More on thefts from US Mints 1 1

[RWB]

Inspired by Woods020's thread "Top 5 Most Notorious Mint Robberies," here is an excerpt from my book From Mine to Mint.

 

Thefts374

Examples of reported theft, embezzlement and unexplained losses at U. S. Mints and assay offices. This list is only a sample and not complete.

1851-May 1854. Theft of more than $10,600 from the Philadelphia Mint by the weigh clerk. Believed to be as much as two percent of bullion deposits for two and a half years, or several hundred thousand dollars. Impossible to determine actual loss. Only $10,600 recovered before weigh clerk and family left for London.

August 1, 1854. Philadelphia Mint robbery of $5,000. No further details.375

1856. San Francisco Mint. $150,000 missing from settlement and melter and refiner claimed it was lost in refining. No conviction.

June 1857. San Francisco Mint melter and refiner A. Haraszthy prosecuted for embezzlement of $152,327.03. Acquitted when he showed that considerable quantities of gold powder were on Mint roof and roofs of adjacent buildings due to defective furnace flues. Left for Central America soon after trial.376

August 18, 1858. Theft of $245 in gold coins from a locked cabinet in the Philadelphia Mint by use of false keys. “Three ‘gentlemanly looking strangers,’ while making a tour of the U.S. Mint in Philadelphia, succeeded in abstracting from the cabinet of rare coins two fifty dollar pieces; one slug worth forty dollars; four $20 gold pieces; one $20 California gold coin, and one $25 gold piece. The scamps effected the robbery by means of a false

374 Sundry Civil Appropriation Bill, 1906 and other reports.

375 “Miscellaneous,” Nashville Union and American, August 12, 1854. p.3.

376 Senate of the United States, Miscellaneous Documents, Second Session, Forty-Sixth Congress, 1879-1880. Vol. 2, No. 55, March 1880. “Letters from the Secretary of the Treasury to Hon. H.G. Davis, Chairman of Committee on Appropriations,” p.6.

 

key, with which they unlocked the cabinet during the momentary absence of the attendant. Two of the rogues very foolishly offered some of the coins at stores a short time afterwards, which was when the peculiarities of the coins excited attention and thus led to their arrest.”377

February 13, 1864. Pay clerk James D. Clarke stole about $37,000 in gold and notes from the Denver assay office, then purchased a horse and at- tempted a getaway to the east. It took six days for an impromptu posse of three men (one was the son of Clarke’s boss) to catch up with him. All except $4,500 was recovered. Clark was jailed, but escaped, was captured again and put on trial. At trial he was ordered to leave the territory which he did.378

December 9, 1865. Covering the theft of $9,355.30 from the San Francisco Mint  by  the  cashier.  Paid  by  R.  B.  Swain,  superintendent.  Additional

$20,000 missing and believed with treasurer D. W. Cheesman who took ship to Nicaragua.

1865, 66, 67 Philadelphia Mint. Gold and silver Annual Assay coins total- ing $21,962.85 were retained by director or treasurer supposedly for articles purchased and sent to the San Francisco Mint. No clear audit trail and could only assume articles were consumed.379

1866 San Francisco Mint. A clerk altered accounts and took $1,956. No prosecution.380

June 30, 1866-June 30, 1873 San Francisco Mint. Losses of $4,633.72 and

$3,522.22 on sale of sweeps. These were blamed on accounting discrepancies and written off as total loss.381

July/August 1867 San Francisco Mint. Coiner William Schneobz believed to have embezzled $14.417.72, but investigation could no resolve due “confused and irregular” bookkeeping.382

Mid-1867. San Francisco Mint, assay clerk James H. Cills raised the value of deposit bars by a few cents, then he and an accomplice pocketed the difference. Total loss was estimated at $10,665.28. No prosecution.383

February 4, 1869. Covering the theft of $4,419.50 from Denver Assay Office. Credit to George W. Lane, superintendent.

377 “Wayside Gatherings,” Ballou’s Pictorial Drawing Room Home Companion, Maturin M. Ballou, Boston. September 18, 1858, p.191.

