The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-08-13
WATCHING THE PUBLIC MONEYS.
The Efficient System OF the Treasury Which
Has Suffered Few Infractions.

The Efficient System OF the Treasury Which
Has Suffered Few Infractions.
Washington Special to Chicago News.
The new silver vault of the. Treasury Depart
ment IS at last completed. and within a few
days will receive its first consignment of dollars
about five millions in all. 1t will require the
better portion of a week to make this transfer
from the old vault-which is badly overcrowded
TO the new one. The system Of guarding the
normou sums Of money which are handled at
the department is so thorough and complete
that only once in the last fifty years have the re-
peated efforts of ''c~racksmenp and confidence
men been successful in defeating it.
The particular instance referred to occurred
in 1916, when Mr.. Spinner was treasurer. The
amount stolen was a package Of 1000 $40 notes.
The objective point of the thieves, two in num-
Der, was the division of issues, the bureau
at which the freshly-engraved notes are deiv-
cred to be counted and turned into the treasury.
Subsequent inquiry revealed the fact that the
scheme for the robbery had been planned and
matured several months previous, the perpe-
traitors waiting meanwhile with the most com
mendable patience for a favorable opportunity
to accomplish it One day the wife of a prom1
nent resident of Washington, in company with
another lady and her husband, we're passing the
upper door of the room where the money pack
ages were piled on a table to be counted. The
frst-named lady and the chief of the division
were well acquainted. As she came to the open
door they recognized and saluted each other.
She, with her friends, advanced into the
rOOul Nll0 IN the act OF DONG so, one OI
the thieves forced himself between the lady and
her friends. He Immediately entered into
conversation with Mr.. Root, the chief Of the
division, making numerous inquiries as
to the manufacture, receipt and counting OF
the notes. Mr.. Root supposed him to belong to
his friends party. and was thus thrown entirely
off his guard. The lady, in turn, supposed him
to be an acquaintance of Roots. "A moment
later the two ladies with their gentleman escort
sauntered carelessly to the farther extremity of
/ thp rn0no Tho nrincinal thiaf ru1.ncn ObgarVa
tons were clever and pertinent, soon absorbed
Roots whole attention His conversation
showed him to be a man of fine mind and cultl-
waited manners. While chatting thus his &C
complete entered hastily. and, approaching the
messenger whose duty it was to keep watch over
the money packages. made some casual inquiries
about a clerk who had long since died. The
woman turned about to answer his queries.
At this juncture thief No. j suddenly ex-
claimed: .Ah! / see my friends are leaving. /
must join them Root lookedin the direction
indicated.
Sure enough the party was moving toward the
door. His eyes were taken off the stranger for
only an instant, but in that time he had man
aged to secrete the package within the crown of
his wide Panama hat, which he negligently
swung in his left hand. The amazing GOODNESS
and activity of the man was then shown by his
polite invitation to Mr.. Root TO go out and have
something The latter, however, declined, with
thanks. The thief then made his exit on the
pretext of r%ejoining his friends. The money was
HllSS0u NlOull Tile uOuT GlldD IL WIS Dakol, OUT
there was at that time no suspicion that it had
been stolen. On the superstition that it had not
been received from the bureau of engraving and
printing, twenty-four hours were allowed to
elapse. When the fact of the theft was fully es-
tablished the aid Of the telegraph and
the secret-service detectives was fully
employed. The effort was futile. The
thieves escaped with their booty, and have
never to this day been apprehended. The most
singular feature of the affair was that the stolen
package contained the only notes of small de-
nomination in a miscellaneous assortment of
possibly a score of others, the majority of which
were $50 and $100 bills
Since the Republican party came into power
three cases of defalcation have occurred at the
Treasury Department. The first was that of
Charles 9. Edwins, a clerk in the division of
redemptions. Edwins had charge of the money
packages which came in large numbers daily by
express, containing mutilated and WORKOUT
bills which it was desirable to exchange for new
issues. The defalcation, amounting in all to
$4,000, covered a period of several months. He
was finally apprehended, but only So, 900 was
recovered. The remainder had been spent in
| Wall street.
The second dafalcation created a genuine SEN
sationin Washington, which for years had no
parallel until therecent embezzlement of Colonel
Burnside, the disbursing officer of the Posteffce
Department. The culprits were Frederick a Mars
den, chief of the division of accounts, and Seth
johnson. the assistant paying teller. Both were
high-salaried officials, prominent in their re-
spective churches, and moving in the best cir
cles of society. Together. they robbed the gov
eminent of $62, 600, only $13. 600 of which was
ever received. They were committed to prison
for a term of years. Marsden died soon after
his incarceration. Johnson's exemplary con
duct secured his release before the expiration of
his sentence. He is now holding a position of
trust, under an assumed name, in a thriving and
centrally located Illinois town.
The Ottman case, which is third on the list, is
too fresh in the minds Of the public.
In the several instances referred to it was OBJ
vious that the United States treasurer could not
be held responsible for the sums lost. In each
case he was granted immunity by special act of
Congress-