The evening times., 1900-03-19
WORN MONEY
The SkillfHl Work OF a United
States Treasury Bureau.
Muti;nted aud Burned Currency Re
placed by New IsSues-Submttte
tiOn-ENamined by Experts-TricI>s
Attempted ON the Depn -tmeat.

One OF the most Interesting departments
in the United States Treasury is that de-
voted to the redemption OF mutilated cur
rcncy. To it are sent all varieties Of bills.
in every conceivable stage Of mutilation.
II is seldom that the experts cannot deci-
phcr the burned Crisps or piece together
the myriad fragments. The collection is
a curious one. changing every day with ka-
leidoscopic rapidity.
The burning Of "a note usually briass
out its design in a sort Of metallic relief
upol its surface and by means OF "a q .ss
ant other implements and also a fun and
complete knowledge OF the intricate de-
sigus-uo two denominations being alike
on every note issued their face value is
learned with incredible dexterity. Some
arrive in fairly good condition some
shrunken and water-soaked. other scorch-
ed black and twisted out Of shape; many
are merely thin. tiny black flakes. and in
one case now under consideration the eyi-
dence consists Of a small handful Of black
powder which the afiiant swears was S5J.
accidentally blown into the fire. Often the
mischief has been done by mice, handfuls
Of the tiniest Of pieces attesting the evil
ways Of the rodent, babies are another
source Of trouble. maniacs, victims OF
drunken frenzy. plOwshares. sawmills-
in fact, the strangest and most uUheard-
Of accidents are occurring all the time.
But in a great majority Of cases the money
has been burned. for a common practice
among people who are their own bankers
seems to be the keeping Of their funds in
unused stoves. 4 cold day comes, the fire
BOT inn
who didn't know It was loaded" and the
owner suddenly finds that he had money
to burn in spite of himself.
In one instance a man having s. 600 iE
Government bonds besides notes and gold.
kept them in q tomato can which he placed
in the elbow of his parlor stove. While he
was plowing his fields company arrived,
his wife had a fire kndled, and shortly he
made the unpleasant discovery that his
riches had taken wings. Had he sent the
money just as IL came from the stove
wrapped in cotton, it might have been
saved, but in endeavOring TO separate it il
became so Churned and ground up that the
department was able to identify only about
s., 600 for him
An old woman who had accumulatss
about 5000 was one night at her devotions
when the candle in some mysterious man
ner was overturned in the midst Of the
il was there, or whether she was return
ing thanks or paying a bit OF homage to
MammOn, but at any rate, II was de-
strOyed, and as she threw the ashes away
and at the instigation Of her friends picked
them out again there was only enough left
20 return about S100 to her.
But much more fortunate were an old
couple in the West. The men had been a
soldier. and by the long accumulation Of
years they had saved a little sum, when
one day the wife. in going to look at it,
found that the mice had left only a pile Of
carefully sawed fragments. Almost dis
tracted, she took il TO the bank reporting
that the last time she had counted it the
sum had been $275. mostly in tens and
twenties. II was sent here, the tiny bits
sorted and arranged as only experts can
arrange them, and the necessary three
ifths of every note was found. But the
best Of all was that, instead OF S275, it was
discovered that the old peoples savings
amounted TO $3.50 which amount was finally
sent TO them. much to their Joy.
OF course, the greatest pTecaution is
necessary. and the affidayits must leave no
doubt as to the utter and entire destruc-
tion OF the missing parts Of the notes. In
one case Of this kind a farmer sent from
Kansas some greenbacEs. amounting to $50,
only half Of each note being intact. The
rest. he declared, in a strong affidavit, had
been destroyed, and also stated in what
manner. But on consulting the books Il
was found that OIe-half the sum had al
ready been paid to another person, who
had sent the other halves of the notes from
another part Of the country. Consequently
but $25 was returned TO him.
Thereupon the cashier who had transact
ed the business for the farmer wrote such
an indignant letter. saying the Govern
mo haa ha
claimant and that he would prove him In
the right. that the affair was put into the
hands Of the Secret Service. the proofs ex-
hibited, and the imprudent farmer fined
$1,000 for false swearing.