Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1884-08-15
THEFTS From THE TREASURY.
An Ingenious Theory OF the Nanner in
Which One Was Perpetrated.

A Washington letter says: The new sill
yer vault Of the Treasury Department is at
last completed, and within a few DAYS will
receive its first consignment OF standard
dolars-abOut five million IN all. Ii will
require the better part OF a week to make
this transfer from the old ya'ilt, which ia
badly oyercrowdcd, 10 the new one. The
system OF guarding the enormous sums Of
money which are daily handled by the de-
partment is so thorough and complete that
only once in the last fifty years have the re-
peated efforts OF cIacksmen and confidence
men been successful in defeating il. The
particular incident referred 20 occurred in
1870. when Spinner was Treasurer. The
amount stolen was a package OF 1000 ten
dollar notes. The objective point OF the
thieves two in number) was the division
issue, the bureau at which the freshly-cn-
grayed notes are delivered, to be counted
and turned into the Treasury.
Subsequent inquiry revealed the fact that
the scheme for the robbery had been
planned and maturcd several months pre-
viOus, waiting meanwhile with the most
cOmmendable patience for favorable OPP
portunity 10 accomplish it. one day the
wife OF a prominent resident OF Washing
ton. i'm company with another lady and her
the room where the money packages We're
piled on a table 10 be counted. The first
named lady ard the chief OF division were
well acquainted. IS she came 10 the open
door they recognized and saluted each
other, size with her friends advancing into
the room. While in the act Of GOingSO one
Of the thieves forced himself between the
lady and her friends. lie immediately en-
tered into conversation with MIR. Root, the
chief % the division, making inquiry aS 10
tic manufacture, receipt, aud counting OF
the notes. Root supposed him to belong
10 his friends party, and was thus
thrown entirely OF MS guard. The
lady, in turn, supposed him 10 be
an a quMntancc OF Roots. A moment
later the two ladies. with their gentleman
escort, sauntcred carelessly to the further
extremity OF tie room. The principal
thief, whose observations were clever and
pertinent. soon absorbed Roots whole A.
ttntiOn. His conversation showed him 20
be man q fine mind aud cultivated man
uers. Whllo chatting thus his accomplish
hastily entered, and approaching the mes
senger whose duty il was TO watch the mo-
nCy packages, made some casual inquiries
about CLERK who hsd long since been
dead. The woman turned about to All.
swer bis queries. Atthis iuncture thief No.
| suddenly exclaimed, "Ah! ] see my
friends are leaving / must join them"
Root looked in the direction indicated. Sure
enough, the party were moving toward The
door, Ills eyes were taken oil OF the stranger
fer only an instant. but In that time he had
managed 10 Seerete the package within
the crown OF his wide Panama hat. which
he ncQligently swung in his left hand. The
amazing GOODNESS and audscity OF the man
was then shown by his polite invita-
ton 10 Root to 20 out and "haye some
thing" The latter. however, declined
With thanks. aud the thief made his exit
on the pretenee Of reforming his friends.
The money was missed within the hour
that II was takcn,' but there was no suspi-
cion that IL had been stolen. On the sup.
position that ii had not been received from
the Bareau OF Engraving sad Printing,
twcnty-four hours were allowed 10 elapse.
When the fact Of the theft was fully estab-
lished, the aid ~ the telegraph aud secret
service detectives was freely employed.
The effort was futile. The thieves escaped
With their booty, and have never 70 this
day been apprehended. Ihe most singular
feature OF the affair is that the stolen pack
ase was the only one OF probably Il score
which contained notes OF that denomns-
ton. The contents OF the othors were
mainly fifty and OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES bills.