The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-06-19
Robbing the Paymastcr

was on duty as special agent OF the
United States government. at New Orleans
in the summer of 1862 Major General
Benjamin +. Butler was department COM
mander and ruling this then turbulent
city with an iron hand. Everything
down there including the weather was
sizzling hot, Thugs and thieves were be-
ing severely dealt with, Martial law was
in force and summary punishment was
being me,ed out by the provost judge.
Several house robbers had been hanged
10y order OF General Butler and there must
have been q Jickish sensation about the
necks OF the unruly.
II was one OF those blazing hot morn
mss Tor which New j Orleans Is IL, famous aois
master on duty in that city. lett his office
In the custom house carrying porte E,
nr9nnaie containing Just $2O;ooo IN gold
coin The ma Ior was one OF those eco
nomical men who thought penny saved
was as good as penny earned Gold at
this time was at a premium, hence a saw
ing could be made by making an eX-
change OF gold for paper currency. Be
sides, he may have thought paper money
moro convenient Tor the soldiers use. AS
he passed down the custom house steps
he paused a moment as II TO determine
the course TO pursue. He hailed passing
cab. and entering 1T he instructed the
driver to take him to the bank OF Jacob
Barker on Camp street. The cab drew
up directly In front OF the main entrance.
The paymaster went inside. Stepping
and shook hands with 4 stockily built
man whose locks were long and white.
This was Jacob Barker whose name at
this tinle was familiar TO every banker
in the United States. Uncle Jacob blinked
q welcome as the shining pieces were
spread upon the table.
Two young men now came forward to
make the count and pile up the treasure.
Tho work completed, bundles OF green
backs were crowded into the portemonnai
TO take the place OF the gold coin Then
CID fpou Inn al a. L.
age that looked like money was slowed
away in the paymastcr's breast pocket
The major as he re-entered the cab did
not notice that the driver was casting
longing eyes upon the bulging portemon-
male.
He was then taken TO the postoffce,
which was located In the custom house
He got out OF the cab and stepped inside,
where he remained Just long enough 10
unlock and remove the mail from his let
ter box. Returning to the street he was
greatly astonished and nearly paralyzod
with excitement to discover that the cab
In which he had left the $50, 900 had dis
street stupidly Mt first. Recovering HIM
self he mudly rushed around the corner.
There was no cab In sight. He then
started on foot AT IA lively pace for the
office OF the provost marshal general on
ST Charles street. Reaching this point
almost out OF breath it was some min
utes before lie could give an intelligent
account of what had taken place.
/ chanced TO he in the provost mar
shaTs office at this time listened
to the paymaster's story and was the
first 10 undertake. the recovery OF the
money. l, was one OF those smooth,
easy robberies with little or no clue
for starting point, The paymaster
did not particularly observe the driver
and was wholly unable TO give any de-
scriptlon OF him. the horse or the cab.
He was under the impression. how
ever, that the fellow was an Irishman.
All cabmen appeared TO look alike TO
him.
started out on what seemed TO be
a rather difficult case. less than an hour
after the theft The greater part OF
the population Of the city at this time
terestS OF our government, Consequently
] could expect but little information from
outside sources. The people generally
looked the other way when passing a
parent coldness where the only real diff
ference was n choice of flags. Both
were patriotic.
I had ar abiding faith that If could
meet the guilty man face to face while
the affair was yet warm on his mind
l could pick him out from the many
CAP drivers In the city. While there
seems TO be quite general impress
sion with many that detectives oft-times
uncover criminal acts through some mys-
terlous process unknown 10 others. l am
free 10 say that this supposition is a fall
lacy and that officers successful in their
line of work arc but carefully adjusted
thinking machine who. after going about
diligently picking up threads of inforna-
ion, are able TO weave n web OF evi
dence sufficiently strong 10 prove a case
in court. There is a broad line OF dis
tnction between the current of thought
that operates upon the brain OF the hon
est man and the thief. The eyes OF one
are steady and indicative OF candor. while
The eyes OF the other are shifty and rest
less. II has been said that "the eye is
the window of tile soul
During my many years experience in
tho detective line | am sure that never