, 1884-09-19
TREASURY THEFTS.
Theory of the Manner in Which One
Was Pe%rpetrated-
Stealing n Package Of 1000 Ten-Dol-
lar Notes.-The Ingenious Plan
which the Thieves
Carried out.

Washington Cor. Boston TraXeler.l
The new silver vault OF the treasury de-
paItment is at last completed, and within a
few days will receive is first consignment OF
standard dollars-abou 10000 in all. II
viii require the better part ~ IA week to
make this transfer from the old vault, which
il badly overcrowded, - the nsw one. The
system Of guarding the enormous sums Of
money which are daily handled by the de-
partment Is 10 thorough and complete that
only once In the last fifty years have the re-
psated efforts 81 craftsmen and confidence
men boon successful Ia defeating IT, The
particular Incident referred to occurrol in
1870, when Spinner was treasurer. The
amount stolen was a package Of 1000 SO
notes The objective point Of the thieves
two in number was tho division issue. the
bureau 10 which the freshly engraved notes
are delivered, to be- counted and turned into
the treasury.
Subsequent inquiry reve led the fact that
the scheme for the robbery had been planned
and matured several months previous, wait
ing meanwhile with tho most commendable
patience for "A favorable opportunity to ac-
complish it. ono day the wife Of a prominent
resident OF Washington, in company with
another lady and her husband, were passing
the upper door OF the room where the money
packages were piled on a table to be counted.
The frst-named lady and the chief Of diyis-
ion were well acquainted. As she came TO
the opcn door they recognized and saluted
each other, she with her fricuds advancing
into the room. While in the act Of doing 50
one OF the thieves forced himself between the
lady and her friends. He Immediately en-
tered into conversation with Mr.. Root, the
chief Of the division, making inquiry rs to
the manufacture, receipt, and counting OF
the notes. Root supposed him to lclong to
his friends party, and was thus thrown en-
tirely off his guard. The lady, IN iilu. sup
posed him to be an acquaintance Of noots.
A moment later the two ladies, VIA their
gentleman escort, sauntered carelessly 70 the
further extremity Of the room. The princi-
pal thief, whose observations were clever and
pertinent, soon absorbed Roots whole atten-
ton. HIS conversation showed him to DO "A
man Of fine mind and cultivated manners.
While chatting thus his ~accomplice hastily
entered and approaching the messenger whose
duty it was TO watch the money packages,
made some casual inquiries about a clerk
who had long since been dead. The woman
turned about TO answer his inquiries. At
this %juncturc thief No. l suddenly exclaimed,
"Ahi / see my friends arc leaving. l must
join Them Root looked in the direction in
dictated. Sure enough, the party were NOV
ing toward the door. His eyes were taken
OH o. inc tifhnEti LOT Only an llhNdntt Dul III
that time he had managed to secrete the
package within the crown OF his wide PAN
anna hat, which he negligently swung in hi
left hand.
The amazing GOODNESS and audacity Of the
man was then shown by his polite invitation
10 Root 10 go out and have something" The
latter, however, declined with thanks, and
the thief made his exit on the p~retence Of re
joining lis friends. TIL money was missed
within the hour that 1t was taken, but there
was no suspicion that il had been stolen. On
the supposition that it had not been received
from tho bureau Of engraving and printing,
twenty -four hours were allowed 10 elnpse.
When the fact Of the theft was fully estab-
lishcd, the mid Of the telegraph and secret
service detectives was freely employed. The
effort was futile. The thieves escaped with
their booty, and have never to this day been
apprehcpded. The most singular feature Of
the affair b. that the stolen package was the
only one Of probably a score which contain
not.s OF that denomination. The contents
the others were mainly $50 and 500 bills.