The New York herald., 1872-09-20
bureau Of which Johnson was the head what was


was to receive his reports, look them over and APP
prove them. He, OF course, on his part, could make
false reports, and II would be no hard matter for
him TO steal for time in this way (At this mo-
ment clerk entered and presented some papers
for the Sub-Treasurer to sign. General Hillhouse
took UP ms pen and rapidly drew his name over
them.l Now, there's an instance. cannot. the
mass OF papers which come to me every day, look
through al OF them 1 must trust some what to
THE HONESTY OF TIE CLERKS.
II they are resolved to steal they win steal In
spite Of any man: ,, We employ usual precautions
the kind. What more can we dor Johnson was
the last man In the ofilce should have thought
guilty OF this. He served under several admins
ratons here, and always gave satisfaction, so that
he was promoted from one post to another until he
got that In which he has failed to keep up his good
record. 1900 -. .
The HERALD reporter retired and for some time
searched frnitlessy for Detective sampson, the
the sub-Treasury from being robbed. AT length he
was found and asked what he knew about the case.
WHAT DETECTIVE SAMPSON DBLIEvEs.
Detective SAMPsoN-KnoW Johnson l guess
brother. THAT'S ali. wv We've " come in daily contact
RnroRsas-Then tell me what is Johnson's
back balanced himself on his feet little, pursed
"Let me see" he said. "vandyks~you remember
II: H. vandykem was here nom 1894 to 1868, as AS:
,m%y that's wss sons aas ns %s ap
gSn'ee gSn Know mm, Has in Was s nice 's tnS yell II
on his face and Joke on his lips, and he was very
popular round here. He made friends and was pro-
$780, until little by little he to the head OF the
Stamp Department, and then he got 81, ,S00 Jimmy
was was Certainly % the last man should have thoasns
would have been guilty OF such crime as this It's
al an lies about the e. papers saying that Jimmy kept
Ing OF the kind, but lived very quietly. He was
l. NEVER FAST n1
| REPoRTER-Give me an idea as to what his duties
| were. H m lTo l-iAI .t4 ..s.ir
Department is queer GepariHent Sr for ito only , has
one man In It, He's all alone and has no men un.
der MIN, and yet It's made department Of by ITSELF
sible to the cashier, Mr.. White, and to the Sub
Treasurer. Well he has charge Of oil the internal
and he ls accountable for them to his superlors.
RspoaTEaIwhat RIIsI is your opinion OF his guilt
Detective LAMPsON-Wen, don't know, you
know, ana wouldn't like to do Jimmy any wrong;
but II you ask me for my opinion, guess lwouldn't
then don't think there's any real proof against
| him. Appearances don't look right, and therefore
say think 81 hes guilty but couldn't say it with
REpoIrER-When did you see him last'
Detective LAMPsoN-Right up TO the day he left
| ON HIS VACATION.
saw him leave on that day and 70 on. He looked
strange when did not see him coming back at the
right time and the next thing heard Of this deal-
| REPoRrER--You say he has friends in the oflce.
| Would they help him through, DO you thinkP That
is, they might know OF what was going on here ana
| Detective SAMPsoN-well, friendship goes good
way; but hardly think that the men here would
offer any direct help to q fugitive from justice-a
man who has committed such a crime as this. l
suppose they might be willing to close their mouths
about telling where he was II they knew but don't
THEY WOULD DIRECTLY AID HIM
IN any way. There's difference between these
REPORTEB-Do you think he has any confeder.
Detective sAMpsoN-rhat know nothing about.
We haven't been able to discover any yet, anyhow.
REPoRrER-How about catching himf Do you
Detective SAMPsoN-I think can say with some
certainty that WILL II my plans and surmises are
correct, and have every reason to think they are,
as there ls no clew to the man. He was o quiet
liver and made no Stir In the world but had many
such circumstances, yet have no doubt shall
REPoRTER-If he was such a quiet liver as you
| say he could not very well have spent the money
| he is said to have stolen.
| Detective LAMpsoN-That's what hope trust
myself where he could have spent oil the money he
| This ended the interview with Detective Lamp.
son, who seemed to have stated about all he knew
THE STORY OF JoHNsoN's SUCCESSOR
The HERALD reporter then proceeded to the once
where Johnson had been emoysd IS up stairs
towards Wall street it Is little ofice, but pas,
sage communicates from 1t with front room of the
same character. Here 1t was that Johnson worked
and here 1t was that he accomplished his
wonderful to.w de Jorce. The position
which Johnson occupied had been given to young
man with a light mustache, named w. p. Colgate.
He looks Intelligent and smart and has good
chance Of keeping the Office for good which he oc-
cupled at first only dd interim. lie evidently felt
his increased Importance and seemed to take great
| pleasure In 1t. Still he seemed very gOod-natured
| young man and certainly not the one who is his
a nj
The HERALD reporter asked Nj. Colgate whether
he knew anything OF the case OF Johnson. Mr..
| HE KNEW NOTHING At ALL
about It, but that if the HERALD reporter would go
he could probably learn something. This young
man evidently thought the reporter had gone to
'Do you know,n asked the HERALD reporter,
"how these discrepancies In Johnsons accounts
Mr.. CoLGATE-Myself and the examiner found
REroErEs-You, Of course, took charge of John,
he not afraid to 60 II his robberes could be so
easily discoveredY Uo9
| Mr.. CoLGATE-0h, but the books were 30 made up
that you couldn't tell anything from them. r
THE BOOKS LOOKED STRAIGHT
a a an ae e mat a o.
REroRrER-fhes, what was it drew your atten.
MI. COLGATE-The fact that he remained past his
time. II he had come back when his two weeks
the fact that he stayed over his time made us sus.
picOus and q critical examination was made OF the
books. Even this revealed nothing ana 1t was only
by the utmost research that anything could be
found against him. tI
REPoRrER-HOw much moneys worth in stamps
used Mr.. Johnson to have In his possession at one
timer
Mr.. CoLGATE-Oh, quite a large amount; about
f400, 900 -four hundred thousand dOlars) worth. It
Is necessary, you see. to keep SO large an amount
because very often, as long as the old law is In
force, we sell from $25.000 to $4,000 worth In one
day. r
REpoRrER-It would be no very difficult matter,
then to steal even so large sum as $4,000 worth
OF stamps without being discOveredY
Mr.. COLGATE-No; 1t would not be o difficult
matter. -
THE MAIN DIFFICULTY
would be In disposing of them. But l should think
it would be difficult to keep the robbery secret for
any length OF time. II could easily be discovered
after while. But Johnson didn't wait for that.