The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1864-02-26
LOCAL AFFAIRS,
Over $2,7OO in Money Stolen.

over $Z,7OO IN Money Stolen.
THE THIEF ESCAPES WITH HIS
BOOTY.
At about ten o'clock Thursday, 18th inst,
the second story of the stone building next
above the bridge, was entered by some thief
yet unknown the safe was opened and robbed
Of its most valuable and portable contents
and the thief made his escape with the pro-
ceeds of his bold robbery. At about o'clock
in the evening, Mr.. Freeman, with two friends,
(the party having just returned from Fort Smell
ing,) left light burning in the office and went
to supper at the International. Mr. Freeman
Is uncertain whether he locked the door of the
Office, but thinks he did. He is sure that the
safe was locked. The safe lock is combina-
ton lock and was set at a single number, the
key remaining in the lock. When Mr. Free
man and his friends returned to the office,
which was between 1917 and IL o'clock, the
door was found unlocked and the safe was
found locked. He had occasion to open the
safe and then discovered that it had been rob-
bed. The thief had taken 81, $40 or 81, $50 in
u. s. Treasury notes, eighteen one hundred
dollar bills and eight or nine fifties included,
$12O in colo, and half breed scrip to the amount
of 76O acres, belonging to Mr.. Freeman, or in
his keeping, and about $500 in U. 8. Treasury
notes, (mostly twenties and tens belonging to
Mr.. Grant, or proceeds of collections made by
him for other parties The drawer in which
Mr.. Freemans money and scrip was locked,
was broken open. Mr.. Grants money was in
pocket book in ON open pigeon hole in the
safe; the pocket book was left in its place,
after its contents had been distracted.
The practice of leaving the keys in combi-
nation locks is very common, and is not sup
posed to involve any danger from robbery, as
it is absolutely necessary to know the combi-
nation or number at which the lock is set, in
order to turn back the bolt with the key; and
the chance of that combination being hit by
accident or by repeated trials, is SO small as to
create no uneasiness at the key being left for
the use of robbers, if such individuals choose
TO try them.
There are several facts that, in the hands of
skillful detective, might lead to tracing of
the robbery, which we do not feel at liberty to
publish, though we do not understand that
suspicion is fixed upon any person, or that the
losers anticipate recovery of the money and
arrest of the robber or robbers.
RRoRUITNG.-The late order, permit
ting citizens to receive the bounty for bringing
recruits to the Provost Marshal, has had the
effect Of gaining for Uncle Sam the service of
q number of active recruiting agents. One of
these, as we are informed, cleared last week
about six hundred dollars on a contract to fill
the quota of the town of Cottage Grove. He
recruited ten men Gncluding one veteran) for
that town, receiving from the Provost Marshal
certificates to the amount of $165, and from
the town its orders to the amount of $500, for
which orders he has since been offered 800 in
cash. He paid to each recruit about $50
bounty in cash. The same enterprising ope-
week, to enlist ten men for the town of Wood
bury. He receives 81 900 in cash from the cit
liens of that town, and pays from $50 to $50
bounty, so that he will clear as much as 5000
more for this week.
Probably no other person engaged in re-
cruiting here has done as well at the business,
but his success suggests to US the propriety of
again reminding our citizens of the necessity
Of their paying bounty, if they hope to Sc
cure for st. Paul q fair share of the enlistmcnts
now being made
The men who are now existing, partly
from st. Paul, but more from other towns in
all parts of the State, naturally wish to secure
the largest bounty they can, and for such
bounty they register themselves on the enlist
ment papers as enlisting from the town which
pays it. In this way st. Paul has already lost |
credit for number of men who have lately |
enlisted, who were actually residents of this |
city and would have preferred to have been SO |
credited. As the system of local bounties has |
been SO established and is likely to be follow |
ed up, go long as the coming draft has any |
terrors. we think, if our citizens have any de- |
sire to keep themselves from being subject to |
the lottery of the draft wheel, not only at the |
drawing of March, but for the next one, (sure |
to come, they neglect their interests in the |
matter by not at once entering into the com.
petition and securing more men to represent |
the city in the army.
DETECTIVES - Nothing has lately SO |
much shown the need OF reform in the police |
system of this city the recent robberies. |
These show that we need a cooperative detect |
i've force. The regular police Chief and all. |
are fully employed with their usual patrol |
duties and no details can be made for detective
service. Besides which, no really competent
and honest detective could be employed for
the salary paid by the city to any officer of the
force. Detective ability is rarely found. and
commands, in the larger cities, the highest re-