The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1908-07-31
GUARDING UNCLE
SANS PAPER MONEY
Checks Against Thefts of Cur.
rency While in Process
of Printing.
From the Chicago Record-Herald.

The paper money of the government
IS brought in ironbound chests, locked
and sealed, from the bureau of engrav-
ing and printing to the ash room OF the
treasury n there delivered upon re-
ceipt to James A. Sample, chief of the
division of issue, in sheets of four bills
each. They are complete with sigma
ture and numbers, except for the seal,
which is printed upon them with pow
er presses in a small apartment un-
der he cash room.
These presses are worked by two
people, usually a man pressman and q
woman feeder or assistant. When the
seal has been imprinted upon the bills
they are counted automatically, bound
in packages of equal lumber by
bands of paper, marked, signed by the
persons who a handled them and
passed into the adjoining room, where
the sheets are cut, the bills are re-
counted and inspected, so that the i'm
perfect ones may be thrown Ut. They
are then bound into packages of equal
amounts and 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 sub
%ordinates ave touched the different
bills in the vaults. He knows who re-
wrapped and cut them; for every pack
age is numbered and its history is re-
corded in an enormous book.
The combination of checks is so
complete that Mr.. Sample would know
within twenty minutes il a single bill
occasion to test this knowledge except
twice within fifteen years. Only two
attempts have ever been made to steal
the money of the government while
it is in this stage of it's history.
On n occasion many years g a
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 concealing it. The theft was
discovered! within five minutes and 1T
could be guilty, although the evidence
was purely circumstantial. No one
saw him take h money Therefore
he was not arrested and was never
publicly charged with the crime. But
lie was dismissed from the service and
he knew the q why. The bills
were never recovered. He probably de-
stroyed 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 a cart slipped a loose sheet into
his pocket unobserved while passing
between the printing and the counting
rooms. This theft was also unseen,
but the responsibility was faster ~
upon him. The pile of notes was con-
Dlete when it left the printer, for it
was counted and registered automatic
ally In the press When 1t 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, and 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.