Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1869-09-03
Who IL John SMITH

AT noon yestorSlav, according 10 am
nouncement General Butter6eld began to
open the proposals to purchase $1,000, 900
of gold He had nearly tiuisl,ed the read
ing when he opened a proposal from John
Smith at $i33.30, 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 Snith, at the premium
named. General Buttertieid then went
over to Delmonico's 60 lunch.
just as he had reached the stage (foI
those who are curious abeut such things
il may be said that his first course was
potdgc a lu mditre d'hOtel) clerk rushed
madly into the restaurant, upsetting a
waiter and side table, and breathlessly
addressing the General, said; 81, yr.. -.
How about those awasds sirS"s /.
Why, ! made 'en, didn't Ig ] gave
them to John Smith" "a ~ a.I q.
Yes, sir. But toho's John Smithf"
Here was poser Jamming his mill
tary hat hard down on his head, and hur
ricdly buttoning the lower brass button o
his military vest the General rushed fortl
into Broad street The first man he me
was certain stock operator who has Ions
been in search of u Northwest" passage
rid Chicago. a- ..
81 say, -, who is John SMITH"
"John SmithY Well, my shoemaker i
John Smith, and the watchman at my
place Is another John Smith, and"
"Oh, d-n themn said the General, &C.
want John Smith, the banker"
Rushing up to the Sub. Treasury, Gene
raj Butterfield put the same puzzling ques
ton to all his clerks, and they raked uI
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 bad job, the General revoked
the award, and, consequently, the gold
sold for 1873 and 1915 instead of t33, 80
as would have been the case had Johr
Smith appeared to make good his pro
posal. ..
1t was hoped at the Sub Treasury that
this annoying incident of official lift
would not get spread abroad but, alas fol
human expectations The financial edi
tors had already been informed that Johr
Smith was the lucky gold purchaser, and
through them the bankers and brokers
were also made aware of the fact Fol-
some time curiosity was expressed on al
sides as to "WhO is John Smith," but
finally the story got out, and all Wal
street was on the brod grin.
On the Gold Board the busy brokers sus
pended their operations for full ter
minutes, during which time fifty lusty
voices propounde6 the puzzling question
"Who is John Smith ?" Two young
brokers, entering the room, instructed The
door-keeper to call John Smith, and ht
added his voice to the universal din, never
thinking that he was calling for a Treasury
myth A stranger entering the room a
that moment would have at first supposed
that the brokers were about to engage il
deadly conflict, such was their unearthl,
din /; but hearing their loud cry for, Johl
Smith-peaceable John. who was neve
known to hurt anybody but Turks and In
dians-he would have been reassured anG
looked on without fear. 1t was currently
reported last night that General Butter
field, armed with a mountain howitzer ant
a double-barrelled shot gun, was still
searching for John Smith. Perhaps h,
will find him.-Nso York Sun, August go.