The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1913-10-02
BOLD THIEF GETS
REGULAR COIN FOR
PILE OF WASHERS

Washington, d. c., Sept. 29.-The
United States mint at San Francisco
has been robbed, although IL is believed
the amount is small. Treasury officials
today onfirmed reports of thefts from
the coinage plant on h Pacific coast.
1t will require a dollar for dollar count
Of the SCI, 900, 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
f.. r. Roberts director Of the mint to-
day said undoubtedly there had been
a scheme Of "peay p~ilfering", 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 81, 900 each.
In q few of these bags, it vas 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 count Of Coin at San Francisco
now In progress was undertaken In
accordance with custom to verify the
accounts on the assumption OF the sup
e~rintendency Of the mint by T. w. H.
Shanahan, recently appointed to sue
coed Francis Leach. Uusaliy few bags
Of silver are counted and weighed and
the remainded were guaged against
them. Undoubtedly the thief substitute
ed iron washers to balance the weight.
Mr.. Roberts thinks h money prob
ably was stolen some years ago when
the silver was placed I'm sacks. There
has been no coinage of silver stnce 1904
and 1t is thought the thefts occurred
before then. The count has been in
progress a month and IL 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 SCI, 1884, 900 in silver the
funds there include: $110,42S, 900 in
gold, $106 500 in halves, $164, 900 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 mak
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 a Francisco
mint were contained In sacks that were
IJ liz III u SGdISu vault WHICH llau lIOI
been opened since 1897, according to
the information of Frank Leach, for 16
years mint superintendent.
MY information is" says Mr.. Leach,
that the money stolen was In a vault
sealed during the incumbency of John
Daggett. The seals of that vault were
not broken during my incumbency.
Consequently the robbery did not oc-
cur while / was in charge"
II was announced August 80 that the
count Of $102, 000, 900 in gold had been
completed and hat the count of $751;
935, 900 In silver had been begun.
Superintendent Shanahan scoffed at
q rumor that a bag containing $500 900
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 more than $1,000
in gold or 81 200 in silver"
Superintendent Shanahan, who re-
Gently tool charge, said:
= IN view OF rumors that have been
published I am this morning wiring
Washington for instructions as to sub
hitting a statement to the public
through the press. If I receive permls-
sion to talk about this matter I will
be glad to make n statement in con-
,formity with the exac facts, as I I'M
derstand them to be-"