Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1895-07-19
STORY OF THE TRANSFER.
The RothschiIds aid How the United States
Bonds Were Delivered to Them.

WaSnlnStOui duly to.-lne SJoTy VI the
delivery by the treasury representatives of
the United States bonds to the Rothschilds
is one of the most interesting in govern
ment flnanciering. The representatives
of the treasury department., Assistant
Secretary Curtis, Chief Clerk Logan Car
Isle, L. o. Murray and William Messervy,
who sailed, May 20, by the Paris on this
important mission. returned, Saturday.
The precious documents which were is
sued to repleDish the stock of gold in the
treasury were carried to London in wooden
boxes lined with tin and securely sealed.
From Washington to New York they went
as postal matter. When they were taken
from the postal car they were carried to
the steamer and transported to London
marked as the personal baggage of Logan
Carlisle
There were 80, $40 bonds, of par value
of S3l, 157, 700. OF this number %, ST.
were $1,000 bonds 41S6 were $500 bonds,
and ST. were 500 bonds. The total
amounted to just half of the entire is
sue of the Morgan Belmont syndicate
The treasury representatives reached
Southampton, June 5. There the IL boxes
containing the bonds were placed in a
baggage van of railroad train and,
guarded by two of the Rothscbllds' pri-
vate detectives, were taken to London on
the 9th. The boxes were taken from the
railroad station to the Rothschilds' bank
ing house in their private van, carefully
guarded by their detectives.
The work of counting, signing and de-
livering the bonds began on June z All
these precautions were taken to prevent
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lost or stolen, for while they were worth
less to any one who might have become
possessed of them, yet the loss of one would
have put the department TO great incon-
vcnience
In the lower right hand corner Of each
bond three blank spaces were reserved for
the signatures of officials of the treasury.
Two of these signatures were made by the
secretarys office and one by the register
of the treasury. One signature had al
ready been attached to the bonds before
they left Washington, but the absence of
either of the others rendered them invalid
The mission of Logan Carlisle and William
Messervy was to add their initials and
practically perfect the bonds, so it will be
seen that their mission to London was a
very important one
The work of formally signing and de.
livering the bonds took place in private
room in the Rothschilds banking house
About 5000 Of the bonds were signed each
day, and it required II working days to
complete the task. AS each bond was
completed it was passed over to Lord
Rothschild, and when days work was
ended he gave a receipt to the assistant
secretary of the treasury for the number
delivered. Meanwhile the entire IL boxes
containing tho bonds were secured in the
| safety vault in the Rothschild bank
On June 90, Lord Rothschild took the
treasury agents to the Ascot races on his
coach, and they enjoyed drive of II miles
through Windsor Park.
The treasury officials say that the trans.
action was marked by the greatest display
of confidence on both sides 1t is a fact,
given unofficially, that the Rothschilds
had paid in nearly ali the money before
the bonds were delivered, or even before
they were perfected and rendered valid by
the necessary signatures. For months be-
fore the delivery the entire amount of
money had been at the disposal of the
treasury officials
Lord Rothschild is described as a man
about 90 years OF age, with gray hair and
gray beard, not under great nervous strain
as might be imagined, but taking a lively
interest in all sporting matters Leopold
one of the members of the firm, is very
industrious and works in the bank every
night until IL O'Clock. The Rothschilds
hold in their vaults as collateral securities
of nearly every civilized nation In the
world