The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1875-06-09
The LIE Nard Letters.
The Robbery Of the q. 8, Treasury.


All news of minor Importance is swal- |
lowed up just now in the tantalizing, excit-
ing topic of the Treasury robbery; and as
probably know as much of the matter as
anyone-always excepting the thief or
thieves-I must, OF course, give you my
version of the affair. The regular readers
of THE ARGUS will remember, perhaps, an
article Of mine, descriptive Of the Treasury
department, which appeared more than a
year ago, and stated fully all particulars OF
importance connected with it. Among
other items l mentioned the beautiful mar
Bile Cashroom with its elegant mirrors,
desks and piles Of money. Well, this room
or at least small one east OF 1t, ana
directly belonging to it-was the scene OF the
theft; for here all packages OF money; deS-
tined for shipment to banks or individuals
are made ready for transfer to the Adams
Express Co.; and from this room these
same packages are taken, per elevator to
the Office Of the Express Go. directly below
it.
It so happens that my desk is directly
opposite the elevator, in room facing the
Express Office; and as there is window
directly back of the elevator, of course,
every person and thing passing up or down
in it is thrown into bold relief, and plainly
visible to the most casual glance OF mine
AS the same clerks always descended.
day after day, with their cOnsignments OF
money, it was only natural that we
opposite should learn to look upon their
coming as sort of event; and many a
quiet Joke have we had at their expense,
on account of popularity of appearance.
department etc. Well, on the Sd inst.
noticed that shortly after the checking
off" of the packages had begun, there was
lull, and then a sort of suppressed ex-
element. The Chief Of the Secret Ser
vice came, looked wise and left again; and
that was all we knew about the matter.
Next morning we found, though, that all
these signs meant business of the worst
kind; that all the Cashroom employees
had been searched before going home on
the day before; and that those in charge
OF that particular branch of the routine
had remained all night at the fruitless at
tempt to find the missing ninety-tive five
hundred dollar bills; for, that it could be
stolen no one had seemed willing to be-
lieve,
Well poor, perplexed, worried Gen.
Spinner looked haggard and worn to that
extent that none dared ask him question
on the all-absorbing topic; the clerks lying
under cloud of suspicion looked unnatur-
ally glum and preoccupied; strangers
came, and stared with sort of reveren
tial awe at the elevator; detectives came
buttonholed some one and then went of
again; ladies stood around in knots, here
and there, looking white and scared, anC
all the while the thief had probably put
his snug little SAT, 500, where it would
keep, and do most good
No one can feel more sorrow that thi!
should have happened just now-as kline
of farewell blow to the poor old man whC
only on that morning had been so happy
in the thought that he left all hi
accounts in such perfect condition
l say,no one can regret all this more deep
ly than l do, yet, the theories called int
being by this, our efficient corps of de
tectives," the utterly absurd ideas aired b,
them, and the wildly helpless manner il
which they drift around for some straw t
lay hold upon, is highly ludicrous, and fur
nishes a comic background for the sad al
fair, which anyone not totally void of pei
ceptiOn must appreciate.
They say, for instance, that the circle o
the suspected has narrowed down to fou
the two clerks accompanying the money
and the two appointed to receive it into tn
Express Office. Now, the idea of eithe
of these, who would of course, be suspect
ed at once, as having most to do with it,
sublimely absurd; especially when it
remembered that we opposite can watc
every gesture aud movement. No, | thin
that if they would only ascertain who o
that day took especial pains to keep ava
from the money, they would then be o
the true trail and perhaps recover it, NJ
hopes ale not sanguine though in that
rection, have fashion of Judging tn
future by the past, and just as the loss {
the $4,000 was never recovered, so vii
that of these $47, 500 remain shrouded i
mystery. LENARD.