The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1873-01-17

| 10 AEs Auou VI SluCIHudLly IOE
Sl12,500. Five other boats are to be
built and ST. Louis aspiIes to have
the construction of them. OIL.
A. True Story of the Late Confederaey.
The story am going to relate
| occurred Ill 1861. 1t owes its orr
gin to the great war that then took
place, and, like many other inter
esting episodes, mas never been
published. The facts were learn
ed several years ago, narrated by
persons then .eslding in Rich
mond, and, although in some mi
nor details there may be slight in
accuracies, in the main the story
is true.
Shortly after the Cotton States
troops commenced their influx to
Virginia, a treasury department
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 demand
of the accommodating armies of
nearly 100000 men. Richmond
being the headquarters of the ris-
ing Confederacy, it was selected
by the leading men of the rebel
lion as the most suitable place for
the issuance of their national cur
rency.
In the Treasury Department
there was employed q man by the
name of Elam, compositor. He
was shrewd and tricky fellow, as
the sequel will prove.
After rejecting on the great OPP
portunity he had of becoming a
millionaire, he determined to
strike off large amount of this
money. No precautionary meas
ures were taken in regard to this
establishment, as all seemed to be
engrossed in the furtherlng of
Southern independence. But
while Elan was patriotic in the
cause, he had an eye also to bus
mess. So one night he concluded
that the opportune moment was at
hand for carrying out his design.
Walking along the street, he met
and accosted n man who went by
the name of Napoleon" divulged
the object in view, and offering an
equal copartnership in the great
scheme he had concocted. His
assistant was Foreigner na-
tive of Poland-and was nick
named Napoleon" from a facial
resemblance to the picture of the
then Emperor of. the French.
Perhaps there never was q peri
3D.. in either ancient or modern
times, that offered like occasion
for the possession of such won
drous 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
voyages, ever met with such thrill
ing adventures as fell to the lot of
these two men.
Between 8 and 10 o'clock, they
entered the Treasury building by
4 back window, and taking the
cuts from the denomination of
So up TO 81, 1000 they placed them
on the press and printed off S.,
100000. The bonds were printed
on a thick, white paper, with no
impression on the back of the
bills. There was no difficulty in
printing n common business card.
After dividing the funds and wash
ing the "cuts," and placing them
in their proper places, they left
the house in the manner they en-
tered it, going to their respective
abodes, no doubt, in the highest
glee of exhilaration, for at that
time confederate bonds were
equivalent to gold and silver, and
in some of the cotton States com
manded premium.
The issue was then being sign
ed by young ladies, and there was
more than O hundred SO employed
Elan had a lady acquaintance OF
two in this department, and by
this means he had his own
and his partners bonds sign.
ed. After remaining a few days
he and one of the young ladies
went on visit to Lynchburg, lit.
tie dreaming of the announcement
which was so shortly to follow.
Napoleon" feeling richer than
his namesake, took one of the la
dies to a jewelry store and bought
her an outfit of jewelry, rendering
800 bill in payment, for which
he received in change about $50
mostly in gold and siluer Next
door he. purchased, in u dry goods
house. q silk dress and other ar
ticles, and here rendered another
500 bill. Late that evening ths
; two merchants happened to come
ont on the pavement at the same
time, and one spoke to the othel
, in relation to business affairs. Thu
: jewelry merchant said times were
printed was missed by the superin
tendent. and a notice appeared in
the papers stating that this materia
was missing, but there seemed to b
: no suspicion that money had beer
issued. go.
The fact that Elan had so uncere.
a moniously left his employment
taken in connection with other de
VelopIng circumstances, caused fhG
authorities to- be on the altrt. De
! tecIiyes wele employed to ferret on
I this matter. and If possible to brin.
J the guilty parties TO punishment
2 After using all the facts commnica
ted to them in furthering their OBJ
!. ject, they decided to make G .boIde
y move, and arrest the so.clalled ssNa
( poleon.D he appeared to be over
como with tremor as the detective
: and police approached him. Hsvin,
many facts of his guilt in. their pos
9 session, they at once ACCUSED him o
d the crime. Agast aud trembiinK,h
# made . ftIIl confession, criminatipI
d his partner and giving all the fact
q in detail. He was then incarearatel
o and g dispatch sent to LyuchburI
o for the arrest Elan, who was fiona.
q al the esjoyment that Wealk