The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-04-04
Iron Molder GWynne
Makes a Reform.
HOW HIS DIAMOND WAS LOST
WORTH A HUNDRED, 1T WAS APP
PRAISED AT FIFTEEN.
Refused to Accept the Smaller Sum
and the Secretary of the Treas
ury Sees Justics
Done.

John Gwynne, a humble molder at the
Union Iron Works, has been made. UNI
Willingly. the instrument for effecting a
much-needed reform in the San Francis
CO Custom-house, namely, that of one
employe requiring a receipt from another
on passing over any valuable article OF
personal property, such as jewelry and
precious stones. Up TO a week or two
ago these articles passed from one per-
son TO another in the Custom-house
without a receipt, and in case Of loss or
theft there was no sure way OF tracing
the Culprit or fixing the responsibility.
Something more than year ago John
GwXnne received from his sister in Wales
q diamond ring through the registered
mail. He had furnished the ring him
self paying $l2 for the gold in IT, and
cent ii TO his sister. who had the Ola
mond set in it as a gift to him.
on its arrival at the Postotflce 1t was
handed over TO a customs oihclals 1or e&-
animation, the POstOltice authorities tax
Ing a receipt for the same. Then it was
sent TO the Appraisers department,
where it was appraised by Examiner
George Reynolds at SIS, for the purpose
Of fixing the duty upon it, When Gwynne
called TOR The ring he was informed that
IL had been lost ia the Custom House. He
was offered SO. the appraised value Of
the niece of jewelry, but refused to ac-
cept it. as he claimed that the ring was
worth G-l or #l15.
Mr.. Gwynne, finding that he could get
no higher offer, laid the matter before
the Secretary OF the Treasury, and that
official requested Special Agents Smith
aud Ltuck TO investigate. Mr.. Gwynne
appeared before them and presented a
certificate from the English jeweler who
had set the diamond setting forth its
value at al or 500. other evidence cor
rOborated Mr.. Gwynne's statement and
H..I n
was that the special agents made over
lures 10 Mr.. Gwynne for a compromise,
be agreeing TO split the difference and
accept III full payment OF ms clalm SoO'
h1.f the value of his ring, and let by
cones be byEOpeS. The agents were sat
Sized with the offer and made report
10 the Secretary of the Treasury recon-
meudlug that the San Francisco Custom
house be instructed to pay Mr. Gwynne
$50 .lu lieu of his ring and take his re-
ceipt and a release from all responsible
lty in the matter.
when the agents were investigating the
loss they inquired whether there was a
reason for the absence IN the Custom
house of system or receipts Tor portable
.Valuables such as exists in the registered
mail department of the pOstoftice. They
were informed that the receipt system
would not be practicable in the Custom
mouse, but no valid reason was urged for
this belief. The agent smiled at the eX-
cuse and insisted that the system of Civ
Ing and taking receipts for portable prop
erty should be lnaugurated at once. 1t is
aow In fun swing and is working like
ll0ckwOrk. HencefOrth when an article
IS lost in the Custom-house, the person in
whose care II disappeared will be known
and the damage can be assessed to the
responsible party.
Mr.. Reynolds explanation of his ap-
praisiug al SIS a diamond ring containing
BE- worth of gold, a setting worth IS and
a diamond of the first water worth $50
was that he took the ring to a jeweler,
who informed him that it was worth no
more than $15. On being asked for the
name of the jeweler he replied that he
could not remember.
In their report the agents say that the
Appraisers employe honestly believed
The ring TO be worth no more than the
value placed by him upon it, he not being
an expert in such matters. and that prob
ably he had not gone to a jeweler at all,
but thought that he had, the transaction
having taken place considerably more
LIan a Near ago.