Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-03-17
P0BBING A GOLD TRAIN.
,,1TrONs OF DOLLARS SEIZED
~ THE IsTHMUs OF PANAMA..

r,ci,7ent of the Time When Oalisor-
Ma Treasure Was Sent From the Pa
&c 70 the Atlantic on the Backs of
ntutes-Fhe Custodian OF the Train
TELLS the Story OF the RObbery-The
Capturs OF the Thieves.
From tho Nsw York SIN.
The tribuIations of United States Treas
rror Jordan in endeavoring secretly TO
,..nsport gold and silver coin from one
nsrt OF this country to another remind me
n certain similar tribulations in my own
career when l was partner in shipping
5ouse and stationed on the isthmus OF
Panama. Some thirty-fve years ago, and
for a period of over two years, it was my
office personally to superintend the trans
nortatlon of gold from California across
The isthmus of Panama. There was no
railroad in those days, roads existed chlel-
iv in name, dangers and obstacles were
countless. u.A--
When l reached Panama in February,
lS4g. and for at least two years Thereafter
there was a floating population on the
isthmus. chiefly centred in Panama ana
Chagres, of not less than 1000 torelgners.
They were OF every nationality, Du1 LOT
the most part Americans.
In the uANS OIL WQlCu i WHO Po''HSh- = ?
gong from Chagres to Panama assembled
fhe Chagres river in canoes As miles to
Gorgona in the dry season, and TO cruces,
40 miles, in the rainy season. The dis
lance by road to Panama was from
Gorgona 10 miles, and from Cruces 10
miles.
In the early part Of 1850 the shipments
of gold-which were made at that time
exclusively on the United States mail
steamers-increased enormously in
amount. running up to an average of
About this time it occurred to some OF the
owners of this gold, or to people directly
Or indirectly interested in its transmits
sion. that 1t would be a good idea to have
its safe carriage across the isthmus In
sured as it was on the ocean steamships.
After considerable discussion here it was
finally arranged with the Board OF Under
writer's that the gold should be insured
across the isthmus, provided one OF the
members OF the firm of the consignees &C
cOmpanied it across, and provided it was
escorted by guard of soldiers. The firm,
of which was then only clerk, consisted
of three partners, none of whom could be
spared TO accompany the gold across the
isthmus. SO it came about that before l
had been a year on the isthmus l was ia
ken into partnership, conditi0nally, Of
course, upon my accompanying the treas
ure across.
The steamer which had arrived at Pan
anna a fortnight previous to the trip I'M
der notice had arrived too late to enabl 9
us to get the treasure across before the
connecting boat left Chagres, and so we
had retained it in Panama, knowing 1t
safer there than at Chagres or at any place
on the river. 1t thus happened that the
gold which l took over on this trip COM
prsed shipments by two mail steamers
IRON San Francisco, and amounted in val
ne to about $2,250,0s0.
The weight OF this gold was about five
and quarter tons. Now, as it was al
ways the intention and expectation to
get the mule train carrying the treasure
through from Panama to the river be-
tween dawn and dusk, the mules were
seldom loaded with more than $50 pounds
weight each, so that L must have had In
that train about 70 or 80 mules. These
boxes of gold were of all sizes, weights
and values, from small cube Of perhaps
6 or inches, to mOnstrOsities OF IA and 10
inches long by s or 8 square. How L
mathematical these latter, which would
run up to ITO to 1870 pounds in weight,
which had, of course, to have mule
apiece, and which would twist and warp
and stretch that poor mule, so as not in
frequently to incapacitate him for months
sometimes forever. The task Of asserting
the boxes, OF all sorts and sizes, in which
the gold reached Panama, began imme-
diateIy on the arrival of the steamer.
Every box had to be weighed and Sc
lected and set aside as the load of each
mule.
The loading of the mules for the trip
began before daybreak in the patio or
courtyard of my partners house, and as
Soon as it was finished the train started.
Twas later than usual in starting, but
put my mule into canter and came up
with the tail end of the train before / was
fairly clear OF TIE houses in the drGbGI,
the suburb Of Panama. 1t was glorious
morning. L rode some way ahead Of the
end of the train, which had made fair
progress. The guard, also, of twenty-five
soldiers, with their commanding SER
geant, was, strange to say, up with the
train, and not, as usual, struggling
astern. 1 rode perhaps half way up to
the head Of the train, and then halted to
watch il pass aud resume my place in
the rear. There must have been some 70
or 80 mules in the train, and halt that
number OF mule drivers.
Lad been about an hour and half or
two hours under way and was within a
mile of the only large open space on the
road, called Guayabal (guaYa grove
where 1 usually stayed for breakfast,
when l met a cayalcade consisting of an
American gentleman with his family and
servants. j have FORGOTTEN positively
who he was, but l rememD Der that be was
going as United STATES Minister TO one of
the south American republics. We had
pleasant conversation OF some ten or fif-
teen minutes, and then separated. / mad
not left him ten minutes, and had put my
mule into hard gallOp 10 make up for
lost time, when heard voice close to
me calling out:
"senor Carlos! Senior Carlosi Come
here! Come herew
The brush just here was thick and close
up to the trail. halted, and man whom
l recognized as one Of my muleteers
rushed out and told me men were waiting
l0r me few yards further up the road.
Two other muleteers joined their compan-
ION. They told me their story. Some ten
or twelve men, they said, all armed, had
rushed out on them a little way further
on the road, and had fOrcibly taken their
mules, six in all, from them. One Of the
men showed me, in cOrroDOratiOn OF his
statement, an ugly wound on his right
arm, made, he said, by blow from
"machete." l crOss-eXamined the men,
Hh0 were much excited, but they all told,
w ire main, tue same story. When l was
ABOUT 70 start on again by the road, they
begged me not to do so, saying that the
robbers had made threats against me.
one oi the men, "A native OF that part Of
me country, said he could lead me by
lall through the woods 10 the Guayabal.
Following mia lead i hurried on and soon