The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1908-08-13
WATCH OVER MONEY
PRECAUTIONS TAKEN DURING
ITS PRINTING.
Theft Of Currency Before II is Ready
for Distribution Is Almost I'M
possible-only Two At
tempts Ever Made.

The paper money OF the government
Is brought in iron. bound chests, locked
and sealed, from the bureau OF en-
craving and printing to the cash room
OF the treasury and there delivered
upon receipt to James A. Sample, chief
of the division of issue, in sheets Of
four bills each. They are complete
with signature and numbers, except
for the seal. which is printed upon
them with power presses In small
apartment under the cash room.
These presses are worked by two
people, usually man pressman and a
woman feeder or assistant. Whom the
seal has been imprinted upon the bills
they are counted automatically, bound
In packages of equal numbers by bands
OF paper marked, signed by tho per.
sons who have handled them, and
passed into the adjoining ROOM
where the sheets are cut, the bills are
recounted and inspected, so that the
imperfect ones may be thrown out
They are then bound into packages OF
equal amounts ald taken TO the drying
vault, where they lie upon the shelves
for several weeks, until the ink has
become perfectly dry.
Every safeguard that ingenuity can
contrive is placed around these trans.
actions. and the chief of division can
tell which of his hundred or more
subordinates have touched the differ.
ent bills in the vaults. He knows who
received them, who printed the SEAL
who wrapped and cut them; for every
package is numbered and its history is
recorded in an enormous book.
The combination of checks is SO
complete that Mr.. Sample would know
within 20 minutes IL single bill were
missing. but he has never had occa-
sion to test this knowledge except
twice within Is years. Only two at
tempts have ever been made to steal
the money of the government while It
is in this stage of its history.
On one occasion many years ago q
pressman passing a pile of notes upon
the table OF his neighbor slipped the
top sheet under his blouse without
being observed and carried It with him
into the lavatory, where he was sue.
cessful In conceaiing it, The theft was
discovered within five minutes and It
was clearly apparent that he alone
could be guilty. although the evidence
was purely circumstantial. No one
saw him take the money Therefore
he was not arrested and was never
publicly charged with the crime. But
he was dismissed from the service
and he knew the reason why The bills
were never recovered. He probably
destroyed them. as they did not appear
in circulation.
On another occasion eight or ten
years ago a colored messenger whose
business was to haul the money about
on cart slipped looss sheet into his
pocket unobserved while passing be.
tween the printing and the counting
rooms. This theft was also unseen,
but the responsibility was fastened
upon him. The pile OF notes was com.
plete when it left the printer, for It
was counted and registered automati.
cally in the press. When IL reached
the counting room one sheet was miss.
Ing and the package had not been out
OF the possession of the colored mes.
senger In the meantime. Therefore he
alone was responsible, AMI as he could
not offer any satisfactory explanation
he too was dismissed from the service.
but was not prosecuted because there
was no direct proof of his guilt