The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1900-02-23
FOUND NEARLY A MILLION.
Novel Experience of a scrubwOman
In the Treasury Department.

Novel Experience of Scrubw oman
In the Treasury Department.
In 1862 Sophie Holmes was employ
ed by General Spinner, the treasurer
Of the United States, as temporary
charwoman. She was assigned to the
rooms of the issue division to sweep
and dust. One afternoon in April of
that year Aunt Sophie was hard at
work sweeping and scrubbing the
floors when she came across a large
bundle which she supposed was waste
paper and was in the act of throwing
it in the basket to be burned when she
decided to investigate it. She was
amazed and almost frightened out OF
her wits to discover several dozen rolls
OF $1,000 bills, 100000 in all. BY
some unexplainable mistake this pack
age of money was overlooked, and
even when the accounts were balanced
in the evening it was not missed, and
General Spinner. believing all to be
secure. had locked the safe and gone
out with an easy conscience.
Aunt Sophie. on finding all of this
wealth unguarded. decided to remain
in the room until some one with au-
thority to accept the money should ar
rive. So. to allay all suspicion, she pre-
tended to be working very hard, but
always remained near the money. She
was afraid to leave the bundle to seek
General Spinner, and, not knowing the
guard. she thought it best not to trust
him with her secret. She thought of
going out and carrying the bundle Of
money with her; then it occurred to
her that the guard, not knowing her,
might examine the package and, on
finding its valuable contents, either
kill her and escape with the wealth or
suspect her of theft. There seemed but
one thing for her to do, to stay and
guard the fortune with her life if nec-
essary.
About 9 o'clock one of the guards en-
| tered the room and, on finding Aunt
Sophie still there, asked:
"Still at workY'
Aunt Sophie began to sweep with ali
of her might and main. YES" she an
swered, "but I'll soon be through"
And she made such a dust that the
watchman was only too glad to escape.
| She swept the dust and dirt into pile
| and then scattered it over the floor
again in an effort to appear to be very
| busy. No more watchmen disturbed
| her, and finally, out of sheer eXhaus
| ton, she sat down to rest and soon
| dropped asleep.
About midnight she awoke, hearing
a noise in the hall. She was frighten-
| ad nd Ri hn hnr IA.
| the spot where she had hidden the
money, wedging it in between two
| desks. Then she seated herself on it,
determined to stay there till General
/ Spinner, who slept in the building,
should arrive. In this cramped posi-
| ton she slept until o'clock in the
morning, when she heard a soft foot
fall In the hall, and, listening, she
thought she recognized the step Of
General Spinner. In trembling voice
she called his name.
General Spinner was known as the
watchdog of the treasury" a name
| given him from the fact that he had q
habit of wandering through the build
| ing at all hours of the night to see that
everything was all right In the silence
and darkness of the night this low,
trembling voice Of woman frightened
the general, although he was not an
acknowledged believer in ghosts. On
discovering Aunt Sophie wedged in be-
tween two desks his fright was turned
into surprise. The relief from the re-
sponsibility almost unnerved Aunt So
phie, and she began to cry. She could
not explain the situation, only mur-
muring, "Oh, General Spinner, don't
go, don't go!'
Finally, when she had become quiet
ed and could tell her story and investi
CATION proved it to be correct, the truth
dawned upon the general, and it is said
that he swore black and blue at every
thing in, about and near the treasury
Not until he had relieved himself III
this manner for nearly an hour did he
allow Aunt Sophie to go home. The
money was finally locked up in his pri
vate safe to await the next days inves
tigation. Several days later Aunt So
phie was sent for and complimented
for her faithfulness and as a token OF
gratitude was given life appoint
Washington Post.
|