The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-07-30
SW[A IERS
ON COIN
Several Bad Pieces
With the Same
Marks.
EAGLES ARE THE
ONES ATTACKED
Chinese Are Believed to Be Work
ing on the Gold
Money.

very small margin from the coin they
handle, are working on the eagles OF
UNCLE Sam. Several of the ten dollar
pieces which show the handiwork Of
the man who is trying TO make liv-
ing through harder work than if he
would labor honestly for his bread,
have been seen around the city, and
as they all bear the same general
mark, it is inevitable that the defacing
of coin is being done in one place.
At only one bank has the coin with
the distinguishing mark peen seen in
any numbers. Within few days
there have been passed in at the re-
ceiving teller's window of one of the
banks not less than a half dozen gold
| pieces, in each case an eagle. from
which, at one point of the rim OF eacnF
| there has been taken a liberal chip.
The cutting appears to have been done
with a file and the edges are left clea~
SO as to give the appearance OF an a6.
cidental rubbing against some sharp
corner. There is very little gold taken
from each coin, the weight IS not less
than is lost through the natural wear
Of the average piece OF money but as
the coins so far as found have been
i new ones, they bear quite little clip
II ping. .
Il Another sort of sweating has been
noticed at another bank, but as the
piece was a solitary one, the trick may
. have been one attempted for fun, or
to make test of what would pass a
bank. In this case the work was done
fmore bunglingly. On the face Of the
/ coin, beneath the head, a sharp cut
tiong had been made from the surface
of the coin, the appearance being OF
o the working of a gouge chisel or scoop.
:, The hollow made by this sort of rob-
q bing of the money, has been hlled
: with a substance, which the teller who
i examined and turned down the coin,
d took for one of the many gilt subst-
l. tutes, the face of the coin then hav-
= ing been polished to conceal, If posi-
>, ble the crime.
le Most of the coins with the sharp cut
ting at the edges have come from one
y Chinese shop in the city. In one case
10 the man behind the counter put TWO OF
rs them upon one customer. The profit IN
n such a transaction must be so small
~ that the only way money may be made
IN at it is to handle a big sum, taking
N just a little from each of the pieces
10 so as to escape detection. All of the
,fr sweated money, and as well that which
r has lost weight by constant use. mus
Id remain in constant circulation, for th'
xrrhnS
he makes them collection agents, will tax
re no money WHICH does not come up u
lit the mark insweight At the banks
ap however. the coney is counted rathe
on than weighed.
se, Close scrutiny has been made of tn
ao coin here by the bankers for some time
,s as there have been rumors that at
ne tempts were being made to make tn
be coin work The methods OF taxing al
a that the coin will give and yet pas
III current. are as many as the men VIII
elk worl, as sweaters. In California som
* vaars ago the sweating industry wa
TO at its height There, the best plan wa
m TO take the money, place a score o
lst nieces in bag of canvas or ehamoi
'ry leather. and shake the bag until Tn
rs. .,;ooa. .gairst each 9th
,ry wearing VI 'ie ?, .r
,ut er has taken OH shiai pSi
De- each. and has given to all the appear
est oe haino old nieces. Far ava
e., - from a bank, where the money Woul
w be passed from hand to hand &c
months, the sweaters have been know
ue to bore out the inside of coin an
-. fiji the cavity with lead.