The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1871-09-02
The Missing Million.

From the washington fatriot, August So'l
The following letter from q detective
employed to work up the case Of the
steamship Golden Rule, which carried
the Iron box" referred to in the letter
OF the Comptroller Of the Treasury, with
over a million dollars Of notes and
$4,000 in 1905, throws new light on
the subject. The Comptroller pre-
sumed' they were compound interest
notes" but Mr.. Wiegel states empnat-
ically that they were legal tenders,
and nothing else" Betweea the pre-
sumption" on one side, and the positive
contradiction on the other, the public is
left to draw its own conclusion, without
any aid whatever from official sources.
The books OF the Treasury furnish no
information on the subject A million
OF dollars was issued, sent out for clrcu.
lation, and yet there is not record to
show the denominations or numbers OF
the notes, or any means OF tracing them.
How many more millions were issued
in the same reckless manner no human
being can tell.
This is the way in which the public
credit is protected here. Untold mil
lions, representing debt for which the
people are enormously taxed, and trans
ierable like bank notes are sent forth
from the Treasury, without q particle
OF evidence on the books by which
they may be verified in case OF dispute
or forgery. This fact which is admit
ted officially, may we'll excite alarm 10
the public mind in regard to the integ.
rity OF coupon bonds, legal tenders, and
other forms OF notes, which require no
endorsement
BALTMoRE, August 26.-Tbe state
ment OF Mr.. Taylor. OF the United
States Treasury, or OF any one else, that
the iron safe OF the Golden Rule was
ever delivered in Washington TO the
Treasury Department, is a lie.
David W. Gray, Esq, Of the then firm
OF D. W. Gray & Co, OF this city. now
a member Of the old firm OF Fitzgerald,
Booth d Co, is living witness Of the
falseness OF that statement.
The schooner on which that safe was
shipped for delivery 10 the United States
Treasury officers was consigned TO D.
W. GRAY d Co, and the safe was
thrown overheard in a storm by the
crew Of the schooner, it being part Of
the deck load. This same firm had the
collection OF salvage on the 100000 in
seven-thirties which were recovered by
the wreckers, and who had consigned
the safe 10 them. Owing TO some al
legged iniormality. there was much
trouble about the collection OF the
money, and / am not sure that il has
ever been paid.
In reference to the 81 ,00O, 900 being
compound interest notes, that is also
myth. When i went TO the Issuing
Bureau, with q note from Assistant
Secretary Richardson, directing that |
should have access 10 books, papers,
&c, they could tell me nething about
the notes, excepting that they were
numbered in a certain series, and that
was dII- iucg NcIt u0t NoLnPIubu III
terest notes. They were legal tenders,
and nothing else.
Judge Richardson and Mr.. Ben6eld
were very anxious TO search the case
through, and l was even sent out 10
Chicago in July, 1869, to get personal
interview with Mr.. s. N. Felker He
knows as much about the case, and
more than either Mr.. Taylor, Murry,
myself, or any OF those who worked on
the case.
have the letter Of instructions now
In nv possession from Mr.. Reding:ou,
the Chief Clerk Of the Secret Service
Division, in reference to my trip 70
Chicago, az well as letter from the
confidential clerk Of 3. n Felker, 10
Chicago, making an appointment with
me aLFelkers house on Sunday, July
10, 1869, where / saw him and com
pared notes, and got valuable aid and
information.
That $1,000, 900 went into the hands
Of scoundrels, and some Of the officers
OF the Treasury received their percent
age. w. Fl. WIBGEL-