Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1869-05-02
HOW a County superintendent
Of Education was ClllOGO o.
formed ANA Robbed.
a Very Qneer AFFAIR.

4 Very Queer Affair.
Alas for the sacred school fund
We were in hopes that after the tTe-
mendous and wholesale plundering to
which it had been subjected, what re-
manned would be guaranteed to the
children of tbs State, and that we would
not again have to chronicle the touching
of q penny of it. But the hOFgwas vain!
1t has again been rsided on, and again
lghteaed of six thousand dollars. 1t
does really seem as il its "sacreduess /"
consisted simply in beiug sacred to the
use of every thief that chooses to help
himself.
This last dash upon she TREASURY u
occurred on Thursday at Chattanooga,
and we e0ndense the following state
msnb OF how il happened from the
Knoxville Ress and Herald OF Friday /:
About the commencement Of business
hours yesterday morning, says that pa
per, q rumOr spread ever the town that
Mr.. ID. G. Wilcox, of the firm Of Wilcox
q Co, OF this city, had been robbed, in
Chst snOOga, during TIE prsv.o s night,
OF the enormous sum OF SO. 000I
The affair was generally treated ss a
poor attempt at q JOKE, tina fact OF q
portion Of the sum loot being said 10 be-
long to the school fund, causing q suspic
ion inst some one had started the repcrt
as an electioueeriHg eanard (; still, some
few thought that there might be some
thing in the rUmOr, and on the arrival Of
the train from Chattanooga every body
Ias on the qUS ViUe to learn %eFptruth OF
the Hm0 The various passengers who
got off the train were assailed with Ques-
UIOns relative 10 the matter, and it soon
became evident hat tine report was IN
dOUbtedly a serious one. Various excitisg
and exaggerated accounts Of the affair
circulated over town rapidly, and long
before night some knowledge of the rob
berry was known in every home ia the
community and the subject of conysrsa-
ton at every tea table. The comments
were as various ss the commentators,
and the connection OF it with the school
fund money created innumerable squibs,
puns end Would-be smart remarks In re-
alton TO the GoIconda Of thieves snd
TObbers-the Sacred School Fund of Ten
nessee.
a reporter Of the Press and deroZd
Immediately sought cut Mr.. Wilcox and
had an interview with him 10 learn the
facts 10 the case, and learned as follows:
Mr. Wilcox left here some time ago
for New York to negotiate the sale OF
SIC, 600 OF Tennessee bonds which he had
ia bis hands sc a surplus belonging TO the
Stale School Fund. He disposed OF them
iCz a sum amounting to about $4,000 iH
RsturniDg from New York
by the Western route, he made collec-
tions at various points till the total sum
in his possession amounted to $948O. OF
this thsre we're five $1,000 bills, four $500
bills, three 500 oils, all in greenbaeks :
TIE rest was in national bank c%urreucv.
mostly in t8enties and lens. This money
was ia an envelope, which Mr., w, ear
ried In the inside pocket of his vest. Mr.
w. arrived 10 Chattanooga by the morn
ing train from Nashville on Wednesday
morning. Meeting Gen. Eaton, State
Superintendent OF schools, he learned
there was to be a meeting Of different
County School Superintendent on that
day s1d stayed over to attend 1t. After
passing the day in various WAYS, Mr..
Wilcox retired to his at the Burns
House. He had been assigned 10 room
No. s, ia the second story, the window
Of which opens on a balcony which ex-
tends ell along the froDtof the house and
is easily accessible from ths ball on the
HhE1E DOOls NY " iACB4 IVLtCEu when
he entered the room that this window
was slightly ralsed and could not be
fastened, but after locking the door and
his vest containing the money,
under the bolster OF his bed, he blew Qua
the light and retired to rest.
OF what passed from this time till he
Rss awakened at 4 o'clock, TO take the
morning train for Knoxville e, Mr.. Viii
cox had nc knowledge. at that hour ne
was aroused by the porter, and on swak-
felt sick and stupid and scarcely able
TO rise from the bed. He sent for the
landlord, and on 8 light being struck
iOund he had been ehlOroformed and
AS soon as be made this dis.
soyeFy he began TO suffer great pain |
rom toe contraction of muscles and to |
nave spasms, but was finally able to get
Do the train and arrived In Rockville al |
noon on Thursday.
The Press and Herald continues: In
of the fact OF his having the
on hand, Mr.. w. states thathe has
as County Superintendent, kept
surplus of fuude, so that he might never
,e left totally destitute of means to keep
10 some portion of the schools in thel
county. Ia reply to our suggestions that
I the numbers Of the larger bills stolen,
telegrePhed over the country, the
hieves might be deteeted, MI. w. stated
hat he did not k2Ow them, and further
tated that be could not, at the time,
e~coliect the name OF the Jew broker ia
Jsw York, to whom he had sold the
,onds, 80 that il would not be possible TO
.btain the numbers there. In reply to
he question why he did not change bis
money into drafts, which could have
zen negotiated here, Mr.. w. stated
hist he had found it difficult here
TO obtain currency for drafts,
nd as be desired to nse the money
10 thought it bsst to bring tie green
eks. Our reporter sueg ssted that it
would have been business like to have
deposited the money IN the hotel safe,
Or. w. acknowledged that it was neg
ect on his part that he did not do so, but
that 8 man who was used to hand
ing large amounts Of money, as ne Was,
you'd naturally think less of losihg Il
han one who only handled small sums.
)ur reporter forgot TO ask Me-. w. why
% did not stay 10 Chattanooga and make
ONE efforts to discover the robbers.
which we much regret, as it certainly
news thai Nj. Wilcox Is not greatly ex-
rcissd over Dbe loss. Mr.. Wilcox. in
act. seemed to take the matter very
and assured our reporter that
be amount belonging to the School Fund
you'd b. promptly replaced, and the
would not lose any thing, which
re are & ad to hear, 81 we have been
allied upon several times by teachers
rho wantsd US to push our inquiries
bout School Fund matters 80 that they