The Dallas weekly herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1885, 1883-10-04
FORGOTTEN WEALTH.
How Paper Money was Iloarded During
The War.
A Poor Confederate Orphans Little
Legacy.
Romance of North Carolina.

The correspondent of one Of the Cincin
natl papers, writing from jamestown, Nortl
Carolina, says: This quaint old place, which
lies In the centre OF one OF the Quaker set
Elements, was during the war favorite
resort of refugees" by which name were
designated those persons whose homes IN
the eastern section OF the state were inside
the danger line, or in counties already
held by the Federal troops. In
this sleepy town these found q
haven of refuge, and made them
selves comfortable, to remain while the wal
lasted. They brought hither their money,
and in the old fashioned bank stored. Con-
federate bonds and currency in great
amounts. The crash came in the fatal
1865 and Stoneman's raiders wired down SO
near that most of the refugees prepared to
fly. A little later the war ended. The big
old safe, as solemn as the grave, and as
chary OF its secrets, was shut. But few oil
the depositors had withdrawn the now
yaueless currency 1t contained.
Some of the refugees had died, others had
been suddenly called away, others at the
last moment, amid all the excitement oil
the hour, left. The bank, dead corpora
tiol ceased to exist, dying as it had lived
lazly. Years rolled by, each making the
old safe and its secrets more solemn stllla
rooms OF the gloomy cid brick bank
blu 'lding.
Rumors oft contents being of value be-
gan to be created in the fertile field. imagi'
nation, and it was whispered that in its
deep recesses lay piles of solid silver. vast
quantities of bonds, jewelry worth princes
ransom, and finally the contents OF the safe
became matter of daily conjecture, Last
year the "boom'' in confederate bonds be-
gan.
Sleepy old jamestown was insensible to
"boom," The word was too new. What
of il? But, nevertheless, one day two
hoary- headed old officers OF the long dead
bank nobbled to it, opened the door and
entered the musty room, in recess OF
which sat the great safe. They tried the
lock; it would not open. A locksmith was
sent for, but even his efforts were nnsuc.
cessful. The old men gave up the attempt;
but others took up the WORK. Keen specu-
lators bent their hearts on getting into the
safe. A man, modern in his ideas, said he
would see that it was forced, but Kept his
own counsel.
On Wednesday last anoth procession
if SO it might be termed, entered the build
ing, one of the men who composed 1t being
man whose bullet-head and cropped han
gave him an aspect OF criminal he
looked at the safe. The others retired
Half an hour later there was an explosion
Returning, the party found the door Of the
safe open. The man, a pardoned convict
from the peDitentiary at Raleigh, VINO III
bygone days had been brakeman" hac
made speedy work concerning the antique
safe. The old man, ex-convict, two specu
lators in Confederate bonds, and half q
dozen spectators were in the room, while
outside were curious crowd or perhaps
100.
The safe was ransacked. From its capa
cious depths were taken out quite $1,000,
900 in Confederate bonds, while nearly
million in state bonds and as much in Con
federate and state currency was also dis
covered.
The bonds we're tied in rolls or in boxes,
and the names ofthe owners could be founc
| in but one case. On large roll, the largest
was found the II. ne, adam Exum, 1868.
Unrolled. the bundle was found to contain
| $500 81, 900 Confederate bonds. What thu
| long dead owner had paid full value for
| and what had for long years been so muct
pape, only, had again become OF worth by
one of the strangest financial movements o.
modern times, for the bonds were worth
So so per $1,000.
But strange as past events might seem
| future ones were even more curious. Il
was found that Exum had gone to Charles
town, South Carolina. in October. 1868 ant
nothing has since been heard OF him. ILL
son, soldier, had been wounded, haC
been married after the war in Virginia, ha!
come back to North Carolina, died IN lSI |
his wife following year later, and thei
child, o girl, had been placed in an orphan
asylum. The action OF the ex,nshl
tod about the girl, so poor, SO desc
late, they sold the bonds, on which wer
her eranfather's name, and sent the none!
they brought, So $50, to Raleigh bank
notifying the superintendent Of the orphan
asylum where the girl was being care
for. :.
The case ia curious one in all its as
the state wherever known. The girl is In
telligent and modest, and though no grea
fortune comes to her, yet the strangenes
of its coming gives 1t an interest whlc
would not ordinarily attach TO it. The gu
has been sent to a leading school.