The morning call., 1893-02-05
The First One Committed
in California.
A CUSTOM-HOUSE LOOTE
How Uncle Sam Was Relieved of
Thirty Thousand Dollars in
Gold and Silver.
Written for The MORNING CALL.

on the Pacific Coast under the Government
of the United States. About $50, 900 in gold
dust. gold coin and silver dollars Was the
booty Of the burglars. The perpetrators
were never arrested or brought TO justice.
Indeed, small effort was made TO discover or
appreheDd them by the authorities. Never
theleSs the main facts Of The robbery and
correct knowledge of the identity of the
principal in the crime was commonly known
in San Fran cisco and throughout the State
Monterey was the original capital of Alta
or Upper California and the chief ocean
port under Spanish and Mexican jurisdic-
ton. Under the California State govern
ment it ceased to be the capital, and as an
ocean port it became of lower grade, rank
ing with San Diego. as San Francisco was
made the chief port of the whole coast
north Of Lower California. Only few YES
sells entered or departed from Monterey,
but the United States continued it as port
and maintained the CustOm-hOuse estab-
lished there under Mexican jurisdiction.
DR.. Randall, an elderly gentleman from
the older States, was the Collector of the
Port under the administration of President
Fillmore. The Custom-house was OF the or
binary Mexican style OF building, with thick
adobe walls and plain order Of archi-
lecture. No thought of closely and strictly
guarding the building occurred TO Collector
Randall from hong usage of former oc-
eupants IN office and the general cOndi-
ton Of things under American occupation.
The considerable sum of nearly $50, 900 had
accumulated in the keeping of the Col
lector. There was no iron or steel vault or
safe in which to Stcre the gold dust and
coin; simply an 0id-style Government
strougboX, a plaything for an expert rObber,
and the adobe walls were not proof against
the efforts OF the skilled burglar. Still
Collector Randall dwelt in happy security
of the money aud cOntented himself In the
full belief that 1t was sale to await the or
der Of the department ut Washington. Nor
did he have any misgivings as TO the safety
of The Government treasure In the Occa-
sional journeys to San Francisco and other
places. His subordinates were trusted in
charge as honest, upright men, who would
carefully guard the public money and
transact the public business. DR.. Randall
was himself q sedate, painstaking and
careful business man, was temperate,
frugal and methodIcal, and RETAINED from
the excuses. designations, extravaganees
and irregularities OF life commonly prev
alent at the time among residents OF Cali
fornia, who had emgrated from the older
States during the gOld-hunting period. He
was generally estimated as man OF good
habits, well regulated in the ways Of exem-
plary life, quiet, unobtrusiye and of diff
dent manners.
In the rush Of gold -huEters In 1S49 was
one Belcher Kay, from Boston. He was an
Englishman of middle age, and athletic
figure. addicted to sporting life. To Boston
he had made his way from Australia, and it
was in short tine whispered that he was
an escaped convict undergoing sentence Of
transportation. But the nature OF his Of
Tense and the term Of his sentence we're in
volyed 10 debatabe question. However, he
was found to be "a jolly good fellow" by
the sporting class In Boston. and whatever
lie had been, or the OffenSe for which he had
undergone transportation, was put aside III
the companlonable sphere Of his Boston ac-
Quaintances and admirers. They took him
for what he seemed-a clever, genial, merry
cOmTade, skillful in athletic sports, bright
and square in his dealings, and an all-around
good fellow and boon companion. His
natural qualities prepossessed. and his
peculiar accomplishments won the admira-
tiOn of the class he mostly affected and cared
to associate with. Kay was of stout mold
strong and active of limbs, handsome IN
general makeup. open-faced, hearty Of man.
ner and captivating in address.
The. "manly art OF seif-defense was
much encouraged at that time IN Boston, and
Belcher Kay was an adept In the art and
fis;ic science who fifty bore the distinction
of professor" in the Athens of America.
for in the first place he was English, you
know" and had been duly trained and in
Quoted In the profession" so that he WAS
SCleDc6u pUglliSb anu "a aIitltN, DbbneTSDIUey
hard adversary to combat IN the priZering
and to train the self-delense n0viees of the
Hub he was popularity considered the aptest
tutor But the golden flow Of California
entlced him and Belcher Kay started thence
among the earliest. In California, al the
digglngs, and in San Francisco, he was
recognized by former chums and associates
lately arrived from Australia, mostly
Sydney ducks" as they were commonly
known. In brief time he abandoned the
diggings as too laborious and found more
cougenial employment in San Francisco.
Conyersant with the life and ways of
lougshoremen and seafaring methods, he
soon picked up profitable business In that
active line and embarked also in politics
He was made State Harbor Master of the
port OF San Francisco by Governor John
McDougal, and had served about a year in
that capacity when the robbery OF the
CustOm-house at Monterey occurred. While
In office he cultivated the acquaintance OF
prominent local personages and became
popular favorite. He made occasional trips
10 San Jose, then the State capital, and
made the acquaintance OF many upon the
road. The journey to and from the capital
was at that time made IN day, either by
bay steamer from San Francisco, by stage
or on horseback. between morning and
evening. requiring from seven TO ten hours.
Beyond San Jose, toward Monterey, the
route was mainly by land, and a tedious
San Francisco Kay had met several fugi-
lives and ex-convicts transplanted from
England to New South Wales for their va
rious crimes. and among them were expert
burglars, robbers. highwaymen and desper-
ale criminals. They had escaped or hurried
away TO reap golden store In California,
some OF them by honest toll and rightful
ways if they could, but with most of them
the desire and resolve was to acquire gold
stake or competency. The office he held
enabled Kay to learn OF shipping, cargo
maDifests and Custom-house entries. His
acquain lance with Collector Randall gave
him an opportunity to ascertain the condi-
ton of the Cust0m-h house at Monterey and
the business methods, of the moneys on
hand and the place they were kept and the
time aud manner OF disbursements, etc.
At the time of the robbery the sum OF
money in keeping was in excess of any
storage of the year. The security that Col
lector Randall felt in its safe custody was
apparent certainty that especial guardian
ship was not required To its perfect protec-
ton against lawless seizure. 1t was not a
difficult matter to lure Collector Randall
from his post to make the visit 10 San Jose
or San Francisco. Belcher Kay had visited
Collector Randall on the invitation of the
Collector, and had been shown through the
building and informed OF the manner and
the place of keeping the Government
moneys 1t was an easy thing for any
oAlduscE W iouk dUOut TIC uuIlulHg anu
make inspection Of the walls and surround
ings-ot everything in the old Spanish town,
in fact.
One dismal morning while Collector Ran
dali was absent from Monterey, 1851, the
discovery was made by subordinate that
the Cust0m-bouse had been burgarized.
Quick investigation by the deputy collector
revealed that the strongbox had been riled
of Its moneyed store and everything of
portable value was missing Alarm was of
no avail in the neighborhood; tracks Of the
perpetrators could not be traced no Identity
by which detection OF the burglars or re-
covery ef the booty was made possible or
practicable. On the return OF Collector
Randall systematic search proved futile.
The roads afforded no clew; the trails were