The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1883-08-16
THOSE. CONFEDERATE BONDS
Treasury Officials Explode the Story
of Mysterious Millions in EurOpe.

A late Washington special to the
World says that the recently pub
lished statements, in effect that sew
eral million dollars remain in some
mysterious depository in Europe for
the payment of the interest on Con-
federate bonds, with the equally inter
esting statement of Gov. Butler that
the United States treasury holds some
millions of Confederate money which
ought to be first redeemed, if any such
fund exists, led to some inquiries al
the treasury to-day. A long search
developed the fact that Gov. Butler
was right in his statement that the
government holds quantity of Con-
federate money in the treasury. II
also developed another curious thing
that very few of the officers of the
treasury were aware that such was
the fact.
Long inquiry among leading Off
Gals, such as Acting Secretary
French, the acting treasurer, the head
of the loan division. the cashier of the
treasury, and others, failed to dis
cover any knowledge of any Confed.
crate funds so held. A subordinate
however, ventured the statement that
the division of captured and aban.
doned property might have some
There the millions of Confederate
money and some bonds were found.
81 do not know the amount" said
the acting head of the division. There
are not many bonds, but there is a
large amount of the money. l pre-
sumo there may be $50,0OO,000 of the
money and bonds all told. 1t was
captured during the war, you know,
at various times and places, and sent
here. l don't suppose it has ever been
counted since its arrival here. II
\simply lies here, no secretary of the
/ treasury caring to take the response
bility of destroying it. Here is some
of it now," and he drew $50 bill
bearing the vignette of Jefferson
Davis, from drawer in his desk.
1t read: 1.-TWO years after the rati-
fication of treaty of peace between
the Confederate States and the United
States, the Confederate States of
America will pay to bearer on demand
$50"
"Then this is no more an abso-
lutte promise to pay than the bonds
Their payment is only promised on
condition that a treaty of peace is
made between the two parties here
mentioned"
"They are only worth the paper, on
which they are printed, of course
was the reply. cit is the sheerest
nonsense to talk Of their being re
deemed. Where is the money coming
from? tell you it is the scheme oil
some fellow over there who has bonds
he wants to get rid of. He hopes to
get up a good boom for the be nds and
then sell out"
You don't credit the story that
several millions of money belonging
to the late Confederacy lie in some
bank over there awaiting an opportu
nifty to be distributed to the holders Of
the bonds
No, l do not. 1t is absurd. TIC
begin with, the Confederacy did moi
have such a plethora of finances as tt
cause it to leave millions lying around
loose. 1 do not believe it left many
millions of money in Europe at the
close of the war. Then, too, the
| agents of the treasury have tried in
| vain to find any of those reported
| funds there. We had some of oul
best friends engaged in this work
and if there had been funds of any
consequence there, we should know
something of it. You can depend
upon it, the Confederate. bonds and
Confederate money will ncyefzBe re-
deemed"