The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1913-10-02
BOLD THIEF GETS
REGULAR COIN FOR
PILE OF WASHERS

Washington. D. G.. Sept. 29.-The
United States mint at San Francisco
has been robbed, although 1t is-believed
the amount is small. Treasury officials
today confirmed reports of thefts from
the coinage plant on the Pacific coast.
1t will require a dollar for dollar count
of the SCI, 000, 900 of silver stored there
to discover exact loss. Only $500 have
been found to be missing up to this
time, but The circumstances indicate
that the sum will be increased. George
q. r. Roberts director of the mint to-
day said undoubtedly there had been
a scheme of petty offering, but he
was confident no great amount had
been stolen. The stealing he added was
from the great stack of silver dollars
stored in bags containing ST. 900 each.
In a few of these bags, 1t was found
that n or two dollars had been taken
and iron washers substituted.
The small amounts stolen from each
bag led Mr.. Roberts to believe the
thefts had not been extensive.
The oun of coin at San Francisco
now in progress was undertaken in
accordance with custom to verify the
accounts IN the assumption of the sup-
~erintendency Of the mint by T. w. II.
shanahan, recently appointed to sue
coed Francis Leach. Uusally few bags
of silver are counted and weighed and
the remainded We're guaged against
them. Undoubtedly the thief substitute
ed iron washers to balance the weight.
Mr.. Roberts thinks the money prob
ably was stolen some years ago when
the silver was placed in sacks. There
has been no coinage Of silver since 1904
and 1t Is thought the thefts occurred
before then. The count has been In
progress a month and st will take sew
eral weeks and probably months more
to count the entire $61, 900, 900.
1t may be necessary for all the coin
IN the San Francisco mint to be
counted. dollar for dollar and even
penny for penny.
In addition to $751; 54, 900 in silver the
funds there includes: $110,428, 900 in
gold s12S, 800 in halves, $164,000 In
quarters, $S3,500 in dimes, $4,000 in
nickels and $11,600 In pennies.
The final decision on the question of
counting will rest with the new super
intendent of the mint, who today was
instructed by Director Roberts to make
the count as sweeping as necessary.
1t Is probable that the secret service
will investigate.
SACKS IN VAULT SEALED
SOME TIME IN YEAR 1897
San Francisco, Sept. 29.-The silver
dollars stolen from the San Francisco
mint were contained in sacks that were
lying in a sealed vault which had not
been opened since 1897, according to
the information of Frank Leach, for 1s
years mint superintendent.
MY information is" says Mr.. Leach,
that the money stolen was In q vault
sealed during the incumbency of ohm
Daggett. The seals of that vault were
not broken during my incumbency.
Consequently the robbery did not oc-
cur while I was in charge"
1t was announced August 80 that the
count of $1e2, 900. 900 in gold had been
completed n that the count Of $751;
$4,000 in silver had been begun.
Superintendent Shanahan scoffed at
a rumor that a bag containing 10000
in gold had been found to contain iron
washers.
"The report is erroneous on the face
Of it." he said, for the reason that none
of the bags contain moro than $4,000
in gold or 1000 in silver"
Superintendent ~Shanahan, who re-
Gently took charge, said:
In view of rumor that have been
published l am this morning wiring
Washington for instructions as to sub
hitting a statement to the public
through the press. If I receive permits
sion to talk about this matter I will
be glad to make Il statement In con-
formity with the exact facts, as I un-
derstand them to be-"