The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1873-01-14
PRINTING s5,O00,0o0.


1t was In ls8l-soon after the cotton States
troops began their Influx to Vrginla-a treas
ury depa: tment was established at Richmond.
At that time the currency outside Of gold and
silver consisted of State and stock banks,
which was found insufficient to supply the de-
mand of the accommodating armies of nearly
four hundred thousand men. Richmond be-
ing the headquarters Of the rising Confede-
racy, 1t was selected as the most suitable place
for the issuance of the national currency.
In the treasury department there was en-
ployed man by the name Of Eam, oom-
positor. He was shrewd and tricky fellow,
the great opportunity he had Of becoming
millionaire he determined to strike of large
amount of this money. No precautionary
measures were taken In regard to this estab.
lishment, as all seemed to be- engrossed In the
furtherlng of Southern independence. But
while Elam was patriotic 10 the canse he had
an eye also to business. 30 one night he con-
cluded that the opportune moment was at
hand for carrying out his design. Walking
along the street, be accosled man who went
by The name OF Napoleon" divulging the
object In view, aud of ring an eqnal partner
ship In the great scheme he had coDcocled.
His assistant was foreigner, native oil
Poland aud was nicknamed Napoleon" from
facial resemblance to the picture oil The
never was period In either ancient or modern
times that offered like occasion for the pos-
session OF such wondrous wealth considering
the slight risk to run and the small amount OF
labor performed In its achievement. Not even
Sinbad the sailor, In his most successful Eoy-
ayes, ever met with such thrilling adventures
as fell to the lot OF these two men. Betws en-
nine and ten o'clock they entered the treasury
building by back window, and taking the
.cuts, from the denomination OF FIVE dollars
n be ene ersss aaf fa8u I've 'foaAe
dollars. The bonds were printed on kind of
thick white paper, with no Impression on-sae
hack of the bIlls. There was no more difficulty
| In printing them than there would have been
In printing common business card. After
dividing the funds, and washing the "cuts" and
| placing them In their proper places, they LETT
the house as they had entered II, gong 10 tnelr
respective abodes In the highest eXhilaration,
| for at that lime Confederate bonds were equl.
yalent TO gold and silver, and 10 some Of the
cotton States commanded premium. The
| issue was then being signed by young ladies',
and there were more than hundred 30 en-
! ployed. Elan had lady acquaintance or
| TWO Ia this department, and by lhls means ne
\ had his own aud his partners bonds signed.
| After remaining few days be and one OF the
younr ladies went en- visit TO Lynchburg,
| little dreaming of the denouement which was
| 40 shortly to follow. Napoleon" feeling
| richer than his namesake, took one of the
young ladies to a jewelry store and bought
her an outfit Of Jswelry, rendering a hundred,
dollar bill In payment, for which he received
In change about Sixty dollars, mostly 10 eola
and silver. Next door he purchased In dry
goods house silk dress and other articles,
and here rendered another hundred-dollar
hill. Late that evening the two merchants
| happened to come out on the pavement at
the same time, and one spoke 10 the other
In relation to business affairs. The )eWelry
merchant said times were flush. ana tnaC ne
had received hundred dollar bill oil the new
| currency. The dry goods merchant said ne,
/ Ton. had taken 10 one Of the same denomina-
tion. After short psrley, describing the
party that,had passed the bille, the dry goods
| merchant tslt convinced that something was
wrong. He took the bills to the treasury,
and submitted them to the scrutlny OF tne
superintendent, who pronounced them gen
uine. But here must mention the lact tnat
| ON The morning after the printing OF these
bonds the paper on which they we're printed
was missed by the superintendent, and no.
tics appeared In the papers stating that tne
material was mlssing;Dut there seemed 10 Do
! no suspicion that the money had been issued.
| The fact that Elan had 30 unceremoniously
| left his employment, taken IN connectlon Win
other developing circumstances, aroused SUE
| pIcion, Detectives were employed II possible
TO bring the guilty to punishment. After
using ali the facts communicated TO tnem ID
| furLneriny their object they decided TO make
| a holder move, and arrested the so-oalled ma
noleon.n He seemed overcome with tremor
as the detectives and police approached hlm.
Having MANY facts of his guilt 10 their posses
sion l6ey accused him Of the crime. Trem.
Ming, he made full confession, eliminating
Sis FARMER. aud giving all the facts In detail.
DC was lhen incsrcerated, and dispatch sent
- I'ynchbnrq for the arrest of E!am, who was
found in all the enjoyment that wealth could
hea.ow After the arrest of Elan aud his fair
comnsnIon they were hurriedly taken to Rich
mond, but he alone was imprisoned. Ho
prosecution was brought against tne TWO
Young ladies', as all seemed aatlsnea ID get.
ling hold of the principals. OF the vast amount
of bonds thew printed out small sum tell lnto
| the hands Of the authorities. Only aoont sixty
dollars was found upon the persons OF Eiam
and Lbe young lady who accompanied nim.
s.Napoleon" suspected before his arrest tnas
be was spotted ss one Of tho fraudulent Dond
nrinters. and either secreted or destroyed MS
| port,,,, of this Immense Issue, as 1t was never
rrscovered. Alter q short imprisonment the
reiatIves and friends of Elan effected plan
for hIs escape. By means unknown tu the
nnblic he disappeared from the prison, maoe
his escape norlhward, and tor years alter-
wards his whereabouts were unknoWn. But
Moor "Napoleon," after brief trial, suffered
on the galloWs.
Il