Democratic Sentinel, Volume 21, Number 30, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 July 1897 — How They Robbed the Mint. [ARTICLE]

How They Robbed the Mint.

Some years ago the mint authorities of a certain city noticed that a small amount of gold was missing every* day after the coinage operations were over. They watched and set traps of ©very description, but no thief was detected, and after the loss had continued with regularity for some months they set It down to an extra amount of unavoidable waste and thought no more of it. Two or three years afterward two brothers who were working there left and set up a public house together on money which they said had been left them by an uncle. As they had both good characters, it was not until one of them told a mint foreman, on the understanding that no action should be taken, that anything was known of the following trick: Both the brothers used to grease their hands before working at the machines, and whenever they noticed some gold dust sticking to the grease it was wiped off in their hair. Care was used that enough was not taken to show, though, when they washed their hair at home each night the few grains meant several extra shillings, which ultimately enabled them to retire and live comfortably.