The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-05-25
A FORTUNE AT ONE STROKE.
An Unwrittea Incident of the Last
Days of the War.
From the New York World.

WASHINGTON, May IS.-FeD, ii, lo05,
Rad been chilly and raw, with intermittent
soowers of rain. As night fell the wind
changed to the northwest. 1t grew very
aid and there were several falls of snow
IN heavy. clinging fakes. Washington was
al of people Members of Congress were
met and buttonholed by Brigadier Generals
xyearing brand new uniforms in the lobby
or general lounging room of Wizards
T2tsl. During the four years CT the
war it was the one general rendezvous for
congressman and contractors, far COlOnelS
Who wanted To be Brigadier Generals and
Tor Brigadier Generals who wished to have
the donble stars on their shoulder straps
and lobbyists, human vultures and wolves,
and spes-more euphoniously called secret
seryice men--all these classes made the
lobbV of Wizards a common meeting
mace. have spoken of Wizards because
IN that very lobby was incubated one of
the most wonderful coWps of the great war.
-Four men met there the evening of Feb.
"a 1865. After exchanging a few words
+hey went upstairs to room q. 1t was q
famous quarter in those days, large, with
smaller bedroom opening off from it. If
they could talk, of how many strange
secrets the wills OF No, 81 might tell
The four were all of prominence. The
first was a member of one of the houses of
Congress, man of national fame. The
second held an important position just be-
Meath a Cabinet officer, of great confidence
and importaace. The third was man who
had arrived in Washington that day. at
was risky coming" said ne, as he laid off a
heavy overcoat, evidently not of American
make. but you said come, and have tab en-
tbe chances you will never be recog-
nzed here" replied tho public official,
while the Congressman started little when
he heard the name OF No. 3, and recognized
IN il an old officer of the United States navy,
Of an eminent Southern family, who had re-
signed some years before and was some
times mentioned in the foreign correspond
ence of New York journals as being the
leading purchasing agent of the Confederate
States in Europe, the man who had bought
10000 stand Of arms made ar Enfield, aud
landed them in the Confederacy too, and
approved the heavy batteries of the Shen-
andoah, the Florida, the Georgia, and the
Alabama before they were put aboard these
cruisers There were many agents abroad
who professed to have great authority, but
the man | speak of not only knew what to
buy, but how to get the things he purchased
into Confederate ports. So much for No. g.
The fourth man was New Yorker. who
is still living. You may SEQ him occasion
ally now always wearing the same satur-
nine look, and seeming to be very cold In
summer his clothes are the usual winter
garments of the average citizen, while in
winter he is literally clothed in the costliest
furs. His horses and carriages are the
finest that show In the park, and as their
owner sits wrapped up, with nothing but
part of a pale face visible, he looks like
Mephsto taking the air. His only other
Characteristic is a fondneSs for rare and
costly precious stones.
The four talked for an hour Then the
government official and No. went down
stairs and | got into cab that was waiting
at the private entrance. They both had so
muffled up their faces that one who knew
them we'll might have passed them without
recognition. But the night was cold, and
that made the heavy wraps necessary.
1t was still cold the next day. At the
Washington navy yard the Confederate
blockade runner Petrol was to be sold. She
had first been brought up from Fortress
Monroe the day before, and quite crowd
Of rivermen and naval officers were aboard
and about the vessel, taking a good look at
her, for she was one of the most famous
blockade runners ever built, and by all odds
the swiftest. Though she was model of
grace and swiftnesS, she had so little room
that she would be useless for ordinary COM
mercial purposes, and SO she was sold for
the small sum of $4,000. Her purchaser
was No 4. He put her in charge of a
sailor-looking man, and directed him to
ship men enough to take her around to New
York. There she was thoroughly over
hauled. Her engines received particular
attention. Stores for a short trip
were put aboard, and the captain
was directed to ship a proper crew
for her and sail for a Newfoundland
port and there await further orders. TIE
captain of the Petrol was a true Yankee
sailor OF the old type, now almost lost in
the decline Of our merchant marine. He
was from Portsmouth, n. H., and had been
born sailor he used to say. Faithful,
OF sturdy honesty, knowing his business
thoroughly, he was just the man for an adj
venture where clear head and good nerves
might become important factors Two or
three things puzzled the honest captain not
mule; What were the owners gong to do
with the shlpl He never asked any ques-
tons and always kept his tongue between
his teeth and waited to be- told whatever
the owners might wish him to know. He
made up his mind, however, that it would
90 no harm to learn the exact status of the
only person whose name he knew in the
matter, No T.
30 one afternoon, just before leaving for
the newfoundland port designated, he went
up TO the office of a well-known firm of ship
brokers' whom he had sailed for very often.
After few questions he found an opportu-
inity TO make the inquiries he wished He
iearned that the owner of the Petrol was
rising man" in "the street." that he had
made great fortune in bulling gold and
was supposed to be worth 81 900, 900, and
mat his loyalty to the government was
without suspicion.
greatly relieved, the honest Portsmouth
@iior returned aboard to find the owner
wa waiting for him. Get everything ready,
ou your stores aboard, with a good crew,
anq De ready to sail tomorrow. He had
oiVetS 10 pay the highest mar ct prices for
oole Seamen and first-class firemen, and his
engineers were perfectly competent He
@ued the next afternoon. just as he was
c.aStIhg OIL tue owner told him he would
y3lh MN a week later at st. Johns and gave
ulin his final instructions.
. he sailed March 5, 1855, and in the usual
tline made his destination, where he expect
ed the owner with instructions.
Jan. !, 1865, the Confederate government
lou IN Liverpool about $500 bales of cot
W o" r. mere were also. perhaps, 800 more
az az HLavre, France. This comprised about
' al v4e Confederate cotton that remained
uisolu' Cotton was advancing rapidly in
salue and was then worth about 81 50 per
pound IN America. The bales in Liverpool
averaged about 500 pounds each. his
tracts. wa
,o5 At Liege there were orders placed for
1TV nv stands Of arms, muskets generally.
+h uo9 ~ were to be paid for from the sales of