The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1875-08-26
THE TREASURY ROBBERS.
HaIIeck, Gilman, and "Pegleg" Brown
some Interesting Facts About Them.

outline of the case to this date. The !
loss was incurred early in June and |
amounted to S47 900 and little over.
No trace was found that led TO it until
last week a dispatch was sent by al
Washington gambler to Detective Mil
Ter. of the Washington force, that
ssPegleg' Brown, harmless, one
legged dttache of gambling houses, was
at Saratoga spending $500 bills in Paris
mutual pools at the horse races. This
was looked upon by the gambler as both
bic and suspicious business in that line.
After some parley Detective Miller went
there and brought Mr.. Brown back.
He expressed his willingness to testify
TO every thing concerning the matter
known or suspected by him. The de
tectives found that Brown had got the
money from MIR. William Gilman, a
gvmnast and "splendid fellow" not a
gambler, but the proprietor of restau-
rant. He is one of the champion four
rowers in the boat club here, and his
intimates are men who move in the best
society of Washington, Georgetown and
Alexandria. The detectives found that
Ottman was the leader in the whole af-
fair, that he had inspired young Hal
leck, a clerk in the Treasury, to COM
nit the robbery, and had swindled Hal
Ieck from the beginning to the end of
it.
Halleck, the clerk, nearly killed Gen
eral Spinner by his dishonesty. Gen
eral Spinner took him up out of the re-
spect he had for Halleck's father, who
was minister at Mohawk Village, and
was burned to death in railroad ear,
standing up transfixed in the fire, where
human eve could plainly see but human
aid could not reach. Although thirty
two wears old, Halleck is attenuated,
and weighs but 120 pounds. He has a
very slight moustache, and has no warm
features to his disposition. He is the
worst scared boy in town now, and may
by force of circumstances be at least
induced to tell the truth. He has told
dozen deliberate and different high
strung stories in this matter, but they
are palpably thin. lie has, however
confessed to the detectives that he stole
the money and gave it to Gilman; that
he got ONLY 1920 of it, and that if OFT
man had divided squarely, as he prom
ised, the truth would never have come
out. He says the last feather that broke
the camel's back was the action OF OFT
man in taking the third man into the
secret-Mr. ''Pegleg" Brown.
General Spinner tells me that he Is
convinced now of the guilt of Gilman IN
four cases of theft from his office. lie
saws Seth johnson, who stole $50, 900 l.,
was an intimate friend of Gilman, and
that he often went behind the bar, help
ed himself from the mOney-drawer, did
not conceal the act from the bartender
or any one else, and that he did not
count the money as he put 1t III ms
pocket. and was never stopped even 10y
Gilman when present. This has only
been known to Spinner within week
General Spinner says he believes tha'
Gilman was the FFagin" for the four
johnson, Marden, Edwins, and Hal
Ieck: that he put them up to the thefts
and that, he says, Is the reason they are
Selling all of Ottman'S property, fol
they hope to recover enough to REIN
burse the Government not only for the
S47 900. but the $50, 900 stolen by John
son. He saws he took Johnson, Ed
wins, and Marden aside frequently, anC
they answered always that they lost th'
money in speculations. But they neyel
would specify 4 single item of Specula
ton. He SAYS he has now greater re
spect for the first three thieves than To-
| Halleck, because Halleck acted the
baby; that the statement of Halleck tina
he was goaded to desperation because
he was not promoted accordining to HI
merits is false; that the last time he wa
promoted it was done by making his eX
animation failure below the minimum
of sixty appear to count sixty and two
tenths. General Spinner did that be
cause he had the old lingering sympa
thy for the boys father, and he ha(
been married and needed more saIar,
than he was receiving.
The case as admitted stands about a
follows:
Gilman appears to have instigate'
the robbery, taken the money, anC
promised to divide. He paid Hallecl
1920 and promised to turn the restauran
over to him, but Il few days ago move'
the carpets and furniture out OF tn,
place. and then, before he was dis
covered. bought Il restaurant IN Brook
Nn and made an assignment OF IN
restaurant here to his bartender. Thu
he proposed to snap his fingers in Hal
Icck's face. and oyerdid the thing. lie
deposited 81 300 of the $500 notes Il
an Alexandria bank, and the detective
have secured it. They also secured
about $40 900 worth of other prpert.
and will ret more, thus securing thu
Government in this and insuring NOR
money for the payment of the none,
stolen by johnson.
1t appears that Halleck stole TIT
money and gave it to Gilman. lie l
entitled to pity for being so weak
minded and punishment for being Sc
foolish as he has been all through tn
case. He should have ten years in tn
penitentiarv for ungratefulneSs, ST
months for robbery, and twenty year
for his idiocy.
s'Pegleg'' Brown is type of the late
at-night, handsome, and well-dresse'
men YOU meet on Broadway. He /
well known here as the gamblers com
mission merchant, or 'stOOl-pigeOn.
| lie Will tell YOU Ine Ddutlc H0 loSO HIS Io
in, and how his wooden lie:
fits, and sometimes the gambler
give him money to treat ttranger
with. He is a ''nice fellow +
meet at night, and many a cOuntr
gentleman has borrowed money to pa
his board bill after a ramble with ''Peg
Ieg'' Brown. He was formerly cleri
in the War Department, but was no
popular with his superiors because h
proved, though weak, a bad man
= He has lost caste even with the gam
= blers "because he gave Billy Ottma1
away"
These three men. are as well dresse'
as any body, and Gilman was looke'
upon as above his business and too gOO'
for it. Halleck had admission to an
society. Brown is well known AM
rather pitied than despised. He ha
little genuine politeness, but plenty o
slang, and is a pleasant gamblers com
Epanion. This city is so small that yo
soon get to know every body, and me-
over twenty-one years of age soon reacI
their level. None of these prisoner
could get bail for So 600 tomorrow
though Gilman was offered $40 90