Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1875-08-10

let us take drink" l was somewhat SIR
prised, and said did not know him He said
:, , at your name Halleck?n 1 replied that
IL was, when he continued, Are you not
me man who seals up packages of money in
The cashroom of the Trea surv department9y
I replied Yes, AID asked him his name
He said,
&C. GATES IS MY NAME,
90 not remember whether or not he gave
me MS first name in full. We commenced
taking about the Treasury. when he again
said: "lets take drink" The stranger ra-
marked, Suppose can tell you who took
Ihat money" thought he suspected me or
desired me to say something to draw me ont
and made no reply. He kept on talking, and
nnsIly drew me one side and in a confiien-
tlal way said, Suppose this PACKAGE conId
he found and there be no SUSPICION rest ON
The person who turned il up, and Won wee
The one, would you be willing to stand in
and divide?" ! Thought at once thar If 7
could get any points from this man which |
could give the department would do so, and
az once answered, 81 viii stand in He
stepped further away to the rear and said
NOW mean business and 10 show Won tina I
DO, III show you something" We Were
then standing in front of some barrels and
he mOtlOned me one side and said,
GILL SHOW YOU ONE OF THE NOTES.
He took me to the water closet of Welcker
d Haggerty's saloon, and as we stood with
our backs towards the steps he pointed up
over the door OF the closet, and looking up
in that direction, | saw what appeared TO be
a little Wad OF paper crushed up and pushed
over the door casing. 1t looked like an or
binary piece of paper, and ne remarked
:. that is ore of the notes" ! did not touch
The package, as was afraid some one might
he watching or come in; so we walked out TO
the front door together, and / made an an
pointment TO meet him at the same time aud
place the next day, and We separated.
returned at once 10 my Office considerably
excited at what had occurred, bat said moth
ing to any one about il. not having exam
ined the note. The next day met him al
the appointed time; il was about half-paSt
one O'Clock. l went TO get my lunch as
usual, and found Gates there, and he told me
that he
WOULD SHOW NE WHERE THE PACKAGE
After some conversation he walked over
with me to the Treasury building and into
the mems water closet on the east side and
we both entered the third closet from the
window from 18th street. Here ne told me
that II would put my hand down under
meath would feel pa ckage with a rubber
strap around IT. / was very much excited as
lhought some one IN ght he watching us
brt | did as directed and felt a package
which seemed 10 be resting on the coping or
recess inside the closet and il fell like a
package OF money. / did not raise il up
INN King there might be some kind OF trick
In H. We cane out of the closet and both
walked Gown towards tire south end of the
hall. He asked me If ] was satisfied that il
was package Of money and replied that l
thought IL was.
REMARKABLY THIN THIS IS.
MY thought was 10 make a report OF the
case, and the reason that did not was the
iact that public opinion was very strong
against the clerks and employees of the Trea-
sury. and | thought ] would be suspected
and arrested. Before we parted Gates said
ma Heck, how shall we arrange this matter
what snail we dO?" | replied. you are a
stran ger here, and you had better 90 and get
the package yourself, and then we can ar
range about getting il changed and divide
IT," be as ked me if could get the money
changed In my office. l told him did not
mink l could. although ! was constantly
handling money, and i might be watched
he insisted that / must take the package
out myself, but ] told him that could NOT
DO IT. as he was the proper one 10 do that.
we came 10 no conclusion as to VINO should
carry IL out, and left him.
a BAD MEMORY FOR DATES AND THINGS.
ON the day fOllOwing-I think il was. 7
don't pretend to remember dates as I never
could've had another meeting, and il wa.
cnieily ahout who should take the packag-
out, and he finally consented TO do so. He
says: ould IL not be good plan for Won
10 take this out and give il to a third marty
when division could be made all around,
The hlrd man 10 assist in getting il
changed" thought moment and repiied:
mink u Will be good plan" He said:
= on ma your man and let it be one we can
rely on said: ''If | find such a man 7
cont want you To know him as two are
enough 10 be known together in any transac-
tion." He agreed with me on this. and that
ne fHy, w9 6a 'ake the money out; fixing upon
ana went TO my Office after about half an
nours conversation. l kept thinking over
the matter all the time, not knowing what
10 40 Wnetner TO Keep my own counsel or
INFORM the department.
AN UNREASONABLE FRIEND.
After dinner that day l took a stroll up the
Avenue towards the Treasury, and on the
Avenue opposite the reservation, near Miller
q Jones, l met a friend, whose name IL is
not necessary To mention, and after the
usual salutation we walked on up the Ave
nue. together and passed the east front OF the
treasury, my object being TO see if anv
watch was kept on the closets at night. I
saw mat The hight was dim, and concluded
that no watch was kept there. We walked
on as far as the Presidents house and pro-
posed To return. We did so, and came down
10 Ottman's saloon together and went in
we walked 10 the bar and found Billy OFT
man behind il, and after some pleasant
remarks asked my friend TO take a drink
Some one in the room asked, 'How about
that forty thousand dollars Gilman re-
marked that if he had the chance to stand in
WIN The man who took it he would do il and
lake the - goo, and the other party might
take the other part. The thought instantly
flashed through my mind that
BILLY oTTMAS WAS HIS MAN
Tor the third party, and after LEFT thought
Low could approach him to make him my
confdant. We left the saloon, and nv friend
walked a. far with me toward my home a.
Ohio avenue, and separated. / Went directly
nome and thought the matter over as | Law
awake. The next evening ] went and saw
Gilman, and said, "Ottman. supposing YOU
could have that money TO handle, could YOU
handle IL and keep it?" He replied, Just
Try me and you'll ind me true blue" [ told
nm, was sincere about it, and TO prove il 7
would go and produce one Of ne notes IN half
IN hour. He sad. "fil wait" / told him
about Gates at the same time. / at once
went up toWelcker II Haggerty S where had
been shown this note, and went into the
closet, first opening green door leading to
lie rear room, where l saw party playing
cards. / recognized one of the men, but my
object was TO see If there were any detectives
there. then went TO the closet, and, STEP
ping upon the seat,
PUT MY HAND UP IN THE DARK
% the place where the note was concealed
70 get 1t, but could not get it out as the
weight Of the door pressed too hard. 1 then
tried with my knife to get il out by cutting
around IL, and found could not remove il
That way but would have to lift up the door
)f the closet to get the note. / was in a sort
d hx. Finally, after considerable effort,
lifted the top of the closet and pulled the
note out In a crumpl ed state and keeping il
IN my hand left the saloon and returned to
Ottman's, stopping at a window when near
there to examine If 1t was really one of the
notes Il saw a cOrnar n and fOupd fhat ~