The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1909-02-18
GUARDING PAPER MONEY.
Checks Against Thefts Of Currency
While in Process OF Printing.

While in Process OF Printing.
The paper money Of the Govern
ment is brought in ironbound chests,
locked and sealed, from the Bureau
of Engraving and Printing to the
cash room of the Treasury and there
delivered upon receipt to james A..
! Sample, chief of the division of is
sue, in sheets of four bills each.
| They are complete with signatur
and numbers, except for the sale,
which is printed upon them VITA
power presses in a small apartment
under the cash room.
These presses are worked by two
people, u~uaRy man pressman and
a 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 persons 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 and
taken to the drying vault, where they
lie upon the shelves for several
weeks, until the ink has become per-
fectly dry.
Every safeguard that ingenuity
can contrive is placed around these
transactions, and the chief of divi-
sion can tell which of his hundred
or more subordinates have touched
the different bills in the vaults. He
knows who received them, who
printed the seal, who wrapped and
cut them for every package is num-
bered and its history is recorded in
an enormous book.
The combination of checks is so
complete that Mr.. Sample would
know within twenty minutes If
single bill were missing, but he has
never had occasion to test this knowl-
edge except twice within fifteen
years. Only two attempts have ever
been made to steal the money of the
Government while 1t is in this stage
of its history.
On one occasion many years ago a
pressman passing pile Of notes
upon the table of his neighbor slip
ped the top sheet under his blouse
without being observed and carried
it with him into the lavatory, where
he was successful in concealing 1t.
The theft was discovered within five
oil II
that he alone could be guilty, al
though the evidence was purely cir
cumstantial. 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 ap-
pear in circulation.
On another occasion eight or ten
years ago q colored messenger whose
business was to haul the money
about on a cart slipped loose sheet
into his pocket unobserved while
passing between the printing and
counting rooms. This theft was also
unseen, but the responsibility was
fastened upon him. The pile of
notes was complete when it left the
printer, for 1t was counted and reg
istered automatically in the press.
When 1t reached the counting room
one sheet was missing and the pack
age had not ben out Of the possession
of the colored messenger 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.