The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1869-09-10
Who Is John Smith,

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nouncement General Butterfield began to
open the proposals to purchase 81, ,O00, 900
of gold. He had nearly finished the read
ing when he opened a proposal from John
Smith at $13330, a 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. General Butterfield then went
over to Delmonico's to lunch.
Just as he had reached the stage (for
those who are curious about such things
it may be said that his first course was
potagc a Ia naitre dhoteD a clerk rushed
madly into the restaurant, upsetting q
waiter and side table, and breathlessly
addressing the General, said:
"How about those awards, sir?"
"Why, made 'em, didn't 1? gave
them to John Smith"
"Yes, sir. But scho's John Smith ?"
Here was poser. Jamming his mill
tary hat hard down on his head, and hur-
riedly buttoning the lower brass button 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
uia Chicago.
81 say, -, who is John Smith,"
"John Smith? Well, my shoemaker is
John Smith, and the wstchman at my
place Is another John Smith, and"
"Oh, d-n them," said the General, Il
want John Smith, the banker"
Rushing up to the Sub-Treasury, Gene
raj Butterfield put the same puzzling ques-
tion to all his clerks, and they raked up
from the depths of their memories enough
John Smiths to man q 74-gun frigate, but
not one of them was q banker. Giving
John up as bad job, the General revoked
the award, and, consequently, the gold
sold for 1873 and 1875 instead of 133, 80,
as would have been the case had John
Smith appeared to make good his pro-
posal
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 edi-
tors 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 expressed on all
sides as to "Who is John Smith," but
finally the story got out, and all Wall
street was on the brod grin.
On the Gold Board the busy brokers sus-
pended their operations for full ten
minutes, during which time fifty lusty
voices propounded the puzzling question,
"Who is John SMITH" Two young
brokers, entering the room, instructed the
door-keeper to call John Smith, and he
added his voice to the universal din, never
thinking that he was calling for Treasury
myth A stranger entering the room at
that moment would have at first supposed
that the brokers were about to engage in
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 Butter.
| field, armed with q mountain howitzer and
a double-barrelled shot gun, was still
searching for John Smith. Perhaps he
will find him.-Nep York Sun, August 20.