Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1875-08-18
Washington Correspondence.
'Rltia'r OF THE TREAsCRN BoBntHs-llusTow
AND GENERAL SPINNER


WAsulNGToN, D. c. August H. 1873
Ncssrs Editors ON the second of June last. the
employees Of the cash room in the Treasury De-
Iartment, and the public generally were thrown
into a high state Of excitement by the announce
ment that package containing some forty seven
thousand dollars had been stolen from the room
during business hours, A thorough search was
quickly made by the officers Of the secret service
bureau, through the desks and drawers in the
room and the persons Of all the enpo, es who had
access to the money but without ayail-and at q
late hour the task was given up for the night,
only to be resumed with renewed energy, in the
morning. 1t was blue time in she cash room.
General Spinner, whose term of Office was soon to
end, was nearly frantic; the employees. Of both
high and low degree were anxious and excited
aud the mystery remained unexplained This
was the case through the months Of June and
July, up to he 9TH of the present month one
week ago to-day-when the efforts Of the detec-
ti,e- and police, which had been continued all the
while in the search, were crowned with success
On that morning the fact was made public that
the officers had made several important arrests Of
parties charged with the robbery and the excite
ment of the entire public here was intensified by
the speedy publication Of the details Of the crime
The parties arrested were Theodore w. Brown
known by the name If pcg-log" Brown Ben
jamin b. Halleck and W. H. Ottman The first
named was arrested at Saratoga, where he was
found by the officers, sporting in fine style, and
spending five hundred dollar bills as though he
had n bushel Of them. On being first interviewed
by the officer, he stated that he had borrowed two
thousand five hundred dollars, and that it was no
unusual thing for him TO have as much money at
any time This was too thin. however, to satisfy
and he was taken into custody. While this arrest
was being made other members Of the force had
ascertained that Brown had been seen with Hal
leck, just before leaving town and that IlalleclS,
who was a clerk In the cash room, had taken a
leave Of absence. and had gone-together with W
H. Ottman keeper of well-Snown restaurant on
the Avonue-to New York It was also ascer-
tanned that the duty OF Ilallecly in the Office was
to make the last count and place one seal upon
the envelope, when it was passed to another man.
who sealed it on the other end The result of
these investigations was n trip to New York after
llaecl, who was found, arrested aud brought on
here-whe Gilman, who had in the meantime
returned, was also put under arrest laleclt de
cared his entire innocence when found, but on
the train was noticed to take from his pocket a
small memorandum book and tear out several
leaves. The book was taken from him, and found
to contain, among other entries, an evident calcu-
latlon of figures, the highest number being s47-
0N.65, which was the exact amount stolen This
was shown him, and he answered by saying that
he was endeayoring to ascertain what his share
would have been had he stolen the money and di-
'ided IT, lie was further pressed and finally ex-
claimed "Oh that book will convict me- known
Since then he has made n statement, to the effect
that shortly after the package was stolen he was
met by a man named Charles Gates, who told him
he knew where the money was hid that an inn
pulse seized him to get IT, and that he went to the
spot designated, found 1t there, and turned It
over to Ottman, with the understanding that they
were To share it, No credence has, at any time,
been given to the Coates " portion Of the story,
and a few days since it Was learned that the
name Of Charles Gates Is an alias which has been
used by Ilalleck himself at different times, so that
story falls fiat The other parties arrested have
made no statements of any account, but protest
their innocence, IIalecl, the principal figure in
this unfortunate affair, is a man Of about thirty
two years OF age, possessed Of pleasant face and
good address. lie is the son of clergyman in
MohaNk NouulAs NtN lulhi has bceu IN tue H;lSll
room since 1869, was good clerk and a general
fayorite among the employees. He was married
here several years ago and has one child lie
was not particularly expensive in his habits until
quite recently, living within his annual income of
one thousand four hundred dollars His wife has
been very faithful TO him since this misfortune.
and both by persuasion and entrcaty, has en-
deayored to Induce him to make clean breast of
the whole matter. 1t il still thought he will con
fess the crime, and that it will be found that
Ottman was the chief instigator, and led him on
to its commttal. Some twenty thousand dollars
has already been recovered which had been placed
In different places for deposit by Ottman who
seems TO have had the principal handling Of the
money. All the parties are now under bail of
forty thousand dollars each, and stand committed
10 the next term Of the District Court
The correspondent of the Chicago Inter- Ocean
has raised quite sensation, within the past few
days, in the publication OF an interview held with
General Spinner, In which that old warhorse Of
the Treasury is made TO diyulge how he really
happened to quit his post as the so-called watch
dog, and retire to private life. 1t is there al
legged that he was yertaby driven out by Secre-
the numerous other important changes made OF
late In the department. have been effected for the
express purpose Of " feathering the nest " Of the
Secretary, as the future candidate for the Presl-
dency As General Spinner is out of the city at
presentTi. is yet TO be ascertainsd whether this
Interview is truth or fiction. Probably at no dis
fant dav ua shnli aQa whit ua shall sac gAt