378 North, Pam. “Robbing the Denver Mint,”

379 Senate of the United States, Miscellaneous Documents, Second Session, Forty-Sixth Congress, 1879-1880. vol 2 No. 55, March 1880. “Letters from the Secretary of the Treasury to Hon. H.G.

Davis, Chairman of Committee on Appropriations,” 1874, p.7.

380 “How the Money in the Mint is Counted,” The San Francisco Sunday Call, July 28, 1901. p.6. 381 Senate of the United States, Miscellaneous Documents, Second Session, Forty-Sixth Congress, 1879-1880. vol 2 No. 55, March 1880. “Letters from the Secretary of the Treasury to Hon. H.G. Davis, Chairman of Committee on Appropriations,” 1874, p.7.

382 Ibid.

383 Frank G. Carpenter, “Robbing the Mints: How Sneak Thieves Have Stolen Uncle Sam’s Bullion,”

The Saint Paul Globe, November 1, 1896. p.4.

 

March 3, 1873, Covering the loss of $4,481.78 on redemption of counterfeit coins at the Philadelphia Mint for 1871-1872. Credit to the treasurer of the mint, Philadelphia.

1876. San Francisco Mint. Undetermined loss allegedly by Superintendent LaGrange. Investigated by secret service agent S. D. Mills and special mint agent R. E. Rogers. Loss not disclosed; no prosecution.384

1878. San Francisco Mint, loss of $20,000 by Henry Smith, night watch- man. Took gold residue from refining holding tanks at night through a hose connection in spoonful quantities. Prosecuted.385

February 13, 1885. A silver bar weighing 1,023.7 ounces, .999 fine, was offered for sale by Philadelphia jeweler B. F. Cohen to private assayer/refiner Charles S. Platt. The bar was stamped Omaha & Grant Smelting and Refining Co. and numbered 16,929. Platt was suspicious of the bar and learned that it had been sold to the Philadelphia Mint on January 24, 1885. The Mint was notified. An investigation was begun by Secret Service Chief

Francis R. Kelly, but the theft was never solved.386 Estimated loss: mini- mum $1,040 but total could not be determined from available records.

June 30, 1885. Philadelphia Mint. Covering missing silver bars #7987,

#7093 and #7113 from the Philadelphia Mint totaling 1,980.12 ounces, val- ued at $1,936.61. Missing from melter & refiner. No prosecution.

June 30, 1885. Boise Assay Office. Covering the theft of $12,523.60 from the Boise assay office. Norman H. Camp was accused and discharged. No prosecution.

November 13, 1888. New Orleans Mint bags of silver dollars shipped to Treasury in Washington. Lead used to replace contents of at least 5 bags but total loss expected to be about $10,000. Replacement weight was exact and a fake seal made with the reverse of a quarter were used in resealing the bags and shipping boxes. Secret Service blamed shipping company, but others blamed New Orleans Mint due to details of bag weight and seals. Loss charged to Treasurer James W. Wyatt. No prosecution.387

March 1890 to April 1895. John T. Jones, assistant melter and refiner at Carson City Mint stole $23,000 in gold over this period of time. No recovery was made.388

June 24, 1893. Disappearance of $25,000 in currency – mysterious vault fire – from the New Orleans Mint. James A. Dowling, cashier, was accused

384 NARA-CP, RG104, entry 235, vol 9, pp.292-293. Letters dated June 30, 1876 to Rogers from Linderman; additional correspondence in same volume.

385 Frank G. Carpenter, “Robbing the Mints: How Sneak Thieves Have Stolen Uncle Sam’s Bullion,”

The Saint Paul Globe, November 1, 1896. p.4.

386 George Washington Walling. Recollections of a New York Chief of Police. Caxton Book Concern, Ltd, New York. 1887. pp.569-570.

387 “Treasury Bags Robbed,” New York Tribune, November 14, 1888. p.1.

