Worcester Daily Spy

PUBLIC PLUNDER.—The Journal of Commerce, furnishes the following particulars of depredations upon the United States Mint:

Within the last few days, evidence has come to light that extensive abstractions from the funds on deposit at the Philadelphia U. S. Mint, have taken place, and of such a character as to involve the reputation of an heretofore upright and irreproachable citizen. Upon the chief weigh clerk of the Mint, Mr. J. Eagle Negus devolves the responsible duty of receiving, weighing and describing the bullion deposited, and of giving a receipt for the same, before it is melted. Of course its value cannot be ascertained until it has undergone the melting process, and all impurities and foreign substances have been removed. Between the times of depositing and of melting therefore, an opportunity was afforded to an evil disposed person, unless he was properly guarded, to abstract from the bullion committed to his care The chief weigh clerk was noticed by one of his assistants to be frequently in the vault, (which he entered by means of a duplicate key,) for which there was no occasion, but his ostensible object might have been to secure specimens for preservation.

At length suspicion became so confirmed that another clerk in the office, and finally a superior officer was communicated with on the subject. The evidence of wrong afforded seemed incredible, but the next step taken, to elicit the truth, was conclusive in its results.

Upon the arrival of the last Californian steamer, at which time, as is invariably the case, great quantities of bullion are forwarded from New York to Philadelphia, by the various Express companies, &c., the treasurer arranged, after the chief weigh clerk had made his deposits for the day and weighed the same, to repeat the process of weighing, and a deficit amounting to 1,400 was disclosed. The guilty person, after being informed of the facts, immediately confessed his crime, acknowledging that his depredations had been continued for six months past, and that he had taken altogether, $14,000; but offered to make immediate restitution,—which he was able to do, as he was possessed of considerable property.— This fact in connection with his previous character, makes the present offence the more inexplicable. The offender took passage for Europe at the earliest opportunity, and sailed in the Washington last Saturday.