The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1877-12-18

for the following.
twas the verge Of the small honfs Of
morning before the gas WIS turned Oh,
and we were vending our various ways
homewArd, usually, however, without
any interference from the armed sentries
who paced the Custom House pavement,
In defense Of the moneys that were stored
in the vault. But one night, as three or
four Of Us esSayed TO 60 away, We heard
the sentry's cry Of "hAlt" The Others
obeyed the command, but Mr.. Hernbrook
In bis impulsiYenesS ordered the guard
to desist, seeming determined not 70 DO
interiered with In such a manner
and on bis own domain, and started
In & hASty way toward his home
Tor the night. The guard, however,
was bent on obeying orders, and ran after
Mr.. Hornbrook In a menacing manner,
lifting his gun to IRE, when the officer oil
the guard, who was at the AthRneum on
the other side Of the street, aroused BY
our noise and calls, came over just In time
10 save very serious encounter, rs those
guards would sometimes shoot, even into
q crowd, rs was evidenced by the death
sometime afterwards Of the lanented
Captain John List You may be sure
that when the Captain Of the guard came
into the Customs Office the next morning
10 apologize fer the outrage, as some
styled 1t, that the remarks on one side at
least were more iornible than otherwise.
Another reminiscence connected di.
rectly with the vault, and money therein,
was the attempt to break 1t open and
remove the contents, during one night,
and at a time when il contained, In mail
sacks, about one million one hundred
thousand dollars. Major Humphreys
mail sack was lying, as afterwards shown,
in the vault, and rather close 10 the open.
Ing made by the depredator in the wall oil
the vault, but the construction Of the
wall and the lack Of time, or proper tools
for tho work, foiled the efforts Of the
wouldbe millionaire. Yet number Of
the burglars tools fell into Mr., Horn
brooks hand.
But to return TO the civil side Of our
story.
With the Surveyor freed from the cares
Of military stores by the coming Of U. s.
QuartermSster Capt. Downing, and placed
by the Treasury Department at the head
OF dozen or 40 Of"Aids 10 the Revenue"
or persons with like Custom House titles,
and along the list Of which at different
times, ard even at the same time, you can
see the names Of Jesse s. Wheat, James
o. Hawley, the writer, Benz. B. Stone, Du-
mont @. Dake, Robert G. Bonham, Au-
gustus |. Robbins, Joseph Blackmore,
&c, at Wheeling; D. B. Manchester, at
Bellaire; Mr.. Whaley, at Sistersville; Mr..
Powell, at st. MAry's Mr.. Hervey, at
Marietta; James E. Wharton, VIM. NJ.
Evans and other gentlemen at different
times in Parkersburg. Two or three
different persons, at different times, and
frequently more than one at time, In
each or some Of the following places, viz
at Rayenswood, Pomeroy, Point PLEASANT,
Gallipolis, Charleston, ClarksburR, Graf
ton, Rowlesburg, Piedmont and New
Creek, besides some others whose duties
confined them to the railway cars or
steamboats,.
In those days we saw the same indomit.
able energy that even now crops out in
Mr.. Hornbrook's older days, when he
shoulders the temperance or any other
cause in our midst. In his yonth, he did
not learn to spell and parse the sentence,
ave may fail" but rather adopted the
sentence, ave will it, and 1t must be &C.
complished."
After the detection Of President John.
son, and on account Of the decreased
business at the Office In the fall Of 1866
Mr.. Hornbrook sent in characteristic
resignation to the President, as follows
CUSTOM House., SURVEYORS OFFICE, |
WHEELING, W. Va, Aug. IS, 1866. !
To 6I Escsleney Andrea johnson,
President Of The United States.
WASHINGTON, D. C,
sIR:-AtLhe solicitation OF my fellow.
citizens, in May, 1861, consented to ac-
cept the Office Of Surveyor Of Customs,
at this Port, since which l have been
twice appointed and commissioned, 1.-THE
last time very hesitatingly on my part
but feeling that in continuing in said office
under your administration shall belle
the principles for which have labored
for decade Of years, besides seemingly
approve the twaddIe Of your vetoes, the
horrors Of New Orleans, and the politi.
cal treachery at Philadelphia BY your
minions, (he enemies and slanderers OF
yourself and those who elevated you,)
herewith tender my official resignation,
/ IN foLs sHIsI M anon NJ mn sttnr,svor nnn IL