The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1865-08-11
ROBBERY AT THE UNITED STATES
TREASURY.
Pursuit and Arrest of the Robber.

From the National Inteligencer, Washington,
Of July 90.
Yesterday Wallace w. Whittlesev, was
brought to this CITY from New York, un-
der arrest, and is now in confinement.
He is charged with the robbery Of nearly
5000, 600 worth Of bonds from the treas
ury department. Seven months ago be
was clerk in the loan branch, secretarv's
Office. In December, 1864, be obtained
leave Of absence, but resigned bis posi-
lion prior to The expiration of his leave
In July. 1864, bonds with coupons attach
ed, were found missing and suspicion that
they had beer taken by Whittiesey short
ly after attached to him. In bis last re>
port secretary Fessenden referred to The
robbery thus 3!
On tho 9th day Of June last, Mr.. G. P.
Bailey, CHEF clerk and superintendent Of
the loan branch, connected with the Sc
cretary's office, addressed letter to the
secretary, stating hat one hundred bonds
partially prepared for issue under the acts
OF July II and August S, 1861, of 81 600
each, were missing, and 10 trace of them
could be found. The bonds numbered
from "a 4Ol to 81 500 inclusive, and were
q part Of one thousand transmitted by the
national bank note company on the Goth
of September, 1868 In bis letter to the
secretary, Mr.. Bailey states: 81 have
examined all the resources at my COM
mand in endeavoriEg to find them, and
nothing is left for me but to repor. the
facts" A strict inquiry as to all the facts
connected with the affair was Immediately
instituted, but no Ii Oh. was obtained, fur
ther than to show, that on the Goth of
September, previous, Mr.. Bailey cen, the
bonds IN an open basket, with a weight
placed on them, by two messengers, one
of whom was az old clerk of established
character, in the registers office and there
offered them to the clerk who usually re>
ceived the coupon bonds in the registers
room, who objected to taking charge of
them, on the ground that there was no
place in the Office where they could be
safely kept, and requested that they might
be taken back to the loan branch, where
there were good ssfes.
Mr.. Bailey was sert for, and, after
some consultation as to the proper place
Of deposit, consented tha, they should be
taken back and deposited in the safe in
bis office and they were accordingly car
rled back by the same messengers, taken
out OF the basket, laid on the table, and
in the day placed in the safe, where they
remained, as supposed, until called for by
the register. They were called for and
delivered from time tc time, from March
II to June 5, 1864, when the less was
discovered. Tie character Of all the par
ties concerned is reported as above sus>
p!cion, and nothing has since transpired
10 elucldate the matter or 20 furnish any
missing bonds.
AS they had not been signed by the
register, or sealed, they cannot be nego.
tiated. The coupons, however, we're seal
ed and complete, and payable to the bear
or on January and July l, in each year.
A careful examination was made Of the
January coupons paid on bonds of that
issue, but 1t docs not appear that any Of
them had been paid. These should be
known by their numbers. Instructions
were given to the assistant treasurers 10
watch carefully for the coupons, but
nothing further has been elected. No
other steps have been taken, and none ap
peared likely to be attended with anv eff
feet. With this exception, am no. aware
that any loss has occurred in the depart
ment.
Tie bonds being as Stated above) in
complete, they could not, of course, be
negotiated, 5u; the coupons could be sold
anywhere. As soon as the loss was dis
covered secretary Fessendep directed soil
cltor Jordan to lake such measures as he
deemed necessary TO discover the perpe-
traitor of the robbery, and to recover, if
possible, the bonds and coupons. He &C.
cordingly sent for Messrs. CIarvo and
McUsvit', Of the metropolitan police force,
aud committed the investigation to their
hands. A better selection could no, Lave
been made, for these gentlemen are we'll
known as among the most acute aud ener-
ge,ic detectives in the country, and their
industry and persistence 10 pursuit of any
case given them for investigation is pro.
verbal. All the Information n possession
c: The department. was given these dslec-
tives.
The detectives at once set to work dill.
gently, and although suspicion rested up
on Whitslessy as the guilty party, yet SO
respectable were his connections (he being
q grandson Of the late Hon. Elisha Whit
ilesey, than whom no man ever bore
more respectable name and character aud
SO high d:d bis own penonai character