The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1908-08-19
GUARDING OUR MONEY
How the Treasury Vaults at
Washington Are Protected.
WATCHERS DAY AND NIGHT.
Always on Duty and Always Prepared
to Shoot to kilI-Never Has a Dol
lar Been Taken From Them by
Force-One Darinq Scheme,

Always on Duty and Always Prepared
to Shoot to kiI-Never Has a Dol.
lar Been Taken From Them by
Force-One Daring Scheme.
Not dollar has ever been taken
from the United States treasury by
force
Perhaps the nearest approach to loot
Ing the vaults of the treasury was the
time Martin Broadfoot had his plans
about perfected. This was back In the
eighties and the plan was to get into
the building by means of the great
| sewer which runs under and near the
treasury and is known as the Fifteenth
street sewer and which grows larger
as II enters the Potomac about three
quarters of mile from the White
House.
BroadfootS plan, as developed after
his arrest, was to get into the building,
crack the safes and place the money
In large rubber bags and float them
down the sewer to the Potomac, where
his pals would be In waiting These
bags We're found In his room when he
was arrested, and secret service men
had often seen him walking along the
shores of the Potomac near where the
big sewer empties. This sewer Is
about nine feet In diameter where 1t
passes the treasury. A man could
easily make his way up the sewer
through stream of water which I'M
der n~rmal conditions Is only about
twelve inches deep. BY entering the
tunnel or sewer ut the river the jour.
ney to the treasury could be made by
keeping sharp lookout. When the
man or men in the sewer reached the
Fifteenth street sewer nothing would
separate them from the gold coin and
bullion except about eighteen feet Of
earth and not too secure stone wall.
1t was Broadfoots scheme 10 dig his
way through this obstruction AMI to
let the earth float or wash down the
sewer. 1t would not have taken one
man more than two weeks working
only at night, to have made an opening
large enough for a man to crawl
through. or course Broadfoot knew
the exact location of the vaults. and
when he once reached them he would
have had no trouble In getting the gold
coin and bullion. 1t WIS evidently his
purpose to fill the rubber bags with
the precious stuff and tloat them down
the sewer to the river, where they
would be looked after by his eonfed.
crates. This was the only really well
| laid plot ever made to loot the treas
ury. and just why Broadfoot was
neve: given trial has never been
known to the public. He was an intel
ligent man, and suspicion was first
aroused against him by his frequent
visits TO the money rooms and vaults
and by the questions he asked watch
men and messengers as to the hours
of duty, when the time locks closed
and what time they opened. and all
such questions. That he could have
successfully carried out his plans sc
far as getting into the building and
| the vaults are concerned there Is no
| question, for men have been In the
sewer and conduits who say that II
would have been easy work. The most
difficult part of the job would have
been In getting away with the money
and bullion, for 1t would have required
hard work TO secure 1t and get away.
| About the only chance would have
| been to bury II somewhere In Virginia,
| for II 1t had been placed on boats 1t
would have been easy To recover It,
| 1t Is the opinion of the secret service
men that many celebrated cracksmen
| the conversion of few million treas
ury notes TO their own use, but after
careful study they have decided that
the undertaking was too colossal In
character. Secretary Folger when he
assumed his duties was not slow In
deciding that the treasury was not
properly and safely guarded. There
was not an electric alarm in the build
Ing, the watchmen were Isolated and
had no facilities for calling help, and
| the safes We're OF the old time lock end
key sort. scattered almost all over the
big building The secretary went to
work to bring about proper condition
completely changed and reorganzed,
| putting them under the strictest dlsci-
| pline. Elaborate and extensive alarm
| systems were installed. The old safes
were replaced by modern steel affairs
| with time locks and intricate eomblna-
tons. The gold and silver vaults were
| fitted with steel castings and time
,,p th. tnu
tons being distributed among various
officials, 30 that the vaults could be
| opened only with the concerted action
Of all of them, and then only at the
| stroke OF the hour for which the time
locks had been set. But without per
| feet system Of watebmen 10 guard the
safes the treasury could be easily rob
bed for the most perfect safe ever
made Is not proof against the profes-
| SIGNALS.
The watch force Of the treasury IL
| perfectly organized and the least In
| fraction Of rules means a layoff or dis
| charge. The men seem to realize the
heavy responsibilities resting upon
them, and they are careful almost to a
fault The watch Is divided into three
rellefs, the tour Of duty lasting for
eight hours. However, the watch does
not anticipate an attack by robbers
but they are prepared for any emergen
cy, and they Will not be caught nap
| ping should one ever he made either al
| night OF by day. Each Waterman is d
regular walking arsenal. and the In
structions are to shoot and shoot &c
kill.--Los Angeles Times.
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