Western sentinel. [volume] (Winston [i.e. Winston-Salem], N.C.) 1856-1886, 1883-10-11
A TAR HEEL TALE.
A POOR GIRLS SUNEXPECTED WEALTH
Singular War Story of the Old North
State.
Cincinnati Ifn,es-iStdr.l J

state.
Cincinnati Ifmes-!Stdr.)
JAMESTOWN, n. C-This quaint old
place, which lies in the center Of one
of the Quaker settlements, was during
the war a fayoTite resort of 4refi, gees
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 haven of
refuge, and made themselves comfort
able, to remain while the war lasted.
They brought hither their money, and
Ia the old-fashioned safe in the equally
old-fashioned bank stored Confederate
bonds and currency In great amounts
The crash came, in the fateful 1865,
and Stoncman's raiders whirled down
SO near that most of the refugees pre-
pared 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 Of the depositors
had withdrawn the now valueless cur
rency it contained.
Some of the refugees had died, 9TH
ers had been suddenly called away,
others at the last moment, amid all
the excitement of the hour, left. The
bank, dead corporation, ceased to
exist, dying as it had lived-lazily.
Years rolled by, each making the old
safe and its secrets more solemn still,
as it stood cobwebbed, in one of the
lower rooms of the gloomy old brick
bank building. Rumors of its contents
being of value began to be created in
that fertile field, Imagination, 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. a matter of daily talk, of
daily conjecture Last year the
boom" in Confederate bonds began.
Sleepy old jamestown was insensi-
BILE to "booms." The word was toe
new. What oft? But nevertheless
one day two hoary headed old officers
Of the long dead bank hobbled to it
opened the door and entered the mus
! ty room, in recess of which stood the
great safe. They tried the locks il
! -'oal9 MT .orcns a lockssTith isru
sent for, but even his efforts were ufl-
successful The old men gave up the
attempt; but others took up the work
Keen spectators had their hearts
upon getting into the safe One man.
modern in his ideas, said he would see
| that it was forced, but as to methods
kept his own counsel.
| On Wednesday last another proces-
sion, if so it might be termed, enforced
the old building, one of the men who
composed it being man whose bullet
head and close cropped hair gave hin
the aspect of criminal. He looked
at the safe. The others retired Hal
an hour later there was an explosion
Returning, the party found the dool
of the safe open. The man, pardon
ed convict from the penitentiary a
Raleigh, who in bygone days had beer
"cracksman," " had made speedy worl
in forcing the antique safe. The ole
man, the ex-convict, two speculator
in Confederate bonds, and half a doz
en- spectators were in the room, while
| outside was curious crowd of per
haps hundred.
The safe was ransacked. From it
capacious depths were taken not quit,
$4,000, 900 in Confederate bonds, Will
nearly million in State bonds AM
about as much in Confederate ant
State currency were also discovered
| The bonds were tied in rolls or il
boxes, and the names of the owner
could be found in but one case o.
one large roll, the largest, was foun'
the name "Adam Exum." Unrolled
the bulky bundle was found to con
tain 800 81 900 Confederate bonds
What the long dead owner had pai
full value for, and what had for lon
years been so much paper only, ha
again become Of worth by one. of tn
strangest financial movements of mod
ern times, for the bonds were wort
$5 so per 81 eco.
But strange as past events Nigh
seem, future ones were even more Gu
rious. It was found that Exum ha
gone to Charleston, S. c., in October
1868, and nothing had since bee
heard of him. His son, soldier, ha
been wounded, had married after tn
war in Virginia, had come back t
North Carolina, died in 1871, his Wi
followed year later, and that the
{ child, girl, had been placed in a
orphan asylum. The action of the e,
, bank officers was prompt and jus
When told about the girl, SO poor, s
desolate, they sold the bonds, on whic
were her grandfather's name, and SCI
: the money they brought, $3.50, to
) Raleigh bank, notifying the Superil
{ tendent of the orphan asylum whe
Q the girl was being cared for.
l The case is curious one in all
1 aspects, and is attracting much atte
/, ton in the State wherever known. III
! girl is intelligent and modest, al
/. though no great fortune thus comes
| her, yet the strangeness of its comm
!. gives it an interest which would n
a ordinarily attach to it. The girl h
been sent to a leading school.
DECLINE OF MAN.-Nervous Weakness, D.
. pepsia, Impotence, Sexual Debility, cured
d "Well's Health Remover" 81.