The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-02-05
THEY TRUST TO HIS HONESTY
One Man Handles All of Uncle Sans
Money.
washington Post.

washington Post.
In a famous obituary delivered in the
United States Senate great many years
ago, man said of his predecessor in Of
flee that he deserved great credit because
he had had unexampled opportunities for
stealing and had stolen nothing. Men
laughed at that speech because, they said
it was not especially to a mans credit that
he should be honest In this view of the
question it is not remarkable that John r.
Brown, the packer of currency in Mr.. Sam
pies division, should not have taken any
part of the millions of dollars which weekly
pass through his hands. But it is remark
able that in the economy of the government
one man should be clothed with so great a
responsibility. James T. Melne the assist
ant treasurer of the United States, says
there is sure to be one place where auto
matte safeguards and checks fail and where
the government must trust to one mans
honesty. John r. Brown seems to be stand
ing in that place.
To understand exactly John r. Browns
position, one must know that all the cur
rency printed at the Bureau of Engraving
and Printing is completed in the Treasury
building by having the red seal printed on
it there. 1t comes to the Treasury building
seal has been impressed on the notes, they
are cut apart and the notes are put into
packages for storage. The peculiar duty of
John Brown is to put up the packages Of
notes and seal them
John Brown does his work in a cage.
winch stands at the end of the room in
which the completion of the notes is accom-
plshed-the room of the division of issues
rms cage Is OF wire. 1t is built, not to
screen the worker, but to protect the notes
after they have passed into his hands
me notes are arranged in packages of
one hundred before they are brought into
the cage. Each package has its paper strap.
on which the number and denomination of
the notes is given in printed characters OF
these packages forty are put together in
Two piles of twenty each and placed in a
power press. This press is worked by a
lever. 1t is something like an old-style
cotton press. There are openings above and
below, through which strings can be slipped
after Brown has pulled the lever and com
pressed the package. These strings hold the
package together while piece of stout
Mania paper is drawn around it. This paper
is folded about it as though ii had been a
pound Of tea and is sealed at the ends with
wax. Then label is pasted on it, showing
within
1t is true that these packages are of uni
form size and that any variation from the
standard would be noticed But il is equally
ton could slip prepared wad of paper into
one Of the packages when no one was
watching ana put the notes That 1t repre-
sented into his pocket And it is true also
that if he did this the crime might not be
known for six mGnths or a year, or even
longer. Then some day there would come
from the office of the treasurer of the
United States a requisition for a package
OF notes OF certain denomination. The
doctored package would be issued, it would
be opened perhaps in the cashiers office,
and the shortage would be found. However.
the government has never had to meet this
situation
There have been only tx-o roe,, aroaeyad T.,
the work of packing and sealing currency
since the Treasury Department was organ
lied. John T. Barnes began the work He
was delegate to the Chicago convention
which nominated Lincoln, and he received
his appointment in the treasury on the rec
concentration of Montgomery Blair. This
was in 1861. In 1862 he was assigned 70 the
new duty of making up the currency pack
ages, and he fulfilled that duty to the time
of his death, in 1894. In all the years Of his
incumbency no mistake was ever discovered
In his work, though he handled every cent
Of currency issued by the government for
thirty-two years-so many millions of dol
lars that it would take week TO figure
Mr. Barnes died Aug. 10. 1894. His duties
were filled temporarily until Nov. l. when
John r. Brown was appointed to the place.
He has filled ii satisfactorily since.
In spite of the fact that these men were
so greatly trusted. Barnes at the time of his
death was receiving only $,400 year, and
Brown now draws only $1,000 Barnes re-
ceived $l.400 the first year of his service i'm
that followed he drew an aggregate of $44S 500
more. For every dollar the government paid
him he handled millions.
Ordinarily the Bureau of Engraving and
Printing delivers to the issue division about
ffty-siX packages of paper money of 1000
sheets each, four notes to sheet, making,
when separated. 224.0H0 notes. These notes
usually range in value from 81 70 $50 and
their aggregate might be 81, 10000 But as
they are of assorted denominations the ag-
gregate is usually about $lO00,OO0. The gov
eminent. however, issues currency in de-
nominations OF $50 $lo0, $500 and $1,000. The
largest are not printed very often, because
the amount issued is very small
If it could happen that 224,0O0 notes of
81 goo each were received from the Bureau
Of Engraving and Printing in one day the
aggregate of value represented in the fifty
six packages put up by John r. Brown
would be 1924 100000. As it is. little more
than 10 per cent. Of this sum represents the
largest amount handled BY the issue di-
vision in one day.
That Is. the packer has handled S25. 900 900
in a single day. and not one of the $e5. 900 :
009 has gene astray.
John r.. Brown is a hereditary office
holder. His father was trusted employee
of the treasurer's office for ten years prior