The Pioche weekly record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1906-1908, 1908-09-26
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 a small
apartment under the cash room.
These presses are worked by two
people. usually man pressman and
woman feeder or assistant, When 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 the 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 aid 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
contrlve is placed around these trans
actions. and the chief of division can
tell which of his hundred or more
subprdinates have touched the differ
ent Ellis 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.
Tho combination of checks is so
complete that Mr. Sample would KIN )w
within 20 minutes ii a single bill were
missing, but he has never had occa
sion 20 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 a
pressman passing pile C. notes upon
the table Of his nelghbor slipped the
top sheet under his blouse without
being observed and carried 1t with him
into the layatory, where he was sue
cessful in concealing 1t. 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 colored messenger whose
business was TO haul the money about
on a cart slipped loose 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 II
was counted and registered automati
cally in the press. When it 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
ne too was dismissed from the service
but was not prosecuted because there
was no direct proof of his guilt.