Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-12-18

washington Letter 70 flttepurG tefette.
Very few people know the inside history G
Brlstow's hghtwith the express companies whe6
he was Secretary of the Treasury. The exlreao
companies made what Mr.. Bristow thought ex.
horb'tant charges for carrying currency TO the
great distributing point, the New York sub
treasury. He toldth companies that q lower
rate must be conceded or ne would take the
business away from the companies. They weus
defiant at that time. Hundreds OF thousands Of
dollars were being shipped daily and the express
companies offered the only secure way for
the carrying OF these great suma,
and so they charged accordingly.
being certain, as matters then stood, thai
the Secretary could not get along without them.
Suddeply the express people were notified thai
Mr.. Brstow had made arrangements for con-
veylng this currency and that they could not
save the business unless they came TO his terms
For several weeks currency was transmitted to
New York In the most mysterious way. 0nly
Mr. Brstow, his confdant In the Treasury and
the sub-treasurer in New York knew the wsy
the work was done. The express companies
held aloof upon the belief that Bristow would
not dare to continue To assume the personal re-
| sponsibiiIty for the safety OF the carving of
these great sums, but as the work went on un-
disturbed for several weeks without loss or
public scandal the companies finally gave IN
and were glad TO make new contracts for what
Bristow was able to pay them.
This is the way the express COMPANIES vera
circumrented. The Secretary selected trllsty
| special agent Of the Treasury. who simply mt
the currency In valise and went over To New
/ York as an ordinary passenger on the night
train. Thomas Cayanaugh, the deputy sercesnt-
alarms under gallant Col Hooker in the Honse
was the special agent selected for this work
He is tall, broad-shouldered, deep-ches.ed
manly locking specimen OF humanity His
square, resoute, sun-browned face is accentn.
ated by crisp, curling mustache oomple,elv
hiding his mouth. His straight nose, clear blue
eyes aud square jaws stand out in face re-
markable FORTS combination Of good nature and
| iron resolution. Cayanaugh used to set out
from the Office of the Secretary Of the Treasury
after night with avalise simply stuffed with GOV.
ernment currency. One night he had in his bag
SIJOo0o In grcenbacks. Every dollar eveS
Entrusted to him was safely carried Not A
penny ever was lost. His pay from the Treasury
was his regular one. eight dollars day and his
travelling expenses. He gave no bonds for this
work, as the law recognized no such way ~
| carrying the funds. The Secretary had ALSO.
| lutely no protection beyond Cavanaugh's mai.
yldunl honor. III he had run away with nm
odd half million at any timeahe could noe
nave been prosecuted for more than a breach
OF trust In the Carrying of this money Caya-
naugh carried more than his life in mia
hands. III 1t We're even suspected that he
was carrying such sums over i'm a section Of a
New York sleeper an ordinary passenger
he would certainly have been attacked. II ne
had been robbed, nothing but his death I'm de-
Tending his trust could have saved him from
the scandal of being classed by many as a guilty
participant In the robbery Toward the last
Cavanaugh became very nervous He used to
| start out with his money i'm one hand aud a re-
| volver in another hidden In the pocket OF his
great coat. A close coupe took him down tho
| avenue. In the sleepng-car toward the last he
slept but little. Someone was always reaching
across his gashed throat for the money placed In
4 VQ q alinf,r "a
full responsibility came TO an end and ne was
able to go back to his ordinary duties. To-day
Savanaugh is again carrying government money
he Is the Official who takes from the Treasury
the money needed In the business ofiice OF the
sergeant-at office, where the members are
paid. Bank cashiers and men of high trust could
mud much to learn in the rugged, unassuminf
| Integrity of Thomas Cavanaugh.