Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1900-08-22
MUTILATED MONEY.
SAVE THE FRAGMENTS AND UNCLE
SAM WILL REDEEM THEM.

Il
SAM WILL REDEEM THEM.
Even the Ashes of Burned Bills Are
successfully Handled by His Ex-
perts-SkiIlful Work In the Treas-
ury Redemption Bureau.
one of the most interesting depart
ments in the United States treasury
Is that devoted to the redemption of
mutilated currency. To 1t are sent all
varieties of bills in every conceivable
stage of mutilation. 1t is seldom that
the experts cannot decipher the burn
ed crisps or piece together the myriad
fragments. The collection is curl
Gus one, changing every day with
Kaleidoscope rapidity.
The burning of note usually brings
out its design in sort of metallic re-
lief upon its surface, and by means Of
n glass and other implements and also
full and complete knowledge Of the
1ntrtcate designs, no two denomina-
tfons being alike, on every note issued
their face value is learned with in
credible deXterity.
Some arrive in fairly. good condition,
some shrunken and water soaked, 9TH
ers scorched black and twisted out Of
shape; many are merely thin, tiny
black flakes, and In one case now un-
der consideration the evidence consists
of small handful of black powder,
which the nffiant swears was SOS, acci-
dentally blown into the fire.
Often the mischief has been done by
mice, handfuls Of the tiniest Of pieces
attcsting the evil ways of the rodent.
Babies are another source of trouble,
maniacs. victims of drunken frenzy,
plowshares, sawmiils-in fact, the
strnngest and most unheard of acci-
dents are occurring all the time. But
In great majority of cases the money
has been burned, for n common prac-
tice among people who are their own
bankers seems to be the keeping of
their funds in unused stoves. A cold
day comes, the fire Is lighted by some
unsuspecting person who didn't know
1t was loaded" and the owner sudden
ly finds that he had money to burn in
spite Of himself.
In one instance man having $1,000
In government bonds, besides notes
and gold, kept them in tomato can
which he placed in the elbow of his
parlor stove. While he was plowing
his fields company arrived, his wife
had fire kindled. and shortly he mnde
the unpleasant discovery that his rich.
es had taken wings. Had he sent the
money Just as 1t came from the stove,
wrapped in cotton, 1t might have been
saved, but in endeavoring to separate
1t 1t BECAME SO churned and ground up
that the department was able to identi-
fy only about $4,000 for him.
An old woman who had accumulated
about $500 was one night at her devo-
3tions. when the candle in some myste-
.rious manner was overturned in the
midst OF the money. Now, history does
not relafe why 1t was, there OF whether
she was returning thanks or paying a
bit Of homage to Nfammon, but at any
rate 1t was destroyed, and MS she threw
the ashes away and ut the instigation
of her friends picked them out again
there was only enough left to return
about 500 to her.
But.much more fortunate were an
old couple In the west. The man had
been q soldier, and by the long accu-
mutation Of years they had saved lit
tie sum, when one day the wife in 60
Ing to look at 1t found that the mice
had left only pile of carefully sawed
fragments. Almost distracted, she took
1t to the bank, reporting that the last
time she had counted it the sum had
been $275, mostly in tens and twentles.
1t was sent here, the tiny bits sorted
and arranged us only experts can ar
range them, and the necessary three
tifths Of every note was found. But
the best Of all was that Instead of S275
1t was discovered that the old peoples
savings amounted to $3.50, which
to their JOY.
OF course the greatest precaution is
necessary, and the affidavits must
leave no doubt US to the utter and en-
tire destruction of the missing parts of
the notes. In one case of this kind q
farmer sent from Kansas some green
backs amounting to $50, only half of
each note being intact. The rest, he
declared in strong affidavit, had been
destroyed and also stated In what man.
ner, but on consulting the books it was
found that one-half the sum had al
rendy been paid to another person who
had sent the other halves of the notes
from another part Of the country. Con.
sequently but $25 was returned to him.
Thereupon the cashier who had
transacted the business for the farmer
wrote such an indignant letter. saying
the government had impugned the hon.
esty of the claimant and that he would
prove him In the right, that the affair
was put into the hands of the secret
service. the proofs exhibited and the
imprudent farmer fined $1,000 for false
swearing.-New York Tribune.