The Davenport daily gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1856-1869, 1857-07-13

4 A08U00D 0U9W-1 - u1oS2e
Wh,a our ship vas in Mar-eille. We took
on hoard a number of thousand dollars in
| specie, that Was to be brought home to tbs
United States. X was mostly in five franz
pieces, and was put up In small canvass bag,
containing five hundred pieces each. Wksr
brought on board Il was stored in small
room, next adjourning the spirit room, be
low the orlop deck, and upon the larboard
side. The entrance to the specie room was
BY q strong paddock. Abaft of this hatch
Vas the bulkhead Of the bread room, and
abreast of IL were the rooms Of some Of the
paSt midshipmcn Directly Opposite upon
the other side IL the deck was the walk ol
4 sentry, whose duty II was 10 take charge
of the lantern that was constantly kept
burning there, and also "a keep the after
part of the deck free from A., persons who
have no business there. Directly anislships,
and upon the asboafd side IL which the
larger lantern was secured, was small
store room, occupying space Il some tel
feet square consequently when the ssntry's
attention was called 10 the lantern which
was often the case, A. lac had a. light the
candles for the officers, the view &c the oppo-
site side Of the deck Wa shut or
Tine aftsrgoon, while the ship was ON her
passage from Toulon g. Gibraltar, the pur-
ser came on deck in state Il intense sgita-
ton, aud sought the captain in the cabin.
"what's The matter, pur,er ~ asked the
captain, who was just looking over the days
work of the midshipmen.
Good heavens there j. matter eGougL,"
replied the purscr, sinking into seat AMI
dropping his cap upon the hoor.
what Is IL 7 deficit in the stores spirit
cask running leak !"
mo, sir, There's money gone o.
Some mistake Of yours, then
NO, no, captain. It's been stolen! %
!" Stolenm reiterated the captain opening
hir eyes and leaning forward What mon
ey7'
Part Of thas =. tc3l ~ Marscillesn
But that l. safely stored under lock Spd
key, and directly under the eye Ola compe-
tent sentry"
Yes,-but still some ii il has been sto-
len. There are four bags gene nearly two
thousand dollar.."
Are you sure Of this D.
have just conc from the room, where
| went to make exchange far the gold We
got II Toulon. wanted the five franc
pieces 10 pay oG the greg -noncy t. the men
| missed l0ur Of the bags They are numbers
six, nine, twenty eight and thiry. LLos
just how placed Them
Tho captain sat sometime without speak
ing. Once OF twice lac seemed t. be ON the
print al bursting frth into a passion, but
be gradually claimed his feelings, and the
cool Judgment, which was one ot his lead
Ing characteristics, came To his aid
Have y"G spoke II this to any Que 2" be-
asked, raising his eyes from the hoor
only 60 NY steward
Send for him u once
AZ the captain spoke he runs small bell
At his aide, and the orderly entered the
cabin. The purscr's steward was sent for,
and ~ was the captain Il marines To
them the subject was opened
Now said the old captain, there Is
need Of caution here. Not breath Of this
must 60 10 the men, or the money will most
AnurcdIy be thrown overheard, and all traces
u the thieves lost II seems almost impos-
sible that amy one could have entered the
specie room withoat detection, even with
the connivancc 81 the sentry, but yet the
thing must have been done, and some Of the
marines must be in the plot The officers
whose rooms are on the after part IL the or
lop deck, sLall hs placed upon the watch,
and y everything goe- ON ~ usual, We may
yet catch the rascals, fur in all probability
they will 90 after more of the money!
The thing was discussed freely in the
cabin, and when the arrangements were oil
made IL hsd been decided that the orderly
sergeant should detail FOUR II the marines.
Whose honesty and kccnness could be confided
IN, - sentrics br the post II the spirit room
that they should relieve each other ~
usual, and that they should b. silent ON the
subject II the theft Matters we're thus ar
ranged and things went on a. usual
II had Lesn sometime the practice in sers-
ing cut the bread % the cooks of the mcs.c-
Tor the bread-bags to be brought down aud
LEFT 1t the door of the bread room, and a.
the steward AMI has assistants filled them,
they were set on the outside, for the cook.
to get when they pleased, by simply pass
iron the midshipman II the deck. Some
times the bag remained ON the orlop deck
over night. II was proposed by the purser
that this order or rather disorder IL things
should be stopped, but the captain tlv'wht
il better not to NEEDLE with il, for II any
a the cooks were implicated, this would
surely present any further dcvclopement-
The sentries, however, were strictly epjoined
70 keep their eyes upon the cooks when
they cone after their baes, and also TO look
out that mo- one was secreted among them.
The next day the purscr went to the cap
tain with the astounding intelligence that
another bag 81 money was missing! The
scntries who had been on the post during
the night were called into the cabin and
questioned, but they took solemn oaths that
nothing had gone smiss during their several
watches that they could detect ; and after
much threatening on the part oG the captain,
be IVES Surcod u belisve them, for the OH
rers who had taken il upon themselves to
b on the lookout, were equally Il fault. Il
wae strange affair q bss The small hatch
was Sbund 70 be securely locked, but yet an
other bae IVES missing How IN account for
i they knew not; but the captain deter
mined upon another trial. Three days pa
sed without any further development. TLose
who were IN the secret were still upon the
watch, and the whole thing had as yet been
Kept from the men. Even the master at
Aruls knew nothing a il.
On the night Of the fourth day there were
zone fifteen bread bag-, newly filed, Get
Mtside a the bread room door, ready Cur
The cook 70 take in the morning. Al mid
night marine nosned Mcfiuirc, was ,sIsced
spm the important post. lie WAS = quick
witted, keen fellow, = Scotchman by birth.
md 00e whc could be trusted. A soon o.
b. he'd taken his post be went over a. the
larh0ard side o( the deck and ran his eve
around among the bags. They appeared I'll
right, and . be pcked Li- fingers into the
mouth Of each be found they were filled with
bread
Half an hour had passed away, and at the
snd a that time, - Mcclure stood leaning
against the stancheoa 1t the after corner of
tie small square room before mentioned, il
apqsassd % him that one of the bag~, that
I'D been opposite 70 his present line of Wis
Nm, bod been somehow moved further for-
ward, q Il was now more than half hidden
BY the intervening coyner. liz knew that
DO living snul had Descended either IL the
lAddsr. since tn oi1ccrs Of the first watch
1870 6nsvn and ansr that ~, ..ra ....,la