Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-08-04
NonrY NAUS. TREAsuaHN Vault

oped also that in her social career she
lived under a name distinct from that
by which she was known In the Treasury.
At last. after keeping her under care
f,l scr,lnity the two officials traced 10
her desk an error In the redemption ac-
count. Investigation disclosed that In
three days she had stolen $40 in old
money. which she should have sent TO
the macerater. to be ground into pulp.
Later IL estimated that she had
probably been stealing at this rate over
$500 a day for long period.
She had invented an ingenious method
for concealing these thefts. After taking
ten worn bills she would by a system OF
tearing and pasting, so manipulate them
that she could make ten torn bills out or
nine almost whole ones. This having been
done, she would put the tenth-a fairly
good bill-in her pocket and pass the
others on to the macerater. Ii was never
discovered whether her deft finsers did
this work at home or al her desk. She
had a lover--a married man-who was
suspected her confederate. II was
disclosed that she had loaned him gem
erous sums. Faced with the evidence
against her she confessed TO having
stolen Sl.Oa and by mortgag ng her
property made good this amount. Soon
afterward she was stricken with cancer
and died without having faced a jury. .
All treasurers Of the United States have
their subordinates unless the guilty par
ties or their friends have covered the
shortage During Treasurer Morgan's
term, in the second Cleveland administra-
ton. sheets of bills to the value OF 5000
disappeared, and Mr.. Morgan gave the
Treasury his check for the amount Again.
in 1894 $50 In silver was distracted from
one of the vaults by an employe. but az
the latter's relatives reimbursed the gov
eminent for this amount. the treasurer
had to pay nothing.
III luck seemed to pursue Treasurer
Morgan. When his term expired. i'm 1897,
a count of all the billions in the Treasury
was made that he might obtain re-
ceipt for the exact amount from his sue
count a trusted employe, assisting In the
handling Of the money, gained access 10
the bags while the official counters were
not looking, and stole 600 silver dollars.
for which he substituted disks of lead OF
equal weight The man was sent to inc
penitentiary, and the retiring treasurer
had to pay the 5000 back to Uncle sam
1t has been the invariable rule or Con-
press to reimburse treasurers of the
, United States for thus covering Short
! ages. Two years ago there was discovered
. in the redemption division mysterous
leak through which 81 ,O00.40 had passed
into unknown hands. This unsuspected
weakness in the Treasury's great cash
register, with its human cogs, was az
once repaired beyond possibility OF repetl-
T tion and Congress made good the short
age.
a young Treasury clerk is now in trou-
, BILE for raising notes which he disposed
. of in Baltimore during the democratic
!, convention. But he is not connected
with the treasurer's office. and is not en-
, gagged in the handling of Uncle Sam ;
hoard His criminal status Is that or
: any outsider who may risk his liberty
and reputation to engage in the perilous
! occupation of counterfeiting. and the
treasurer of the United States VIII hot
) have to square the account
fCopyrght 1912. by yohn Elfreth watkins)