The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1871-01-03

WHAT WAS FOUND IN THE VAULTS OF THE
TREASURY AT WASHINGTON.

|
i A correspondent of the Philadelph
s Press describes sort Of Treasury house
cleaning, in which an immense quantit
/, of property, valuable and otherwise, wa
unearthed from the lowest Treasury vaults
Describing the place, the writer says:
Nine locks are concealed in the solit
door, and each more desperate and secre
than the other. Three men only in th
country understand this wonderful combi
nation, but as it is an established fact thai
no one ever dies or resigns in the Treasury
there need be no fear of a national calami.
ty. United States Treasurer Spinner
Assistant Treasurer Futile, and Cashier
Wyman are the men designated for the
awful duty. The work of uncovering the
mysteries hidden for unnumbered years ia
these dark recesses was undertaken recent
ly, and the first object that saw light was
a box bound with red tape, and bearing
the waxen seal of some long-defunct Secre-
tary of the Treasury.
When opened the box emitted an odor
of dead roses. The first article brought
to light was heavy square bottle, which
contained the ottar of roses. A quantity
of the precious fluid had made its escape,
but quite enough remained to perfume the
city. There was no paper to indicate to
whom this ottar of roses belonged, but
tradition says that some East Indian
prince sent it to Martin Van Buren,, that it
bad once been deposited at the patent
office, and afterward sent to the treasury, in
10 kot I, f+1l e.
the paper wrappiugs contained pearls
These were remarkably fine, on account of
shape, size, and putty of color. Two of
the pearls were the largest the writer has
ever seen. They were oblong in shape,
and must have given color to the fancy of |
"pearls large as pigeon eggs" As there
was no way of counting these Jewels, it was
judged there might have been one hundred
and fifty altogether.
The next article was a small vial con-
tanning diamonds. None of these were
large, but they were very clear and perfect
in shape. 1t seemed as if they must have
once been part of some royal necklace
which had been stolen. As is usually the
case in calamities of this kind, the detec-
,,re' ~, only recovered the smaller stones.
ihere might have been thimbleful of
aiamonds. Thieves avidently had been at
work with the treasure, for the next arti-
'le brought forth was the golden lining of
snuff-box, but the jeweled cover and
ragment snuff were missing. Next came
| gold ornament which had once held to-
,ether pearl necklace The siken string
md tassel attached to it showed its East
indian origin. This, it appears, was the
rtlcle left to show that some President or
fficer of the government had been pre- {
ented with pearl necklace. 1t had been 6
'laced on exhibition somewhere, and
hieves made away with it, but in order
0 secure what was recovered beyond all
hances of future escape, the string and
old fastening were laid in this vault. !
Next from the prolific mine came tin !.
OK, in which was found a sealed paper p
obtaining gems, thirteen small diamonds
the finest water, and four large pearls.
small piece of paper in the box had B
litten upon it this interesting bit of in h
'rmation: "These Jewels had originally m
cen presented to Martin Van Buren, but fe
ad been stolen from case in the Patent te
ffice on the night of November 8, 1s4S." g
hese unfortunate gems convey a most USE Sc Sc
i lesson: If Mistress Van Buren, had :.
orn her jewels, instead of placing them =. :.
here thieves break in and steal away, she a,
ould have set an illustrious example, and til
e country would have been no poorer
an it is to-day.
The contents of the first box disposed of in i,
second disclosed a careful deposit of ia
unterieit dies and coins, with dates of wi
al on the wrappers another package al
esented the spols Of national attorneys tn
On in the cases in which the United In
ates were involved-dated as far back as 'ma "a
SO. The packages in these boxes were as o.,
lmbered regularly, and consisted mainly in
State bonds, government titles, rebel
nds, treasury records, and rubbish of :.
e sort. Package No. s, however, varied 81
I'M this documentary monotony. In it
IRE found the sad relics Of one Edward
ench, defaulting treasury clerk, who
. away in 1859. Ei
Package No. ID contained $780, being "
tes that were stolen from Lieut. James r'Ji pJi
in the battle of Pittsburg sal
nding, and forwarded to the Treasury cer
payment Deposited by Treasurer
,ited States, October 20, 1866. Pack
. No. 15 contained $14 500 in Virginia Is
lte bonds, deposited by Secretary of n' .a
Treasury as captured property from sn' sn'
son formerly acting as an officer of car
late so-called Confederacy. Dated drr
bruary l6, 1867.
Boutwell, has the control and 4
for this hidden treasure, and has
lshington is asking anxiously just now, VIII WI,
What will he do with it 2" m smu