388 “United States v Zabrinski et al.” Circuit Court, District of Nevada, June 6, 1898, Case No. 627,

The Federal Reporter, vol. 87, West Publishing Co, St Paul. 1898. July-August 1898.

 

but not convicted. Andrew W. Smythe, superintendent, was held liable un- der bond. Case went to the Supreme Court which found against Smythe.389

September 17, 1893. Embezzlement of $134,000 in twelve gold bars by Henry S. Cochran a weigh clerk at the Philadelphia Mint. $127,000 in gold was recovered and property seized worth $50,000, plus a $10,000 bond on Cochran.

June 24, 1893. Disappearance of $25,000 in currency – mysterious vault fire – from the New Orleans Mint. Andrew W. Smythe, superintendent, was held liable under  bond. Case went to  the Supreme Court which  found against Smythe.

December 27, 1894. Theft of three bars of silver valued at $1,841.87 from the Philadelphia Mint. Credit to James C. Booth (deceased) melter & refiner.

July 7, 1898. A shortage of $856 on counting silver dollars at the Treasury of the United States. Credit to the bond of D. N. Morgan, treasurer.

Circa 1899. An undetermined theft between 1894 and 1898 by foreman and assistant coiner at San Francisco Mint. No convictions. Estimated amount was “substantial,” but never specified.

February 2, 1899. Theft of $12,810.82 for gold bars from the Philadelphia mint. Credit bill to Oliver C. Bosbyshell. Shortage apparently occurred many years earlier but identified during Bosbyshell’s term.

March 3, 1899. A shortage of $163 on counting silver dollars at the Philadelphia Mint. Credit bill to Herman Kretz, superintendent.

June 29, 1901. Theft of $30,000 in gold by Walter N. Dimmick, chief clerk from the San Francisco Mint. Credit bill to Frank A Leach, Superintendent.

1908 Seattle Assay Office. Theft by trusted employee of $100,000 in gold dust from depositors. Prosecuted and convicted.390

1908 Philadelphia Mint. Multiple instances of “petty theft” investigated by Secret Service and perpetrators convicted. Amount of loss not disclosed.391

October 23, 1910 San Francisco Mint. Walter Fewer, a refiner, stole $300 in gold and sold it to a local jeweler. Convicted.392

September 25, 1913 San Francisco Mint. Theft of between $7 and $75,000 by substitution of metal washers for coin in counting. Amount never deter- mined. No Prosecution.393

April 24, 1917 Denver Mint. Enos P. Schell, weigh clerk, stole $200 in half dollars. Convicted.394

389 Frank G. Carpenter, “Robbing the Mints: How Sneak Thieves Have Stolen Uncle Sam’s Bullion,”

The Saint Paul Globe, November 1, 1896. p.4.

390 “Enemies of Federal Secret Service,” The San Francisco Call, January 5, 1909. p.5.

391 Congressional Serial Set vol. 147, 60th Congress, 2nd Session, House Documents, Appendix D. p.29.

392 “Mint Employee Confesses Theft,” The San Francisco Call, October 23, 1910. p.3.

393 “U.S. Sleuths Seek Mint Thieves,” The San Francisco Call, September 27, 1913. p.1.

 

April 1920. Theft of $80,000 in gold anodes from Denver Mint refinery. Smuggled out of building under his vest by employee Orville Harrington. Convicted and sentenced to 10 years in prison, but paroled after 3-1/2 years.395

February 3, 1937. Bag of 1928 double eagles, $5,000, missing from sealed vault at Philadelphia Mint. Secret Service determined bag was moved in 1933. Not on 1933 inventory and never located. Private bill of 1944 to absolve superintendent of liability.

Many other instances of theft occurred after 1937, although these were for smaller amounts of cash or silver. With most gold consolidated in Ft. Knox and the New York Assay Office, and no gold coins being struck, the temptation to steal was likely reduced.

