Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1884-11-06
a BIG TREASURY THEFT.
An Elaborate and successful
scheme.
How Package Of 1000 Ten-Dol-
lar Notes Disappeared.

Referring to the completion of a
new silver vault at the United States
treasury department, Washington
correspondent tells this story: The
system of guarding the enormous
sums of money which are daily ham
died by the department is so thorough
and complete that only once in the
last fifty years have the repeated ef
forts of cracksmen and confidence men
been successful in defeating it. The
particular incident referred to occur
red in 1870, when Spinner was treas
urer. The amount stolen was pack
age of 1000 ten-dollar notes The
objective point of tie thieves (two in
number) was the division issue, the
bureau to which the freshly-engraved
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 matured several
months previous, waiting meanwhile
with the most commendable patience
for favorable opportunity to accom-
plish it. One day the wife of prom
inent resident of Washington, in CON-
pany with another.lady and her hus-
band, were passing the upper door of
the room where the money packages
were piled on table to be counted.
The frst-named lady and the chief of
division were well acquainted. As
she came to the open door they recog-
nized and saluted each other she with
her friends advancing into the room.
While in the act of doing so one of
the thieves forced himself between the
lady and her frineds. He Immediately
entered into conversation with Mr..
Root, the chief of the division, making
inquiry as to the manufacture, receipt
and counting of the notes. Root sup
posed him to belong to his friends
party, and was thus thrown entirely
off his guard. The lady, in turn, sup
posed. him to be an acquaintance of
Roots.
A moment later the two ladies, with
their gentleman escort, sauntered care
lessly to the further extremity of the
room. The principal thief whose OBJ
servaticns were clever and pertinent,
soon absorbed Roots whole attention
His conversation showed him to be
man of fine mind and cultivated man.
ners. While chatting thus his accom-
plice hastily entered and approaching
the messenger whose duty it was to
watch the money packages, made some
casual inquiries about clerk who had
long since been dead. The woman
turned about to answer his inquiries
At this juncture thief No. suddenly
exclaimed /:
"Ahl | see my friends are leaving
/ must join them"
Root looked in the direction iBdicat-
ed. Sure enough, the party were
moving towards the door. His eyes
were taken off the stranger for only an
instant, but in that time he had man.
aged to secret the package within the
crown of his wide Panama hat, which
he negligently swung in his left hand.
The amazing coolnesss and audaci
ty of the man was then shown by his
polite invitation to Root to go out
and "have something" The latter,
however, declined with thanks, and the
thief made his exit on the pretense of
rejoining his friends The money was
missed within the hour that it was
taken, but there was no suspicion that
it had been stolen. On the supposi-
ton that it had not,been received from
the Bureau of Engraving and Print
ing, ,twenty-four hours were allowed to
elapse. When the fact of the theft
Was fully established, the aid of the
telegraph and Secret Service detect
ives was freely 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 is that
the stolen package was the only one
of probable score which contained
notes of that denomination. The con
tents of the others were mainly $50
and 500 bills.