National Republican., 1875-06-04
A Startling Robbery.

Early Wednesday evening the newswas known
10 a few that large amount Of money had been
stolen from the Treasury Department. and later
in the evening the news took definite form and
shape A column concerning It could easily have
been given to eur readers yesterday morning, but,
yielding to the formal request of one of the As
sistant Secretaries and the chief of the secret
service division. publication of the news was re-
Trained from, and this morning number Of facts,
rumors and suspicious are held in reserve solely
in the interests OF the ends Of justice and for the
reason that the guilty parties may be without the
forewaning the publication would give On this
point, suffice it to say, for the Information of the
public, that the strong, sure, and swift resources
OF the Government for the apprehension OF Grim
inals is in complete working order, and that be-
fore noon to-day the important and necessary
arrests Will be made.
AN OUTLINE OF THE ROBBERY
is this The money needed for the redemption OF
national bank notes each day is ascertained in the
morning, and the requisition is sent from the
vaults to the cash-rUom. The amount varies
greatly from day to day, and on the day o: the
robbery it was about $SOO,OOO. After being count
ed in the cash-rOom it is receipted tOr in bulk.
Then the special sums needed for the different
banks is counted out III separate piles, and after
the third counting the money is placed in heavy
pocket envelopes and turned uTcr To the hSt
EeaIer, who counts it again, and, returning the
amount 10 the envelope, puts on the middle seal.
It is then passed to another sealer, who puts a
seal on each end. The packages, as they are thus
sealed are taken to the superscribing clerk, who
performs that duty, and makes up complete
schedule Of all the packages, and this is sent with
them to the officer Of Adams Express Company,
which is directly under the cash-rOom, and the
money goes down on an elevator.
The packages are piled upon the elevator like
a big package or stack OF books. and two clerks
facing each other, always ride down with Il as
4 guard and remain until the packages are
checked of and he receipt given. This has been
tho rule and practice for fourteeR years, and
never, until last Wednesday, did any trouble
ever occur in that quarter That afternoon,
however, package obtaining $47,5Oo, intended
for and addressed TO the National Park bank of
New NOrk city, was missed. The schedule was
examined and The packages checked of three or
four times and. as the truth of the loss became
painfully apparent, Assistant Treasurer Wyman
was informed of The loss and he i'm turn told Ciea
Spinner. who, as soon as he recovered from the
shock, went directly TO Assistant Secretary
CCnsnt and informed him, and the matter was
Immediately placed in The hands of Major Wash
burne, chief Of The secret service division.
\ THOROUGH SEARCH
was at once instituted. and the clerks in the
Treasurer's office, one and all, from high TO Ior,
commencing with the cashier. Mr.. Wymau,
.'peeied" for the ordeal with great unanimity,
while feeling the humiliation naturally attendant
upon such a terrible reflection upon their posi-
tion rs honorable men and faithful servants of
the Government. Gen. Spinner, who feels
earnestly this wound upon the closing davs CT his
official career, says with emphasis, that any
theory about the money being mlslaid or put
away by mistake Is false one; that is a steal
and the thief is an employee OF the cash rom in
his Office
The entire amount for shipment was sent to
the cash-rOom and recOunted. and the package
was still missing. The casn transactions Of the
day we're balanced, and still the deficit stared
the unhappy officials in the face. Every nook
and Granny Of The rooms in which the packages
had been were searched, but without effect and
ii was then settled in the minds of all that the
robbery had been actually committed.
Last evening saw General Spinner for a
Jew moments. lie is very much depressed, and
has hardly slept or tasted ood since " Wednesday
afternoon. He is in consta Mt receipt of kilograms
and letters Of sympathy, and his personal
friends arc not slow in Offering cheering words
1t is proper to say that General Spinner has
been for several days. perhaps weeks impressed
with the idea that some such calamity would
occur. For fourteen years he has been ou; at
sea. in
DEEP WATER AND SMOOTH SAILING, |
A'ON LCallAE ADh tllr Ouu Ol HIS OllClal voyage,
he has been apprehensive Of striking on sore |
hidden rock or shOal and having his happiness
ureched. This idea is borrowed from his 6v, !
language. When in Germany. General Soinno- |
was deeply affected By an accident that bannrned
to soldiers returning from king William - !
ILey !psI euucesEiuIi- wars. |
passed through many |
great battles. and when near their home the car |
cont aiming them was run of the track and eighty |
were killed; and now having but Il few more |
DAYS OF official life General Spinner has thought
Of this again and wondered if he would escape.
Then, again, many OF The employees in his office
have felt though
IN A SINKING SI:IP,
and that hundreds and hundreds OF them must
20 down when len. Spinner leaves the helm and
the new pilot comes in He has felt that the Office
was a good deal demOralized, and he has been
apprehensve on that account. H is no longer a
power; and hence, as natural result lack of
that veneration and esteem on the part OF many,
who ever turn their faces from the setting to the
rising sun. 1t is such thoughts as these that sug
gested to General SpInner's mind the idea that
some great wrong might take place, and now his
THE GENERALS LIFE,
suggested to him last night the hope that the
thiel might voluntarily return him the stolen
money. 1t is this: One fall when coming to attend
a session Of Congress he was requested in New
y NOrk, by Augustu Scbell, TO take charge of a
lady friend of his also coming to Washington.
When changing cars at Baltimore q thief got
between himself and his charge, and another one
pushed closely up beside him. As soon he
sat down he missed his wallet. Horace Maynard,
who happened To- be in the same car, was ap-
prised Of the fact by the General, and :he two
walked forward toward the stair, where the
General thought the thieves were sitting.
In the presence OF Mr.. Maynard he charged
them with picking his pocket, and Immediately
one Of them jumped up and ran toward the rear
OF the car. but before the General could catch
him lie jumped from the platform, and in the con-
fusion the other one jumped off the front plat
form. On arriving at his hotel here the General
hung up his overcoat with others and in the
morning he discovered his wallet in an outside
pocket, SAFE and sound-the thieves, in escaping,
having replaced it there. And SO good fortune
may attend him il this way again.
NO LOSS RESULTS
TO the National Park bank on account Of this
robbery, and the full amount of $1,000 was ex-
pressed TO them yesterday. The Government
loses nothing by it. if the package has been de.
stroyed and prsof Of such destruction be
given, and the final loss, if it must be sustained,
will fall on Gen. Spinner.
The experience Of the General has lead him to
believe it bad policy on the part Of the Govern
ment to issue a bill twice above the denOmina-
ton Of 20. While a 500 bill is worth no more
intrnsicaIly than 81 note, and costs no more to
make it. yet IT is much harder for clerks, &c. to
bring their mind TO its destruction than in the
case Of a 81 note.
Then again, person finds It much harder to
resist the temptation TO steal 500 ROtc than i've
hundred 81 notes. These are some OF the reasons
why the General would take the course suggested
Painful as this affair is TO General Spinner, it
cannot iDJure him in any form permanently and
not for a second in the good opinion Of his cOun-
trymen.
RAILROAD ACCIDENT.
Narrow Eseape Of PASSENGERS