The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1908-11-18
GUARDING OUR MONEY
How The Treasury Vaults at
Washington Are Protected.
WATCHERS DAY AND NIGHT.

~'~ GU
to Shoot to kilI-Never Has a Dol.
lar Been Taken From Them by
Force-One Daring Scheme.
Not a 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
rs it enters the Potomac about three
quarters of Il mile from the White
House.
Broadfoot's 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 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 mel
had often seen him walking along the
shores of h Potomac near where the
big sewer cmptieS. This sewer is
about nine feet III diameter where it
passes the treasury. 4 man could
easily make his way up the sewer
through a stream of water which I'M
der normal conditions is only about
twelve inches deep. BY entering the
tunnel or eve at the river the jour.
ncy to the treasury could be made by
keeping a 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 Bro0Ifu0t's scheme to dig his
way through this obstruction and to
let the earth Loaf or wash down the
sewer. 1t would not have taken one
man more tIJn two weeks. working
only at night. to have made an opening
large enough for Il man to crawl
through. OF 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 was evidently his
purpose to fill the rubber bags with
the precious stuff and float them down
the sewer to the river. where they
would be looked after by his confcd-
crates. This was the only really well
laid plot ever made to loot the treas
Try. and Just why Broadfoot Wa,
never given 4 trial has never been
known to the public. lie was an intel
ligent man, 0nd suspicion was first
aroused against him Ivy his frequent
visits to HE money rooms and vaults
ana 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 so
far as gettin" into tho building and
the vaults a&e concerned there IS no
question. for G2cn have been in the
sewer and conduit: who say that it
would have 'eaa cay work. The most
difficult i'alt q Ne job would have
been IN @~".t'"% way with the money
ana bullion, for i would have required
hard wor': e. secure 1t and get away.
About the r2ly chance would have
been 10 bury i somewhere IN Virginia,
for If it In feon placed on boats it
would hAv" h"ca easy 10 recover ii.
It Is the opinion Of the secret service
men that many celebrated cracksmen
bo yp from ttrN, "a f;n,o n,,4n,,-I,+ -J
the conversion Of 4 few million treas
urv 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 thai the treasury was not
properly and safely guarded. There
was not an electric alarm In the build
ing, TIE watchmen were isolated and
had no facilities for calling help, and
the safes Were Of the old time lock and
key sort, scattered almost all over the
big building. The secretary went to
work to bring about a proper condition
OF affairs. He had the watch system
completely changed and r~eorganized,
putting ~ AS Sll!IlcSl ulSSl-
pline. Elaborate and extensive alarm
systems were installed. The old safes
were replaced by modern steel affairs
with time locks and intricate combina-
tons. The gold and silver vaults were
fitted with steel castings and time
locks, different parts Of the combina-
tons being distributed among various
officials, so 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 a per
feet system Of watchmcn to guard the
safes the treasury could be easily rob
bed, for the most perfect safe ever
made is not proof against the profes-
s,onalS
The watch force of the treasury Is
perfectly organized, and the least In
fraction Of r!les means a layoff or dis
charge TIL men seem to realize the
heavy Responsibilities resting up0n