator.
This shows whas effect the financial
discussion mas hal on the minl of this
old farmer IN his losses. he believes
that the United States Treasury has
the gold and silver represented l5- the
currency burned n his chimney. and
here he IS correct. Bat lie also be-
heves that the Government can give
him new Tr1missorv notes for THAI
burned, as would has neighh5r u-ier
similar conditions. What he fasls p
understand l- tina. tne Government
has cut many millions o. these notes
representing the coin N tine Treasury
ana % cannot redeem them excz-t On
evidence. These notes were al nun
bered and % Nr - sell LaltLe num-
bers be might be able 20 make case
bat wlth oa'T bis AFFIDAVIT that $3.50
was burned be cannot make a case
Senator Cllion can DO nothing Tor
him. however much be might fe-re
There Gre many cases lisetlat of
A7. b.sse.. though few ta1- sr=n Cd
plain -1i appeal Ter z~mratav az does
bis case. For the Treasury officials
de- not j11rt Mr &c. s,l's-r7. The s.
grant tl-- b. -s.'s she trlt1 and r5.r-
ing t1t tla truth E-- -lav are NM
able 60 help him They admit shat
the Government is iu a.l probability
$3.50 hette- off he-lu-e " sTr. Eis-
sells IRE. a-j that lis money d. In
the Treasury aei can never Re re-
deem l. Egttla. does nos alter ;te
Situation
Jn-le sam is. however. not el-e-es
about such matters SO debtor .-
taok moro pains 81 make r1 f--
promise ta pay The Treasury De.
TartDe1. has i1 i-- 1emrio1 Ii
vision experts who 7itl rem .--a able
Hsl.I a1J patience. are an,- told entity
money f-1u ashes NIls Brown i-
one oi ;ae most stilel rf les er-
Terts Sls iss been iu tLe gera-t-
1eut for many years and she knows
every U8-s on tl. currency b.. --lrr