The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1890-04-24
JUST BORE IN AND STEAL.
Uncle Sans Millions Invite a Visit Ero,a
Thievcs-Tho Treasury Vaults Not Snre.

Uncle Sans Millions Invite n Visit lrr,,,,
ThieveS-Tho Treasury Vaults Not Safe.
WAsln>oN, April 17.-Thc treas.
urcr OF the United States has asked
TIA" liou%" committee on appropria-
ton 10 put through thc House I'M
inedlately special appropriation to
enable him to strengthen the old
treasury vault, III which are deposits
aggregating $6O0,OOO,OOO. He had
experiments made recently, his sus-
plclonS having been aroused as to the
security of the vaults which nre of u
style twenty-five years old. His
expert bored hole through the
vault wtll Ill seventeen seconds, and
he made the hole large enough to
crawl through III seventeen minutes.
Practically the contents of the vaults
were at his disposal, including $780,
ooo IN grrtnbackS III u corner six feet
square. The committee, on recciv-
ing tins startling information, told
Treasurer Huston to go ahead and
prepare estimates. promising to put
through the House immediately anv
appropriation deemed necessary. The
treasurer Is now preparing estimates
which will probably be ready 80 that
the bill can be presented ut once.
MeanWhllc the treasury guards have
been doubled.
The total amount of the funds for
which Treasurer Huston is RESPONSE
blc is about S77O,OOO,OOO. OF this
amount about S170,OOO,OOO, chiefly in
silver, are in the new steel silver
vault, the remainder being in the old
treasury vault, which it is now pro
posed to repair and strengthen.
TREASURER Huston does not think
! much Of the steel silver vault. but as
it is rather difficult to carry off the
| cart wheel dollars, it does not make
| so much difference about this vault.
Bat i'll the old treasury vault are
| miscellaneous moneys, gold, silver,
grccnbacks, etc, which could be car
| red of, and Treasurer Huston is
unwilling to carry this risk longer
without trying to strengthen the
vault walls. The treasury watchmen
nave always been noted for their
integrity -und fidelity, but if, by
political influence, their positions not
beng protected by tho civil service
| law. two or three expert cracksmcn
could be cot on the force or if tie
cracksmcn could get into the treas
ury at night on an employees pass or
IN any other way, less than half an
hours work on the old treasury
vault would give them the biggest
fortune i'll the world if they got away
with nothing bat the grecnbacks
The trcaSllrcrS examination of the
vault and his recommendation to the
| committee Oh appropriations have
been kept profoundly secret from all
but five members Of the committee
who would have especial charge of
the matter under the committees
division Of labor. Treasurer Huston
| almost jumped out OF his chair when
he was asked about it this evening.
Directing his messenger, who was
blotting his mail as the treasurer
| signed it, to leave the room and close
the door, he proceeded to interview
the interviewer as to how he got the
news which he thought he had kept
| profoundly secret. OF course no did
| not learn anything, but seeing that
the interviewer had the facts, admit
ted that it was all true, but said that
it should not be published lest it
create an unnecessary sensation. Tho
| interviewer had to tell him that he
| could not keep an open secret, and
so the story goes.