The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1899-04-07
ARRESTED FOR SPENDING. MONEY.
Tho hoarded Coin Of an Old Negro Lands
Him In Jail as q Counte rfeiter.

The Hoarded Coin Of an Old negro Lands
Him In Jail as . Counterieiter.
1t seems hard for q man to hoard up
his money for nearly half O century
and then when the time comes for
spending it to be arrested on q crimi-
nal charge in connection herewith.
That is exactly what has happened in
the case Of an old negro man in Geor-
gia, according to his story in the Sun.
Georgia, noticed tn appearance In the
community Of some bright, shining
silver half dollars. The coins looked
suspiciously new, and the fact that
they bore dates of the earlier years
OF the century added to the mystery
concerning them. Nobody could say
that the coins were not genuine pro-
ducts Of the United States Mint, and
yet the circumstances were such that
the banks refused to take them. In
vestigation showed that the man re-
sponSiDle for the circulation of this
glittering coin was one Marion Minter,
an old negro about eighty years old,
who lived in the country, and who was
Gated. Minter admitted readily that
he had circulated the money which
was causing all the trouble, but de-
clared that it was good. The circum-
stances were such, however. that he
was arrested by deputy marshal Of
the United States Revenue Service
and was taken to Columbus, Ga, on
the charge Of having in his possession
and passing counterfeit money. At
the preliminary investigation of his
case before United States Commits
sioncr Williams, Minter was bound
over to the regular term of the Fed
eral Court. Meantime, the coins have
been sent to Washington where they
will be tested thoroughly.
Minter was born in Texas, where be
spent the first eighteen years of his
life. When n young boy his father
gave him some money. He was ambi-
tious, and determined to make more
money to save up for old age. He
picked cotton and did odd jobs and
altogether accumulated the sum of
$220-a small-sized fortune for the
average darky. Every time his new
savings amounted to as much as fifty
cents he would swap off the change
for a bright half dollar. He took only
coin that had never been much in use,
and thus his accumulation became n
curiosity When he came to this part
Of the country he brought his money
with him, strapped around his waist
In a girdle. He went to Marion county
where he spent several years at differ
ent places. He buried his money ut
each place of residence, digging up
his treasure every time he made
move. He has been in his last home
for several years.
The first time Minter buried his
treasure in an earthen jar. The next
time he kept 1t in paint keg, and OH
the last occasion lie hid it away in Il
fruit jar. The money was kept for
old age and poverty. This year the
times were hard and old man Minter
decided that his treasure would have
to be used at last. He dug up the
money, which, Off and on, had been
buried for thirty years, and began
spending 1t, only to be arrested on n
charge Of passing counterfeit money.
The money is dated from 1901 to
1884. In tineness, weight, style and
technical details, the half dollars
seemed to be oil right. If they are
genuine there is a premium on them.
An expert in the Secret Service, Mr..
E. P. McAdams, Of Atlanta, who made.
a careful examination Of the coin.
could not say that they were not gen.
uine. 1t was the theory of the Off.
GERS that the old negro, who is igno.
rant, who cannot read, and who can
only tell coin by its size, was made
the dupe of a gang Of counterfeiters,
who hoped in that way to palm off
their spurious money on the commu
nifty.
Meantime, Minter Is in Jail. He is
poor and cannot give the required
bond. The Federal authorities hardly
felt warranted in turning him loose
until the question Of the genuineness
OF the coin is settled officially by the
Treasury Department. Minter has
$40 half dollars left and he Is await
ing the decision Of the experts with
great CnXiety.