Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-04-20
seoo,ooo,ooo IN PERIL.
The Old Treasury Vault Entered W nm TX
pert in Seventeen Minutes.
fr.buadefphin Record.l


The Treasurer of the United States has
asked the House Committee on Approprla-
tions to put through the House immaculate
ly q special appropriation to enable MN 10
strengthen the old Treasury vault at WASH
inctor. in which are deposits ageregating
5000, 000, 900. He had experiments maze
recently, his suspicious having Deen
aroused "a to the security Oh the yaut.s'
which is of n STYLE twenty-five years ola.
His expert bored hole through tho vault
wall n, seventeen seconds, and made the
hole large enough to crawl through IN
seventeen minutes. Practically the con-
tents of tho vault were at his disposal, in
GLIDING S250, 900 in greenbacks In corner
six feet square .,,:
The committee on receiving this startling
information told Treasurer Huston TO go
ahead and prepare estimates, promising TO
put through the House immediately any
appropriation deemed necessary. The lree-
surer is now preparing estimates. whlen
will probably be ready so that the blil can
be presented tomorrow. Meanwhile the
Treasury guards have been doubled.
The total amount of the funds for which
Treasurer Huston is responsible 10 about
S770 600, 900. OF this amount about TlV',
900, 900. chiefly in silver, Is in the new stee,
silver vault. the remainder being in thu ora
Treasury vault whichit is now proposeo 10
repair and strengthen. Treasurer Huston
does not think much of the new steel silyer
vault; but, as it is rather difficult TO carry
of the cart wheel dollars. 1t does not make
so much difference about this vault. But
in the old Treasury vault are miscellaneous
moneys-gold silver. greenbacks. &C.
which could be carried of, and treasurer
Huston is unwilling to carry this risk longer
without trying to strengthen the vault
walls.
The Treasury watchmen have always
been noted for their integrity and fdelity,
but if by political influence their position
not being protected by the civil-serylce
law two or three expert cracksmen
could be gotten on the force, or if the
craoksmen could get into the Urea
sury at night on an employees pass or IN
anv other way. less than half an hour
work on the old Treasury vault would give
them the biggest fortune in the world II
they got away with nothing but the green
backs.
The Treasurer's examination of the vault
and his Recommendation TO the Committee
on Appropriations have been kept pro-
foundly secret. even from all but the five
members of the committee who would
have special charge of the matter under
the committees decision.
Treasurer Huston almost jumped out OF
his chair when he was asked about 1t.
Directing his messenger, who was biottlng
his mail as the Treasurer signed. 1t. to
leave the room and close the door. he pro-
ceeded to interview the interviewer as to
how he got the news, which be thought he
had kept profoundly secret. OF course he
did not learn anything, but seeing that the
interviewer had the facts he admitted
that 1t was all true. but begged that it
should not be published lest 1T create on
unnecessary sensation. But the inter
viewer had to tell him that he could not
keep an open secret, and so the story goes.