The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1895-06-26
State TREASURY ROBBED
New Hampshire Loses in a Mysterious
Way Over $4,000.
KEY USED BY UNKNOWN THIEVES


to Get Change, Were Supposed to Have
Secured the Key to the Vault and the
Combination Of the Lock to the Safe---
No Clue to Their whereabouts,
A dispatch from Concord. N. H., says:
Some time between Saturday night and Tues
day of the first week in June the vault OF the
New Hampshire State Treasury was robbed
Of cash and securities amounting, accord
ing to Treasurer Carters latest estimate, to
S5429.66.
The robbery Is laid at the door Of two
strangers, who were seen about the building,
who in some manner secured possession OF
the key to the vault. and knowledge Of the
working Of the lock.
On the Saturday morning mentioned. while
Deputy Treasurer Gerrish and State official
were In the Treasurer's Office, q stranger en-
tered and requested $50 bill in exchange
for small bills, which was given lhim, he
meantime standing where he could get q
good view Of the vault.
Shortly before noon the Treasury was
closed and Treasurer Carter and his deputy
went to dinner. When Deputy Gerrish re-
turned at p. m. he found man waiting
outside who wanted 800 bill changed, say
ing that he could not get accommodated on
the street, as most Of the stores were closed.
The deputy said he would accommodate him
and the two entered the Treasury together.
The State Treasurer's vault Is small and
insecure affair, and the safe, which stands
beside It, is old-fashioned and one that
would require but little skill to open.
The custom Is to place the cash In the cash
box in the vault, lock the latter, place the
vault key in the safe outside in the office,
close the safe door, and then lock the office
door when the Treasury is closed for the day.
Deputy Gerrish opened the vault on this
occasion. after first taking the key from the
safe, and his visitor had nothing else to do
but watch the movements OF that official.
Having obtained the required change, the
man departed.
The Treasury was all right when II was
closed on Saturday night. That night Major
Gerrish received the news OF his mother
death in Vermont, and he did not reach the
Treasury till Monday morning at about IL
O'Clock, when, noticing his grief, Treasurer
Carter advised him to 80 home and rest
while.
After making some change for himself
from the cash drawer Major Gerrish closed
the vault and cash box In the usual manner,
locking the vault and putting the key In the
safe. Treasurer Carter left the office soon
afterward.
Major Gerrish returned at about 2 o'clock,
and, finding a gentleman waiting to draw
some money. went to the safe to get the key
of the vault, but 1t was not there.
He told the gentleman that Treasurer
Carter must have inadvertently taken the
key home with him and that the vault could
not be opened till his return. When that Of
fetal returned he said he had not touched
the kew of the vault since Major Gerrish had
closed up in the morning.
The next day, as the key was nowhere to
be found, the services Of locksmith were
secured and the vault was opened, when the
startling discovery was made that robbery
had been committed.
Among the State property taken are two
New Hampshire State bonds Of $500 each,
and one for $1,000, which are readily con-
yertibe into cash, and $1,000 in currency.
There is also a certified check for S2044.16,
made payable to the order OF the State Treas
urer, on which payment has been stopped.
Two bank books In the name OF Treasurer
Carter's daughter and several old deeds Oh
land for military purposes were also taken.
They left untouched bonds and mortgages
worth nearly $4,000, also two State bonds
upon which the cancellation marks were
very indistinct.
The deftness with which the robbery was
committed indicates that 1t was the work OF
professionals, and their sagacity Is shown by
the manner in which they selected their
booty.