The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1888-11-03
UNCLE SANS TREASURY.
Mighty Tough Nest for Thieves, or Even
n Mob to Crack.


III one OF thos giants, about which
we heard so much in our younger
days, was TO develop u modern Bill
Sykes tendency, and select the Treasury
Department as the scene of his opera
tions, he might make a pretty good
haul, provided the small army Of watch
men allowed him to get away.
Suppose all the money in the Treas
ury was piled up in one room. My
giant burglar would find at his hand
S234, 100000 in gold and silver, $780,
000,0S0 in bonds, and an addi-
tional 100000 600 in new silver dol
lars If he happened to time his visit
when the new silver vault in the main
courtyard is full, and q silver stream
of $500,000 u day is steadily flowing
into that subterranean treasure house.
Here is nearly 5000, 100000. just
think of It'll More money than can be
found in any of the banks of Europe
The Bank of England has only $101,-
600, 900; the Bank of France, 1852, ,000,-
600; the Imperial Bank of Germany,
$237 900, 600.
This little "wad" OF 5000, 100000 is
nominally in charge of James w.
Hyatt, the United States Treasurer,
who, by tho way is very bright speci
men of Connecticut Yankee. Mr..
Hyatt has to give Il bond of $l50,000
for the safe-keeping of that money, not
cent of which he ever actually han
Il hut i OF ~
night counting his cash and the cares
of Office sit lightly upon him.
Massive iron safes, imbedded in solid
masonry. protected by time locks and
every other kind of anti-burglar device
known to ingenuity of man, guard this
treasure, and, in addition, II force of
armed watchmen patrol the building
night and day. If man wanted to
steal any money out of the Treasury he
would have pretty hard time of it.
don't remember now of any attempt OF
the kind having ever been made, al
ways excepting the firm of L. j. Brady
Il Co., and some other gentlemen of
the same kidney, who planned a very
successful raid. But they had the COM
! bination at that time, and since then we
have changed all that.
Any one who has been abroad is at
once struck by the armed sentries con-
stantly on guard in front of the gov
ernment banks. If you should happen
to pass the Bank of England any night
| about five o'clock you would see de-
tachment OF the Grenadier Guards
march into the bank, and there they
remain until nine o'clock next morning.
There isn't Il sentry, not even as much
as n marine, to be seen anywhere round
| the treasury, but at every door sits u
vigilant watchman, and he sharply
scrutinizes all comers, especially those
| who are strangers to him. He doesn't
look very fierce, but the drawer of the
desk at which he sits contains heavy
| Colts revolver, and at Il given signal
| he would Immediately close his door
| and stand on guard, revolver in hand.
At two o'clock the department is
closed to visitors, and light iron graf
| ing serves TO bar out the general public.
Only persons armed with u pass are
| then admitted. At four o'clock the
employees leave and the building is
turned over to the night watch to re-
main in their possession until eight
| o'clock the next morning. Fourty-four
men comprise the night watch in tive
reliefs, each of which is in command
of lieutenant. The night watchmeu
| carry their 45-caliber revolvers in their
belts, ready for use at IL moments no.
tice. The first thing they do when
| they go on duty is TO see that every
room is properly locked and all fires
are ''banked up' for the night, then
they turn the keys into the Office of the
captain of the watch, whore they are
hung on big board. The men are
| distributed round the various floors
| and assigned to certain corridors, and
every half hour they turn in signal
| from watchman's box. The big money
vaults are never left unmatched for d
moment during the entire night, and
in case OF necessity the guard can
Immediately summon assistance by
| turning in signal from his call box.
l. hiSS llCh piViOi oIiO Duitlhts oh IllS
outside. In the captains Office is
case containing thirty-ilve Springfield
rifles and bayonets, the same number
of cartridge belts and five hundred
rounds OF ball.
All things considered, it wouldn't be
very safe thing for IL mob to try and
loot the Treasury Washington Cor.
pncgou (IoL q