Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1871-01-11
NATIONAL TREASURE TROvE.
Secrets OF the United states Treas.
ury Vaults.

ury Vaults.
The Washington correspondent Of the
Philadelphia Press furnishes the follow
ing items:
From time to time fabulous stories
have been afoat in Washington concern
ing the secrets. of the United States
Treasury vaults. 1t has been whispered
by several snowy-locked clerks, who have
been noted for centuries for the strictest
veracity that hidden away in the dust
and darkness of a certain vault might be
found jewels that would vie WITH or pos
sibly eclipse, those found iu the dia-
mond cave by "Sinbad the Sailor.
Nine locks are concealed in the solid
door, and each more desperate and Sc
cret thah the other. Three men only in
the county understand this wonderful
combination, but as it is an established
fact that no one ever dies or resigns in
the Treasury, there need be no fear of a
national calamity. United States Treas
urer Spinner, Assistant Treasurer Tut
tie and Cashier Wyman are the men de-
signated for the awful duty.
Treasurer Spinner says: There is
nothing in my department that | m not
willing the people should know all about,
unless it is something under seal turned
over tc me for safe keeping by the War
Department. Some Things are here sub
ject to an order of the Secretary of War.
j don't know myself what is in the vault.
think the Secretary had better send
some one, and with others Of this office,
thorough understanding can be had,
and the authorities will know what is
best TO do in the matter.
One gloomy afternoon the work of in
vestigation began. The first object that
saw the light of day was box as elfsh
as the one dragged from the sea by the
| fisherman, but instead of being made of
copper and fastened with the seal of the
great Solomon, it was bound with red
tape and bore the waxen seal of some
deceased Secretary of the Treasury,
When opened, it emitted an odor of dead
roses. The FIRST article lifted from the
box was heavy, square bottle, which con-
tanned altar of roses A considerable
quantity of the precious fluid had made
its escape, but quite enough remained to
perfume the city, if this shall be consid
cred necessary after the carnival has
passed away. There was no paper to
indicate to whom the altar of roses be-
longed, but tradition says that some
East Indian prince sent it to Martin Van
Buren; that it had once been deposited
at the Patent Office, and afterward sent
to the Treasury, in the year, 1913. The
next bottle lifted from the paper wrap
pings contained pearls. These were re-
markably fine on account of shape, size,
and purity of color. Two of the pearls
we're the largest the writer has ever
seen. They were oblong in shape, and
these two 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 l50 altogether. The next article
was smaller vial containing 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
detectives only recover the smallest
stones. There might have been Thin
bleful of diamonds. Thieves evidently
had been at work with the treasure, for
the next article brought forth was the
golden lining Of a snuff-box, bnt the jew
eled cover and fragrant snuff were miss
ing. Next came gold ornament which
had once held together pearl necklace.
The silken string or tassel attached to it
showed its East Indian origin. This, it
appears, was the article left to show that
some President or officer of the govern
ment had been presented with a pearl
necklace. 1t had been placed on exhi-
bition somewhere, and thieves made way
with il; but in order to secure what was
recovered, beyond all chances of future
escape, the string and gold fastening
we're laid in this vault
The next article brought forth was
tin box. There was no way to ascertain
whether the box was originally intended
for pills or matches There was every
reason to believe that the original Pan
dora box had been found. But on open
ing it there was discovered a sealed paper
containing gems, thirteen small diamonds
of the finest water and four large pearls.
A small piece of paper in the box had
written upon it this interesting bit of in
formation: "These jewels had originally
been presented to Martin Van Buren, but
had beer stolen from case in the Patent
Office on the night of Nov. 8, ls4S.
The second box opened contained
counterfeit coins and dies. These had
been deposited by NJ G. Young, Esq,
and they had been received from agents
employed TO detect counterfeiters. These
bore the date of May 10, lS47- These
relics were interesting to show how far
in advance of their forefathers are the
counterfeiters of to-day. Counterfeit
greenbacks are made so perfect that it
takes adopts employed purposely for the
business to detect them, and they have
TO perform their work by the aid of the
microscope. These counterfeit gold and
silver coins could not deceive an infant
of this generation.
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