The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1897-06-25


as souvenirs. All the desirsl;sa olsa arsg
| have been carried off year, ,'ole eaaes
sweet bay and gall berr,, 4s'' aal
! pressed into service. 1'e beag
/ what Became of the kch,,,
At stated intervals ono feasrse
| press of the country an al,agss IL The
! tic account of what beo,,a S0lAea
wealth, wealth OF the confederacy. n" u d 'as
federate Government POSSE, ~ 'oa
neighborhood of $3o0o,ooo IN ra,. II Tie
/ silver coins and bullion. 40, - 90S AID
the billion or so of currency nv. p'S4''a
WAS reduced from time to H.. NS Sla
for blockade runners at tba e pay
Charleston and Wilmington IL. Io'S Of
being used for the purchase ',+s .s same I
and supplies. VI aims
The following story of Who.
of the money is Of peculiar in-as' D.vaIae
Ausustians, from the fact that i'es, ,ban 70
tedera1e treasury was located bs.s h.. wv
last years OF the war, the old Nao, MAJ sa
les Bank being the deposition, |,'-''s
~ ''i "is III that t!!mn N,
tolie" OF this bank, and it was frc,n ,4 '4s
that | learned the particulars rao.'.. 'la
ed be-ow OF the disappearance sts' Of ~
nations wealth, says a corras,o,,, Na
OF the Augusta Chronicle i,,l 1'E4
the way, Mr.. North is the sole s,,rr;u
OF the officers of this instttntion wv ~,
he has a very distinct recojIoc,ior @-a
the financial doings OF those doys "
The Mechanics Bank was ..
time one OF the largest financial nas ,,'.'
tutions in the South. Its Offices ,~aa @
Thomas A. Metcalf, Presideur. ,frs s
Hatch. Cashier, and John \ yo-h
Teller When it became evj,len. ,h., ~
New Orleans would fall into tho nal -'
session of the Federals, the noney nea na'
t'ined in the Mint there was rar,orss
10 Montgomery and subseoDan,l
brought to Austria. The trrasr,.
here was in q p.ethoric condition ,ybo,
the crisis became apparent 10 the Cam
fedelate Cabinet. Early IN 1865 .IrNs
Crump. Assistant Secretary of II.
Treasury, put in appearance here with
considerable sum OF money. Inos,l,
N gold, belonging to the banks Of Rich
mond. This money was also Geyos;sa
in the Mechanics Banl. along Will
taat brought from New Orleans.
The massing Of this enormous wea,,s
at this point was not known 10 a er7a,
many. and the question OF its sgfg7
was one OF great concern. ESPECIAL,
was this true as the hopelessness d
the Confederate cause grew more sn
parent TO the people. This fear for th
safety OF the money was augmea.d
by the fact that the city was dlIej
With retIrnea's from the army. tie ma
jc1ity Of whom Were in despera;e
straits for the necessaries Of life and
the situation became more serious day
by d9y. The report reached IL? city
tn2t the Coys1nlIs eat lad fallen. and
the people became Wild. The Confel
crate stores located here were laiiej
along with the Georgia Railroad deru.
In the latter place was The personal
baggage Of Gen Beauragaaji, which
vas also carried away By the mob
II WE.s next sura0rad that the m0b
would Loot the Mechanics Bank. A
ca-.s.ztat-5l WIS held barwetl Ness-s
Ne1cat and C1unl1p. and in the hope a
que-lIg t2la Tli5le,s they ordered tie
a22A1 10 Tsay out S1G0 in gold for some
lh-a2 like S20,GG9 in C0ntedara,a cur
raaeT
Tie TIN that this ina.ug7l,@tel was
tremendous. ConE etle-ata n9.es wea
Brought in hanaeal-ts and wleaIbar
rows. and for one entire day the bank
lsa5d Out gold for worthless Iape. Sc
great was t.he quantity presented 70:
exchange that cotton baskets were
used 10 hold ii. The first days eype
li&aee caused Niessrs. C1-u1np and Net
calf 10 counrelTnand the order 10 pay
cut gS,ld for Confederate currency
Thai .iiG:h1 n number of teams u.lleF
guard CT cavalry drew up al the bank.
and what remained Of the treasury
was loaded on the wa CONS.
The wagon t,>a:12 crossed INTO Caro-
linn aGd proceeded UD the river and
crossed h2@1 ea4s1c1.y Of Wasll.aSN1,
Ga. THIS WAS tae last seen q ne
wealth nf the treasury. and no a,lchen'
tic account OF its Disappearance las
ever been published. 1t was reqoTtd
that The men conducting the re,noT2l'
tnaueurated raid. Each IS said tc
have taken as much gold as he could
conveniently carry, and, mounting d
male. departed, TO enjoy his loot.
Some portion OF tlse bai1ian was til'l'
ly recovered by the IHedatals, who
We're closely pursuing the rrs4asii!
train. This money was returned 70
Augusta. whence ii was sent TO VASE
ineto2, D. C.
Shortly after the war the presyle-.
Of the Louisiana Bank made 4 pers5a.lI
demand on Mr.. Metcalf f3T lie Eatlr,l
OF that portion Of money sent from DIS
bank when the money was re-n97al
from New Orleans. The demand lAeE
with refusal, and no effort was .-el
made to collect The sum.
1t is conJendel TINT the entire WAGON
train, with a!l its wealth, fell 1io LII
hands of the Federals, and al Tar1'S
times efforts have been made 70 nave
Congress reimburse several FflE-''
that intrnsfed ihelE -l''I,
~, ont