The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-02-02
4 hint Employees CRLaB
Philadelphia "onfesSeS TO Stealing
Abraded Coins.
PecuIutions Had Been Carried en- for
Il Long Time ia 81 Systematic Man
Man When Placed Under Arrest.
work Of she secret Service Men.

PHILADELPHIA Feb. after an eN-
haustive Investigation. lasting Yearly two
months. Secret Service Operatives WI
liam J Burns ana Matthew + Griffin yes
terday arrested Joseph Swope, fifty years
old Of gIe North American Street. en-
ployed At he United States Mint as a
smelter. on charge of stealing abraded
coin from the melting room" SwOpe
made full confession t. the Secret Ser
vice men. admitting his guilt and declar-
ing that he was extremely foolish in act
ing as he did. At a preliminary hearing
before United States Commissioner Ed
mUnds. held late yesterday afternoon, the
prisoner was arTaigned and committed TO
Moyamensing Prison in default Of $1,000
bail.
SUope was placed IN custody at o clock
yesterday afternoon. as he was leaving
the Mint for his ho.ae. He was taken TO
Superintendent Boyer's Office and in the
presence Of Burns and Griffin and Dr. Tut
tie, the assayer, was searched Forty
eight nickels. slightly worn, were found
in his pockets Prior to the searching he
had remained quiet. taking his arrest
broke down com letely and made clean
breast OF his regulations
Two month rs ago Superintendent Boyer
discovered that someone employed in the
Mint was stealing scent pieces
personal investigation disclosed that in
the remelting Of abraded coins, the
weight after the smelling process was
considerably less than when the coins
were first placed in the furnace. Il IS
customary in the melting room to We gh
the coins before and after remelt!ng- II
was due 10 Tie shortage in weight that
Superintendent Boyer instituted the in
vestjsation.
Not being IN q position 10 continue the
investigation HIMSELF Superintendent
Boyer communicated with John F. Vii
kie Chief Of the Secret Service Bureau.
In Washington The latter Immediately
assumed charge Of The case and assigned
" J Burns formerly Of this city and
Matthew r Griffin 10 conduct a rigid n
ves1isay non. On Wednesday last Chief
WiIEie who had personal charge Of the
matter. came &c this city. and gocsul-a-
ton Of al concerned vas held Al e.
lengthy conference It was fHalE d cided
that tho time was ripe for an arrest.
Yesterday afternoon Griffin and Burns
repaired g 81, Mint and stationed them
selves IL IT esu lobby. Four O'Clock IS
the hour So II The building for the ctssa-
ton OF the c1E work. and The employees
were filing oar just as The Secret Service
men arrived As The men passed before
the detectives they were carefully scanned.
When Swope. who Was considerably be-
hind the rest. attempted TO pass he was
halted
Without being told Of the purpose Of his
detention Swope was hurried 10 the second
floor and taken to Superintendent Boyer-s
private Office Upon being searched forty
eight abraGed nickeis we're found in his
possession This discriminating evidence
completely unneTyed Swope. and ne made a
complete confession Of his wrong doing,
which he admitted had been going on for
some time His only comment was y am
q fool
Swope, who is a married man with four
children. has been employed IN the Mint in
the capacity OF q "smelter'' since Septem-
Der. 1888. He has enjoyed hitherto ex-
estieut reputation and his friends were
considerably surprised when they learned
OF his arrest. For his services in the
snSe,ti1g room be received $2-25 per day
Owing 70 the character OF The work me
smelteTs are furnished with large gloves.
and it was BY this means that Swope was
able TO secure the coins he Is alleged 10
have stolen In transferring the coins