Inconsistencies, Carson City Mint396

Carson City Mint used the sulfuric acid process to part silver and gold until December 5, 1894. From then until January 3, 1895 it used the nitric-sulfuric process on bullion containing a large amount of base metal. This changeover and other laxities resulted in additional losses of gold and silver. These included:

Silver bars had been “overlooked” during an investigation into theft at the mint – 1895.

Large deficiencies found in reporting assay of bars. Stamped with wrong values for gold and silver. Error not caught for 4 years.

M&R superintendent was an invalid and absent from work for many months. Was still paid.

Removal of leaves from record books not detected for several years. No way to recover contents.

Deposit numbers and metal quantities changed in official journal but not caught for more than 2 years.

Theft occurring over 5-year period by excess wastage, altered journal entries and lack of cross checking. $100,000+ lost but only $25,000 could be traced.

Edited January 6, 2022 by RWB

[Woods020]

Roger I’m curious in all the various Instances where it states things such as credit to or charged to, were these individuals strictly liable for the financial loss? Or was this then a write off and charged to the appropriate department on the ledger based on who it was charged to?

[RWB]

Here's an extract about the Denver Robbery from one of my books:

Robbery at the Denver Mint – 1922

Treasury officials were very concerned about attempted robbery and went to unusual lengths to restrict all access by the public. Before the war, the Philadelphia Mint and its collection of coins and medals was a prime tourist attraction in the city. The Mint’s collection curator, T. Louis Comparette died in June 1922 and in December; a daylight holdup took place in front of the Denver Mint.

On the morning of December 18, 1922, a shipment of $200,000 in new five dollar bills was being loaded onto a truck from the Denver Federal Reserve Bank. The cash had been stored at the Denver Mint and was being transferred. Just as loading the truck with sacks of currency was completed, a car pulled up and out jumped three men with sawed-off shotguns and revolvers blazing. A bank guard, Charles T. Linton, was mortally wounded as soon as firing started.[1] The car had pulled to the left of the bank truck, so the truck shielded the robbers from most of the return fire from mint guards. Having obviously rehearsed the robbery, the thieves quickly loaded their car and drove off. One of the men stood on the right-side running board and was wounded by a single rifle shot from mint guard Peter Kiedinger as the thieves made their getaway. Later examination of the Denver Mint building revealed at least forty bullet holes in the transom above the entrance and second story windows. Bullet holes peppered other buildings nearby.[2] None of the thieves entered the Denver Mint and it is clear their target was the currency truck.

All roads leading from Denver were guarded and state and Federal agents across Colorado and neighboring states were on the lookout. Nothing turned up until January 14 when a bullet riddled Buick car was found in a private garage at 1631 Gilpin Street. Inside was the body of the wounded robber. He was frozen solid. Bloody rags littered the garage from an apparent attempt by his companions to provide first aid.[3] By the next day police had identified the body as that of J.C. Sloan (later recognized as Nicholas Trainor), suspected ring leader of a gang of thieves specializing in “big money” robberies.

It wasn’t until 1934 that Denver police claimed to have solved the crime. They issued a press release giving names of the gang members, five men and two women, and stating that all but two were dead, and the remaining pair were serving life sentences for bank robbery and kidnapping. Police Detective Albert Clark claimed to have substantial evidence and that he was going to turn it over to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, but no one was ever prosecuted for the robbery or killing.

Serial numbers had been recorded for all the bills in the shipment. Numbers were in two ranges: 20852001 to 20876000 and 20940001 to 20956000. Currency from the robbery reportedly turned up in Baltimore as early as December 28. A $5 bill with serial number included in the sequence of stolen money was used to pay for a meal at a downtown Baltimore lunchroom. The newspaper report did not say how the business owner knew the bill was from the Denver robbery.[4] Approximately $80,000 was eventually recovered in Minnesota but the remaining cash vanished.

The robbery quickly faded from newspapers but the breach of security bothered treasury secretary Andrew Mellon. On the secretary’s orders, the Philadelphia Mint collection was transferred to custody of the Smithsonian Institution in Washington. Public announcements stated this was to improve the display and consolidate U.S. owned collections in one place. But reality was that Mellon feared armed robbery of the collection and possible forced entry into the mints.

