Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1888-01-25
BROWN AND HIS GOLD.
A State Employe Who Has a Gold Mi
on Butte Creek.

| A State Employe Who Has a Gold Min,
on Butte Creek.
A few days ago the following extract O
an interview with Marcus D. Boruck ap
peared in San Francisco journal in refer
ence to the State mineral cabinet, now in
! the Croker Art Gallery, concerning the
robbing of the cabinet OF many of the gold
specimens:
Some years ago the State purchased Of
J. Nj. Frey, of this city, now resident Of
Newcastle, Placer county, a splendid cabi,
| net of minerals, for which it paid $50, 600
The cabinet was placed in the State Ii.
brary, to the admiration of everyone who
at that time visited it. These specimens
were stolen from time to time, and so MANY
vacancies occurred in the little receptacles
where they were placed that public atten-
ton was SO loudly called to it that State
Librarian Wallis was even aroused to
an apparent sense of duty. He went
to Chief of Police Dillman and in
formed him that the specimens were
being stolen. The Chief placed the matter
in the hands of L. w. Farrell one of the
best detectives in the State. As is usual
with him, he went to work with a will,
and, after considerable search, came upon
1926 Sixth street. in this city, firm of Jew
elers named Hotfilter & Grafmiller. When
these gentlemen were asked who had sold
the specimens to them they promptly re-
piled by giving the name of an employee OF
Mr.. Wallis in the State Library, and they
gave the detective the days on which speci-
mems had been purchased and the amounts
paid. With this information Detective
Farrell confronted the thief, who admitted
the facts. He then repaired to the Chief
of Police with his budget, telling the
Chiet of his good fortune. Wal
lis was sent for and the Chief took
him into his Office and in the presence of
Detective Farrell said: We have de-
tected the thief who has been stealing the
specimens from the cabinet; it is so and so,
who is employed by you in the State Ii
brary.' On ! my God = replied Wallis,
wringing his hands. That will not do. |
will not do anything to injure him. Chief,
just let the matter drop where it is And
it was dropped. And that man is still en-
ployed by Wallis in the State Library, and
draws large amounts from the State
Treasury. The information was laid be-
fore the Governor, and, as each case of
theft had to be treated siDgly, they were
charges of petty larceny only, and were
barred by the statute of limitations"
tive called on Messrs. Hotfilter & Graf
miller at their place of business, and asked
them if they would be willing to furnish
the reporter with any information they had
upon the subject. The gentlemen stated
that when the party who sold them the
specimens first came into their store, they
asked his name and from where he OBJ
tanned the minerals. He gave his name as
Brown, and said he received the specimens
from his son-in-law or brother-in-law, who
had mining claim on Butte Creek
Brown first sold specimens on October 8,
1884. TO the amount of So. On December
Sth, of the same year, he again visited their
store and disposed of 81 20 worth of gold
specimens, giving the same account of them
as before. He did not sell any more speci-
mems to them until February 3, 1885, when
he received 81 % for what gold he had.
Twentyfour days later, February 9th, he
again sold gold specimens to the firm and
received for them SO 50. On April 18th he
was paid 81 50 for the specimens he pre-
sented. July Both he appeared at the store
and sold S24 worth of specimens. His last
sale to the firm was on August 31st
of the same year, when he was paid S2l
Since the last date he has been in the store
to sell specimens but once. On that occa-
sion he did not sell. He left the store, re-
marking that he would call later in the
day and dispose of the specimens. AT that
time he displayed about SIS worth of gold.
The gentlemen, not knowing Brown, and
having no knowledge that his story con-
corning the Butte county mine was false,
did not suspicion anything crooked in the
matter. They did not know where Mr..
Brown was employed until informed by
the reporter. A tour of the other stores
where gold is bought failed to disclose
that Brown had disposed of specimens at
any other place. One or two dealers in
old gold could not remember whether or
not they had purchased gold specimens at
the time indicated. The circumstance of
Brown being employed at the library, and
the sale of so many gold specimens, and
his alleged acknowledgment of the steal
ing should be sufficient cause for such a
man to be removed from the employ of the
State, and denied admittance to the Capitol
building.