New-York tribune., 1871-08-25
THE WRECK OF THE GOLDEN RULE.


WHAT BECAME OF THE GOVERNMENT TREASURE
REPORT OF THE FIRST CONTROLLER OF
TIE TREASURY.
WASHINGTON, Aug. 24-The following is a
detailed report Of the First Controller of the Treasury,
made to the Secretary Of the Treasury in May last but
not heretofore published giving facts in the case of the
Government loss by the wreck OF the Golden Rule:
TREASURY DEPARTMENT. FIRST CONTROLLERS
OFFICE, May 10. ISL
SIR: have examined the papers transmitted TO me
with letter Of Jan. 81, 1871 relative 10 the loss or
81 100000 compound interest notes by the wreck OF the
steamship Golden Rule also some additional evidence
obtained from the Offices OF the Register and the Treas
urer and from the Chief Of the Bureau Of Engraving
and Printing and find the facts to be in substance as
follows:
MAY IT, 1861 transfer draft No. 1883 was issued at the
Treasury Department directing the treasurer TO pay 10
poraton to ID. W. Checseman, Assistant United states
Treasurer AT Francisco, Sl@0O0 In lawful money,
10 he placed to the credit Of the Treasurer OF the United
states. Leighton and Smith indOrsed the drait WITHOUT
date The money was placed in of the iron boxes of
The Treasury and was delivered TO the Adams
Express Company, May 1s 1862 for tansporta-
and smith @ In addition to the 100000 compound interest
notes, the box contained sG2 100 IN o notes treasury
tanning the money dc, was carried to New-York and
delivered to Mcssrs. Leighton smith ana Was Dy tho
I" sail for Aspinwa and for which place she sailed at
1890 May 90 At about $3.50 o'clock a. m Of May MAJ 80 the
bean sea, and went to pieces in eight days. -
Afterward efforts were made under the personal super
vision of Leighton and Smith, for several days 10 reach
the treasure box which had been placed uhder large
amount of baggage in the hold but without success M
A norton only Of the baggage could Do removed tne
hold having after the ship struck begun to M with
water After the had u s0nf se@.d TO SSb Without
wreckng vessel was employed and ap3ut 'he LC,h Ol
june, as appears from receipt Oh tnat ui tn svees
SiCol5O of the 1905 and Treasury drafts were were
nf ron snnnoSed 10 be parts Of the box shed up
but no portions Of the compoundinterest notes ~ele
found Subsequently, the box %as iGe anu satn oi
the Department no record or "rtten M tha D oi
the recovery be found when receNeu aV sac ~ ~
partment the lid had been oSI inward ard as as mo NO
longer to retain hold ID tRe % beparmen, ef Ss orms
me that al the time the box received he examined
it, and that did not carry any MARKS OF nt NJ
II cond have been and probably was broken open by be
ING violently thrown from side to side IN the hou oi te
mn Ibave examined similar lock and AIN of opinion that
the bolt would bend under any slmaI ,n,anna ~,
The wreSking vessel remained in search until the the
3lst OF Juy and Mr. Smith renamed untll the 1otn,
superintendnc tho examination. What then became OF
the money! VAST ostin the sea- 70 part OF n mas
efforts OF the Department through deteeuNes anu %
for three years or more nothing mas Dee @ ns h
steamship, OF those employed on the Wtecks & ~
In your you Leqnesd d hpf be made 10
relieve the Treasurer from the charge hgdns. ni h. W
% o osrht 10 be relieved transmitting the
notes; he but fulfilled the directions Of tine seGretary
gwen in conformity law, and the loss occurred nroush
| 20 fault Of his. .o,,o,,s IN M
Another questions OF greater importance remains 70 90
considered What counter entries shall De niaae uPoh
the books of the Department The apsWer 70 s !hes
ton must depend upon the fact OF the loss Oh
70 that the notes cannot be presented lor
The Treasurer In his letter OF the lsth 10 M
man. advising him of the remittance says Pa'
OF large Treasury notes-sl ,otoOO Dut uoes w. anv
tie denominations the numbers, .or va" pnn S
record OF the denominations nor oI .n. e, ,orna, r
bers kept. The notes pyperly denGmuaasJi aeiivery bv
| were OF $500 and $i,NO. The last uen.eIy "
the Printing 10 the Treasurer OF sou o
10 the remittance 10 San Francisco, was In"c I w @
H. 1864 seven months previous. MAY TO- re- o da,J
delivered 10 the Treasurer notes oi Si'',', atoo
May 49, and numbered from 6Vo o .o oo o0sss 20,
inclusive letters A, Is. c. and d. each mahIs '9c50o
May IT, $4,000, succeeding number: MAY TO- ,rscedtn
succeeding numbers. other numbers M Ie anSs
and following delivered previous 10 iot a,d
Subsequent To May le but none between OCT ~ i1 % @
May 10, 1865 From these facts think u may @ f..
suIned that the large notes sent were O ne a., W 90 ,h
tioD o 81 go: that the arrangements weit ma1 ~ W i,r
remittance 10 California prior 10 the lblh onI IN 90
showing that arrangements had been i MAJ
! passage by steamer, behfIhR IN pnh.s
! y, II among the papers and n ,hs, 10 snm 10 be
delivered May IL, intended 10 supply Tue su ~,
iem'tted think It may also safely be pr.nrv Nav
The notes those delivered to theA "ry
IL .uItLei auuclIs tIOn LIE tssoiun Aibt ~ 'NS