The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1911-01-20


9G Everything down there
including the weather
was sizzling hot. Thugs and thieves
were being severely dealt with. Mar
tial law was in force and summary
punishment was being meted out
BY the provost Judge. Several mouse
robbers had been hanged by OF
der of General Butler and 'heEe
must have been a ticklish sensation
about the Lecks of the unruly.
II was one of those blazing hot
mornings for which New Orleans Is
famous that Major --, a unl'eo
States paymaster on duty IN that CITY, |
left his office in the custom house car
rying a portemonnaie containing just
500, 900 in gold coin. The major was
one of those economical men WHO
thought a penny saved was as good as
q penny earned Gold at this time was
at a premium. hence saving cou'n
be made by making an exchange OF
gold for paper currency. Besides ne
may have thought paper money more
convenient for the soldiers use. AS
he passed down the custom mousse
steps he paused a moment as II TO de-
termine the course to pursue tie
hailed a passing cab, and entering II
he instructed the driver to take MIN
10 the bank of Jacob Barker on Camp
street. The cab drew up directly ID
front of the main entrance.
The paymaster went inside. step
ming around the end of the counter
he met and shook hands with a stock
ilv built man whose locks were long
and white. This was Jacob Barker
whose name at this time was familiar
to every banker in the United States.
Uncle Jacob blinked a welcome as the
shining pieces were spread upon the
table.
Two young men now came forward
10 make the count and pile up the
treasure The work completed, bundles
Of greenbacks were crowded into the
portemonnai to take the place OF the
, gold coin. Then there was side
: transaction and a package that looked
3. like money was slowed away in the
: paymaster's breast pocket. The major
as he reentered the cab did not notice
that the driver was casting longing
5 eyes upon the bullying portemonnale.
e He was then taken to the post office
n which was located In the custom
n house. He got out Of the cab and
stepped inside, where he remained
Just long enough to unlock and re
a move the mail from his letter box. Re
s turning to the street he was great!
% astonished and nearly paralyzed witt
@ excitement to discover that the cal
in which he had left the $4,000 ha'
disappeared He looked up and dow
IL the street stupidity at first. Recover
10 ing himself he madly rushed aroun
" the corner. There was no cab I
h. sight. He then started on foot at
lively pace for the office Of the Pre-
vost marshal general on st. Charlie
r.. street.
10 CHANGED to be in the provost ma
in shals office at this time. | listene
ne to the paymaster's story and was tn
If first to undertake the recovery OF tn
money. 1t was one Of those smoot
no easy robberies with little or no clu
Ia for a starting point.
lot | started out on what seemed to |
hi. a rather difficult case, less than 6
to hour after the theft.
had an abiding faith that II cou
meet the guilty man face to face WIFI
tut the affair was yet warm on his mil
to could pick him out from the maj
by cab drivers in the city.
'ay The paymaster thought the driv
tai of the cab an Irishman but was n
quite certain. He knew that he h
been separated from his money a
ing that was about all the information
nst could give. The capturing Of the tn
Is and recovering the money seem
has now to rest upon the telltale eyes.
ter 1t was now MONDAY and feedi
ide. time. The most of the cabs were
the streets, but | CHANGED to sect
Fate one, and I started out to visit
or many cab stands in the city. Whe'
1t met driver of one of these vehic
no" I looked him over carefully, but S
TO nothing in the face of any Of them
arouse suspicion. Ny mind mil
have been a little romantic In tn
IN days, but | thought the thief wo
IN have disturbance on his face
eful which would be able to pick him {
the When at last had met nearly all
tree cabbies in the city, and discove
nave nothing upon which to base suspic
the driver with whom | was rid
CHANGED to speak of man who
der. quite recently started in the cab
with ness. His stable was at his {
the home on st. Peters street. He kl
the place and told him to drive t
Arriving there, entered the yard
illed discovered wheel tracks that appea
inst to be freshly made There was