The Norfolk weekly news. (Norfolk, Neb.) 1888-1900, 1900-05-10
MUTILATED CURRENCY
SAVE THE FRAGMENTS AND UNCLE
SAM WILL REDEEM THEM.
Even the Ashes OF burned nils Are
successfully Handled by His Ex-
parts-skiIlfui work In the Trcns-
ury ncdcnption Iiureau

ury Redemption bureau.
One of the most interesting depart.
mcnts In the United States treasury
Is that devoted to the redemption of
mutilatcd currency. To II are sent all
varieties of bills In every conceivable
stage OF mutilntion. 1t Is seldom that
the experts cannot dcclpher the burn
cd crisps or piece together the myriad
fragments. The collection Is curl
Gus one, changing every day with
Kaleidoscope rapldity.
The burning of n note usually brings
out It's design In sort of metallic re-
lief upon Its surface, and by means of
n glass and other implements and also
n full and complete knowledge of the
intricate designs, no two dcnomlna-
tlons being alike, on every note issued
their face value Is learned with in
credible dexterlty.
Some arrive In fairly good condition.
some shrunken and water soaked, 9th
crs scorched black and twisted out of
shape; many are merely thinS> tiny
black flakes, and in one case now un-
der consideration the evidence consists
of n small handful of black powder,
which the ntiinnt swcars was $50, acci
dcntally blown into the fire.
Often the mischief has been done by
mice, hnndfuls of the tnicst of pieces
uttesting the evil ways of the rodent.
Babies are another source of trouble,
manlacs, victims of drunken frenzy,
plOwSharcs, sawmills-in fact, the
strangcst and most unhcard of acct
dents are occurring all the time. But
in great majority of cases the money
has been burned, for common prac-
ticc 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
unsuspccting person who didn't know
it 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 a fire kindled and shortly he made
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, it might have been
saved, but in endeavoring to separate
it 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 5000 was one night at her devo-
tions. when the candle in some mystc-
rious manner was overturned in the
midst of the money. Now, history does
not relate why it was there or whether
she was returning thanks or paying q
bit of homage to Mammon, but at any
rate it was destroyed and as 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 n soldier, and by the long accu-
mutation of years they had saved n lit
tie sum, when one day the wife in 60
ing to look at it 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 twcnties.
| 1t was sent here, the tiny bits sorted
and arranged as only experts can ar
range them, and the necessary three
Gfths Of every note was found. But
the best of all was that instead of $27J
1t was discovered that the old people S
savings amounted TO $3.50, which
amount was finally sent to them, much
to their joy.
or course the greatest precaution is
necessary. and the afiidavits mus,
leave no doubt as 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 500, only half OF
each note being intact. The rest, hl
declared in strong affidavit, had beer
destroyed and also stated in what man
ner, but on consulting the books 1t was
found that one-half the sum had al
bceH Dull W person. w III
had sent the other halves of the note:
from another part of the country. Con
sequently but $50 was returned to him
Thereupon the cashier who ha(
transacted the business for the farme
wrote such an indignant letter saying
the government had impugned the hon
esty Of the claimant and that he woul,
prove him in the right, that the affai
was put into the hands of the secre
service, the proofs exhibited and tn,
imprudent farmer fined $1,000 for falls
swearing. New York Tribune.
There is more catarrh in this sector
of the country than all other disease
put together and until the last fey
years was supposed to be incurable
For great many years doctors pre-