Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1869-09-01
WHO is JOHN SMITH
Mr., Butterfield Asks the Question anG
Receives no Repiy.

hece1VeS no Reply
From the New York Sun, August 20I
The law has its myths in the persons of
John Doe and Richard Roe, who appear
periodically in all our courts; and the
Custom House has its myths in the shape
of laborers who never worked, and officials
whose names were all that were ever seen
of them. Until yesterday, however, it was
never believed that anything mythical
could enter SC practical q place as the Sub
Treasury, but strange to say a myth did
enter, yet his entrance can only be attribu-
ted to false pretences, since he assumed
the well-known and highly respectable
name of John Smith. And this is how As
sistant Treasurer Butterfield came to ask
''wHo IS JOHN SMITH ?"
At noon yesterday, according to an
nouncement, Gen. Butterfeld began to
open the proposals to purchase 81, 600, 900
OF gold. He had nearly finished the read
ing when he opened a proposal from John
Smith, at 1873, 80, n figure about one-sixth
larger than any other of the bids Hur-
riedly completing the remainder of his
task, the General awarded the whole
amount to Mr.. John Smith at the premium
named. Gen. Butterield then went over
to Delmonicos to lunch
JuSJ us ne ildu redcQ6u LQ6 uSn stage
(for those who are curious about such
things it may be said that his fist course
was potdge q Ia nlaitre dhotelO clerk rushed
madly into the restaurant, upsetting a
waiter and side table, and breathlessly
addressing the General, said.
'How about those awards, sir?"
"Why, Imade EN-, didn't l? gave them
to John Smith"
eyes, sir. But aoho's John Smith,"
Here was poser. Jamming his militia
ry hat hard down ON his head, and hurried
ly buttoning the lower brass buttons of his
military vest, the General rushed forth into
Broad street The first man he met was
q certain stock operator who has long been
in search of Northwest" passage via
Chicago.
81 say, -, who is John Smith,"
''John Smith ?? Well, my shoemaker is
John Smith, and the watchman at my place
is another John Smith, and"
"Oh. id them, )" says the General 81
want John Smith, the banker"
Rushing up to the Sub-Treasury, General
Butterfeld put the same puzzlng question
to all his clerks, and raked up from the
depths of their memories enough John
Smiths to man 74-gun frigate, but not one
of them was banker. Giving John up as
a bad job, the General revoked the award.
and, consequently, the gold sold for 1873
and 1873. Is, instead of 1873. 80, as would
have been the case had Smith appeared to
make good his proposal
1t was hoped at the Sub Treasury that
this annoying incident of Official life would
not get spread abroad; but, alas for human
expectations The financial editors had
already been informed that John Smith was
the lucky gold purchaser. and through
them the bankers and brokers were also
made aware of the fact. For some time
curiosity was exposed on all sides as to
f'Who is John Smith ?" but finally the
story got out, and all Wall street was on
the broad grin.
On the Gold Board the busy brokers
suspended their operations for full ten
minutes, during which time fifty lusty
voices propounded the puzzling question,
"Who is John Smith ?" Two young brok-
ers, entering the room instructed the door
keeper to call John Smith, and he added
his voice to the universal din, never think
ing that he was calling for a Treasury
myth A stranger entering the room at
that moment would have at first supposed
that the brokers were about to engage III
deadly conflict, such was their unearthly
din; but hearing their loud cry for John
Smith-peaceable John, who was never
known to hurt anybody but Turks and In
dians-he would have been reassured and
looked on without fear. 1t was currently
reported last night that General Butterfield
armed with a mountain howitzer and a
double-barrelled shotgun, was still search
ing for John Smith. Perhaps he will find
him.