Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1902-05-18
The
CIR sp bic
4 FIND OF
CREElVBACKS


A few months before the close Of the
civil war, and one morning while I
was wandering over a piece of woods
on the Indiana side of the Ohio river, 7
found satchel which had been placed
between two powders so that it was
securely hidden from anything except
chance discovery. One might have
stood within three feet of it and been
none the wiser. The satchel vas lock-
ed, but used a stone to break it open,
and the first glance jumped my heart
into my thro2t. The satchel was full
of crisp. new greenbacks in packages
Of $1,000 each. Even after took one
Of the packages il my hand and care
fully inspected the bills wGs not
quite sure whether l was awake or
drea ming. There We're packages Of
ones. twos. fves and tens. and every
bill was fresh from the treasury at
Washington. l counted twenty-seven.
A week previous to the find had
read an account in the papers of the
robbery of an army paymaster at Mad
son, and l at once realized that this
money was portion of the spoils.
Nevertheless l was determined to keep
The money. We are all honest until
tempted. Some of US can be bought
sor a few hundred dollars, while 9TH
ars demand thousands. Replacing the
mOyey in tie satchel. started for
home. didn't propose to share the
secret Of the Eud with any one even il
shared the contents later on. there
'ore made my way to the barn and put
be s:;tchel il. safe place. l was fully
aalt an hour making up my mind
where TO deposit it. There We're sew
Aral tons of hay in the nGw and l
inally climbed up and dug hole 10
,ne corner AND dep .sited my treasure.
On the third lnor@ing of ,2y + sses
slOn. While We were eatin" breakfast
my uncle. with whom was tempo
.arly staying. lnenti3ned the fact that
4 tram, had come llte in the evening
after I had gone to bed and had been
given shelter in the barn. He had. to
NY unele's great surprise. got UP and
cleared oet without asking for any
thing to eat. 1t struck Ije all Of sud
aen that the tramp had found and car
ried off my prize. and. getting away
from the table as soon as could,
hurried to the bern to make an in
restigaticn. Everything in the hay
now was as had left it, but when l
lug down in the corner it was to find
ny werst fears realized. The satchel
md money were gone.
The further adventures Of the satchcl
covered a space OF months. The tramp
:ook the highway fer Jasper, in a
southwest direction. and by getting q
if with IL teanSter he made about
wen.y.tive miles Flat ti"st day. While
le was dressed like a tramp. the team
:ter was satisfied that he was not one.
Perhaps the O,'eSti ions 'ie asked fright
.ned the man into doing what he did.
After leaving the teamster he entered
I country schoolhouse and hid the mop-
~ in the garrett 1t was one story
structure. with low garret reached
~ scuttle in the ceiling. About three
weeks after the money had been placed
the garnet the chimney Of the school.
aouse was struck by lightning and
umbled to the ground A farmer who
vas also bricllayer was employed to
.ebuiia the chimney. In so doing he
| .o"rd the satchel. and not one d3ilar
f tie nl0rev WAS missing.
| The fa:mer no sooner realized the
1alue of his find than he determined to
seep every dollar OF it for himself. He
;new very well. though. that it was
| chhery OF some sort. and lie moved
| ,arefully. He decided not to let his
xife know of the find. and the i:!oiiv.
vas removed after dark to the sranary
n his barn He had lot .of oats in
| me of the bins, and lie hid the satchel
1nt!er them. He ha1 in his employ
sired inan named Oscar DaJis. i'ayis
must have had his cnriesiff aicuses,
ifhfi played The spy on sthe tariaarssiii
,ne of his excursions to they *gr.inary.