Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1891-08-08
TREASURE In PERIL
The Millions in Uncle Sans
Treasury Vaults.
A TRAMPs RATHER FIsHY STORY.

Text OF "A Letter Signed by the king of
the Tramps''-Officials Not Losing ANY
Sleep Over the Matter-Some Pointers
for Enterprising Burglars.
WASHINGTON, Aug. S.-The treasury
department has received letter which
discloses an alleged scheme to rob the
treasury vaults. Such robbery would
be an enterprise that would cap the crimi-
nal calendar, as there are "bar'ls" of cash
in those vaults. 1t would go "echoing
down the corridors of time" as the cham
pion burglary, and if the robbers got
away safely and stayed there each of
them would be veritable Monte Christie
A raid, however, would be of very doubt
full success and probably the only plan
that would have the least show would be
that of tunneling There is no fee at
tached TO this pointer to the gentry who
sometimes devote a skill and genius to
the capture of the risky rewards of ras-
cality that turned into honest channels
would make millionaires of them.
The Screed of the Informer.
The text Of the letters is given below.
1t is addressed as follows: Written for
the |. 5. Treasury department, Washing
ton, ID. c. An Intended Raid on the Treas
ury Building by Negroes and Relacreant
Whites Head of Department, Hon. c.
Foster ESQ and then proceeds: I've
just been made aware of "A plot by a des-
perate southerner of distinguished family
and rebel record, inadvertly upon my
promise of secrecy about the same, CON
corning a contemplated raid and lootiug
of the I. :. treasury some time next Au
gust. The way ! became cogniZant of the
affair. ! was asked to arm up what des-
peradoes or tramps could. so as TO be on
hand at such time which afterward was
TO be informed OF.
Gives the "Modus Operandus."
Their modus operandus is to arrive in
Washington a few days previous to the
contemplated raid, ostensibly as eXcur-
sionists meath the cognomen of Fraternal
Societies, etc, get on an high debauch
which would tax your police powers to
their extent, and in the height of the me-
lee fire diverse parts of the city away from
Gov buildings so as to create a diversion
in empral, thus in the midst Of such eX-
element under the cover of darkness
well armed body of Plunderers are to
overawe the meagre force at the command
of the government and 10y the explosions
of dynamite bombs add confusion to the
already Cboatic programme and in the
midst thereof carry of the plumber to a
craft or crafts on the Potomac or in spe
cial convoy by wagon or rail to the coast.
Very Considerable of Him.
Then the revelers are to disperse and re-
ceiVe from appointed agents afterward
the reward of their daring. Per Se the
majority OF the concourse are not To he let
into the secret of the attempt, but are TO
be brought there under recreation aus
pices or Fraternal Societies by a Free
ride at the expense Of the Wealthy orig
| inator Of the Plot. ! thought it behooved
me to acquaint you of the same in couse-
quence of the already great draft made on
your department in consequence of recent
legislation.
Il have. dear sir, the Honor to be yours
Il. f. OREX-TEMPo, CHANCE X. LOCK-"
The officials Not Alarmed.
The letter is written on large sheet
of brown MANILA paper, in pencil in a
fair hand. 1t was received July y and
referred to the captain of the watch.
| Treasury officials treat the matter lightly
as there i always a large force of we'll
armed guards Oh duty. and the city police
force is always within ready summons.
| The treasury vaults are secure enough to
| withstand any ordinary attack. even if
| admittance could be gained to the build
! ing
Good Midsummer Yarn.
Acting Secretary Nettleton said the
| Tramp letter was a good midsummer
! yarn in the absence of anything better.
| Treasurer Nebeker said he was not afraid
the treasury would be looted in that way
| Captain CobauCh, of the treasury watch,
said he had twenty-siX men on duty day
/ and night. and il would be almost impos-
| slb!e for the king of the tramps or any
| one else to carry out such a plan as sug-
! gestrd. Each of the twentys stations
| Is connected by electric wire with the cap
! tain's Office, and each man reports every
! half hour during the twenty-four hours
= Hint to the King of Tramps
! To all appearance the treasury building
| Is not very well protected. but the king
| Of the Tramps.7 who kindly sent warning
/ of tie proposed raid, ought to step inside
| the big building some night. Three men
| are constantly patrolling the outside and
| within are about twenty to twenty-five
| more scattered in various parts of the
| building, particularly in he neighborhood
| Of the treasure vaults The watchmen
are armed, and armed TO kill If the king
does not think SO he might inspect some
| day at his leisure dent about one inch
| deep and three inches in diameter.
How the Dent Was Made.
One day one Of the watchmen dropped
| his revolver on the floor. 1t was ex-
| pioded and the ball, passing between his
! coat tails, merely glanced against the
wall and made the dent. The usual
! weapon of the Waterman is a 45-caliber
revolver. At night about a dozen of these
may De seen lying about in convenient
positions, and in divers little armories are
lines three tiers deep of exact duplicates
of the revolvers. These armories are.
| moreover, supplied with number of
stacks of repeating Winchesters.
Ninety Thousand Dollar Fire in Iowa.
CLINTON, Ia, Aug. Sire broke
out about S o'clock Thursday
night in H. W. Earley's grist and
lumber mills located at Comanche. about
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