---

[1] He was the father of actor Harry Linton, a popular Pennsylvania stage comic of the 1920s.

[2] “Bandits Rob Truck Before Denver Mint; Flee with $200,000,” The New York Times, December 19, 1922. p.1.

[3] “Dead Bandit’s Body Found in Denver Garage, Lying in Automobile Used in Mint Robbery,” The New York Times, January 15, 1923. p.1.

[4] “Mint Robbery Bill Found at Baltimore,” Iron County Record, Cedar City, Utah. December 29, 1922.

[RWB]

On 1/6/2022 at 6:31 PM, Woods020 said:

Roger I’m curious in all the various Instances where it states things such as credit to or charged to, were these individuals strictly liable for the financial loss? Or was this then a write off and charged to the appropriate department on the ledger based on who it was charged to?

All officers and clerks had to post a bond before starting work. The government recovered everything it could from the thieves, then from the bond. In the Cochran case, all his property was forfeit and sold at auction. His bondsmen had to pay the value of the bond also.

The Mints could not write off losses without authorization from the Sec of Treasury, and in some instances, such as the missing bag of 1928 DE under Drissell's term, Congress. (This was a personal bill absolving him of the value of the gold, but not of the loss record.)

[GoldFinger1969]

On 1/6/2022 at 5:50 PM, RWB said:

April 1920. Theft of $80,000 in gold anodes from Denver Mint refinery. Smuggled out of building under his vest by employee Orville Harrington. Convicted and sentenced to 10 years in prison, but paroled after 3-1/2 years.395

What's an anode ?  And wouldn't $80K in gold be over 2,000 ounces....or over 140 pounds ?  That's alot for 1 person to hold, let alone "wear" on them...guy must have really worked out. 

On 1/6/2022 at 5:50 PM, RWB said:

February 3, 1937. Bag of 1928 double eagles, $5,000, missing from sealed vault at Philadelphia Mint. Secret Service determined bag was moved in 1933. Not on 1933 inventory and never located. Private bill of 1944 to absolve superintendent of liability.

My favorite.   Not sure where that date came from (was that when they went to melt the coins ?).  I remember the moving of the bags in 1933 and I believe a bag of 1933 Double Eagle Saints was moved and dust was involved.  Somewhere, I have the write-up you did for a 1928 bag from the US Mint where you told the story...great job.

Imagine how much one of those 1928 DEs could be worth if their pedigree to the stolen coins could be established.  I suspect that gold was melted down, you wonder if someone was smart enough to save 1 or 2. 

Edited January 7, 2022 by GoldFinger1969

[GoldFinger1969]

On 1/6/2022 at 8:14 PM, RWB said:

All officers and clerks had to post a bond before starting work. The government recovered everything it could from the thieves, then from the bond. In the Cochran case, all his property was forfeit and sold at auction. His bondsmen had to pay the value of the bond also.  The Mints could not write off losses without authorization from the Sec of Treasury, and in some instances, such as the missing bag of 1928 DE under Drissell's term, Congress. (This was a personal bill absolving him of the value of the gold, but not of the loss record.)

The Mint Superintendet like Dressel (spelling ! ) was the guy who was ultimately liable, as I recall from your 1928 Saint Bag writeup. 

[RWB]

On 1/6/2022 at 8:52 PM, GoldFinger1969 said:

I remember the moving of the bags in 1933 and I believe a bag of 1933 Double Eagle Saints was moved and dust was involved.

The dust and empty bag spot was among 1928 DE - but in the same vault as 1933.

[RWB]

On 1/6/2022 at 8:57 PM, GoldFinger1969 said:

The Mint Superintendet like Dressel (spelling ! ) was the guy who was ultimately liable, as I recall from your 1928 Saint Bag writeup. 

Right on both counts!

[GoldFinger1969]

I am surprised that no stories about the Lost 1928 Saints has ever appeared...no wondering if the coins ever made it to the dealers...no write-ups or allegations in any auction catalog ?

