They very well could have been. There were not really many rules prohibiting that type of behavior then. Ever wonder how a diamond cut card came about. loaded incorrectly when cut. What about the QC for the focus on some? May have been fine to them And as far as the hand cut goes. If the boss gave you a sheet of cards to cut by hand and you had a few to drink or maybe a few sheets to cut I bet by the end they would be chopped.