Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1886-03-10
How I Found $s5,60O, and Where
It Went To.

il.carrier, and in this capacity Wis
tied Washington at least once per
day. Indeed, l was in the city most
of the time, riding in early in the day,
and not starting for camp until late
in the afternoon.
There was good deal of confusion
in Washington at that time, and the
city was full of thieves, gamblers and
various kinds of spectators. While
lounging about l had opportunity to
see what was going on under the
crust, and to realize that money
seemed to have no value in the eyes
of anybody but gamblers. Private
and officer-civilian and clerk
stranger and residential seemed
anxious to get rid of their dollars as
quickly as possible, and swindlers and
robbers waxed fat. One afternoon,
when a certain mail train which / had
to wait for was late, l did not leave
the city until dark. 1t was a night
in October, and a cold rain was steadi-
ly falling. This fact accounted for
Pennsylvania avenue, beyond the
White House, being almost deserted
at 7 o'clock p. m. had not passed
the White House more than a hun
dred feet, when | saw large valise
lying in the middle of the street. 1t
was "fnd" which / determined to
take in, but as l dismounted and laid
hold of it saw by the weight that 1
had been fooled. 1t was so light that
it could not contain any great quanti-
ty of clothing. However, / made it
fast to the saddle and rode on.
fl should ride into camp with the
satchel hundred men would make
inquiries about it. About twenty
rods from the entrance to the camp
was farm house occupied by an old
couple with whom l had become well
acquainted. | had eaten many
meal in the house, and in return had
made many purchases for them in the
city. dismeunted at the gate and
ran in and said:
"I've got some clothes in the satch-
ell. Please keep it day or two for
me-"
"Glad to do it, was the reply, and
| hurried on to camp.
Next morning, before leaving for
Washington, l went over to the house,
took the "find" into bed room, and
after great deal Of trouble sprung
the lock. had expected to find an
officers uniform at most, and you can
therefore imagine my astonishment
when / discovered that the satchel
was stuffed full of money-new green
backs. Some few Of the bills had
been handled, but most of them were
just from the Treasury Department,
with smell of ink about them. /
took the packages out one by one and
laid them on the bed. The value of
each was marked, and l soon figured
up that the gross sum was $50, 800.
You may believe that l was upset.
The money was not mine, of course,
but / had found it and meant to keep
it, right or wrong. Here was for
tune, and if l could only get away
with it l should be classed among the
rich. 1t would do me little good as
private in the army, and l must find
some way to get out of Uncle Sans
clutches. Should l desert? Should
l try to bribe my captain and the
regimental surgeon?
/ sat down and clutched the chair
with my hands and tried to think, but
my mind was in confusion. However,
the first step was to keep the money
in safe possession. 1 could think of
no better way than to return it to the
satchel and place the latter on the
top shelf in the little closet off the
bedroom. Then / made a bargain
with the old lady to keep the room
for me for the next fortnight, pocket
ed the key, and rode off to Washing
ton, wondering if l would not be ar
rested on sight. No one meddled
with me, and the morning papers did
not contain single line about the
loss of this large amount of money.
| slept in the farm house that night,
and went away next morning, know
ing that the money was safe. Dur
ing the next week rode to the city
and back daily, but never word was
lisped by paper or individual regard
ing the loss. ! intended to wait one
week more, and then, if no row had
been raised, to ship the money home
by express in bundle of clothing. 1t
was on Monday night that / found
the satchel. On Saturday night /
was late again, and it was o'clock
before | got around to the farm house.
My bedroom was off the parlor, and
when | entered it / found window
raised. ran to the closet, a great
fear upon me, and 10! the satcbel
xvaa Uonat Without do,,kt e,c,o 81