The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1883-11-28
A
The Contents of an Old Safe Dis.
covered and Given to a Penni-
less Girl.

Cincinnati papers, writing FROM
Jamestown, N. c., says: "This
quaint old place, which lies in the
center Of one of the Quaker settle
ments, was during the Wal a favorite
resort for refugees by which name
were designated those persons whose
homes in the Eastern sections of the
State, were inside the danger line, or
in counties already held by the Fed.
eral troops In this sleepy town
these found a haven of refuge, and
made themselves comfortable, to re-
main while the war lasted. They
brought here their money, and the old
fashioned bank stored Confederate
bonds and currency in great amounts.
The crash came in the fatal 1865, and
StOneman's raj .ers whirled down so
near that most of the refugees pre-
pared to fly. A little later the war
euded. The Big old safe, as solemn
rs the grave and as cary of it, Sc
crets. was shut. But few of the de-
p0sitors had withdrawn the now VAL
ueless currency it contained. Some
of the refugees han died: others had
been suddenly called away: others at
the last moment, amid all the excite
ment of the hour, left. The bank, q
dead corporation, ceased to exist, dy-
Ing as it had lived, lazily. Years
rolled by, each making the old safe
and its secrets more solemn still, "a
it stood cobwebbed in one of the
lower rooms of the gloomy old bank
building. Rumors Of its contents
being of value began to be created IN
the fertile feld-imsgination, and it
was whispered that in its deep recess !
ses lay piles of solid silver, vast guam
titles of bonds, jewelry worth a
Princes ransom, and, finally the con-
tents of the safe became q matter of
daily conjecture. Last year the
boom in Confederate bonds began. |
Sleepy old Jamestown was insensible |
to boom. The word was too new. |
What of it? But nevertheless, one |
day two hoary headed old officers of
the long dead bank h0bbled to it, |
opened the door, and entered the
musty room. in a recess of which sat
the great safe. They tried the lock +;
in would not open. A locksmith was
sent for, but even his efforts were un-
successful, The old man Lave up the
attempt. but others took up the work.
Keen spectators bent their hearts on
getting INTO the safe. A man. mod
ern in his ideas, said he would see
that it was forced, but kept his own
counsel. On Wednesday last another
procession, if so it might be termed
entered the building, one of the men
who composed it being a man VIII 81
bullet head and cropped hair gave
him the aspect of a criminal. He
looked at the safe. The others retired.
Half an hour later there was an ex-
plosion. Returning the larty found
the door of the safe open. The man,
pardoned criminal from the peni-
Tertiary Al Raleigh. who in by.gone
days had been q 'cracksman,' had
made speedy work concerning the
antique safe. The old man, ex-con-
vict, two spectators in Confederate
bonds and a half dozen other specu.
lators were in the room, while outside
were q curious crowd of perhaps a
hundred. The safe was ransacked.
From its capaciOus denths Were taken
out quite So. 200, 600 in Confederate
bonds and nearly 81, 600, 600 in State
bonds, and as much in Confederate
and State currency. The bonds were
lied In rolls o. in boxes, and the
names of the owners could to found
IN but Due case. On a large roll was
the name of Adam Exum. |
$685. The bundle was found to con- I
ain $500 $1,000 Confederate bonds. |
What the long-dead owner had paid
lull value for, and what had been
'rr years sc much waste paper had 6
become worth $3.50 per 81, ZOO. But
TRANCE az past events might seem.
uture ones were even mole curious.
e was found that Exum had gone c
o Charleston, s. c., in October, 1853. /
nd nothing had since been heard r
f him. His son, a soldier, had been :
rounded, had married after the war
q Virginia, had come back to North .
'arolina, died in 1871, his wife fol- !.
q year after, and their child, q
girl. had been placed in an orphan
The action of the ex-bank
fficeIs were prOmp and just. When T
Id about the girl. so poor, 60 DESC O
to, they sold the bonds on which a
ere her grandfather's name, and y
mt the money they brought, 49, 5O) IL
q Raleigh bank, notifying the Su- 81
of the orphan asylum
here the girl lie being cared for.
,e case is q curious one in al re- Y
ecte. and n attracting much atten. ] ia