Maybe because the 1928's were so plentiful after the 1940's ?

[Hoghead515]

Ive been wondering how many thefts took place that werent noticed by weight clerks and others who could balance the books and by taking very small amounts of gold at a time. 

[GoldFinger1969]

On 1/8/2022 at 11:01 AM, Hoghead515 said:

Ive been wondering how many thefts took place that werent noticed by weight clerks and others who could balance the books and by taking very small amounts of gold at a time. 

I'd wager so many more thefts in the 1800's than 1900's.  And I'd think very few once cameras were common after the 1940's.

[RWB]

Until about 1885, small defalcations - thefts - were handled administratively. The employee confessed, paid restitution, and was fired....all within an hour. Dir Kimball took a hard line on such things and brought in the US Secret Service even on small or questionable cases. This might actually have increased the Mint's total losses due to legal and SS expenses for thefts of a few dollars.

On 1/6/2022 at 8:52 PM, GoldFinger1969 said:

What's an anode ?

In electrolytic refining it is a rod of lower-purity gold.

"The anode is the negative or reducing electrode that releases electrons to the external circuit and oxidizes during and electrochemical reaction. The cathode is the positive or oxidizing electrode that acquires electrons from the external circuit and is reduced during the electrochemical reaction."

"The electrolytic refining process for gold uses hydrochloric acid as the electrolyte. The anode is made of gold alloy and the cathode is usually a thin sheet of high purity gold. The electric current ionises the electrolyte and transfers dissolved gold from the anode to the cathode, thereby increasing the purity of the gold at the cathode.

"This refining process is known as the Wohlwill process. Silver and other precious metals can be refined using the same electro-refining technique." [NUTEC International, Italy]

Edited January 8, 2022 by RWB

[Henri Charriere]

On 1/6/2022 at 8:52 PM, GoldFinger1969 said:

Imagine how much one of those 1928 DEs could be worth if their pedigree to the stolen coins could be established. 

I can't believe you snuck that "pedigree" by @RWB!

Here's my take on the compilation for speed readers...  "not complete, no convictions, never specified, impossible to determine, believed to be..., no further details, no clear audit, no prosecution, never located, deficiencies, [mis]stamped, error, not detected, no way to recover theft, excessive wastage, altered journal entries, only $25,000 could be traced, no resolution due to confused and irregular bookkeeping, undetermined loss, loss not disclosed, theft....never solved, no recovery, [charged] but not convicted, undetermined, estimated amount substantial....never specified, amount of loss not disclosed."

That's it in a nutshell. 😉  🐓 

[GoldFinger1969]

On 1/8/2022 at 10:57 PM, Quintus Arrius said:

I can't believe you snuck that "pedigree" by @RWB! Here's my take on the compilation for speed readers...  "not complete, no convictions, never specified, impossible to determine, believed to be..., no further details, no clear audit, no prosecution, never located, deficiencies, [mis]stamped, error, not detected, no way to recover theft, excessive wastage, altered journal entries, only $25,000 could be traced, no resolution due to confused and irregular bookkeeping, undetermined loss, loss not disclosed, theft....never solved, no recovery, [charged] but not convicted, undetermined, estimated amount substantial....never specified, amount of loss not disclosed."

That's it in a nutshell. 😉  🐓 

There's more on the 1933's than on those stolen 1928's.  Nobody would have been following the Congressional legislation to absolve the Mint Super from liability because WW II was going on (that probably helped them get it through).

And with plenty of 1928's once DEs started coming back from Europe, who needed a stray/stolen 1928 even if you could establish it came from the stolen bag ?  Besides, if you did have proof it was from that bag, chances are you were involved OR knew who was. 

I've not seen anything on the stolen bag of 1928's other than what Roger wrote up for the bag.  It's not well-ccvered.  It wasn't a high priority and no publicity appears to have been generated when they got the bill passed to absolve Dressel; D-Day was probably approaching.

You read about these modern-day hoards found in the hills inside coffee cans and you wonder about those 1928's.