The Pioche record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1908-1925, 1911-03-18

fGS city with an iron hand
Td Everything down there
- including the weather
was sizzling hot. Thugs and thieves
we're being severely dealt with. Mar
tial law was in force and summary
punishment was being melted out
by the provost Judge Several house
robbers had been hanged by or
der of General Butler and there
must have been ticRlish sensation |
about the Lecks of the unruly.
! 1t was one of those blazing hot |
mornings for which New Orleans Is
famous that Major -, United
States paymaster on duty In that city. |
left his office in the custom house car
rying a portemonnaie containing just
$4,000 In gold coin. The major was
one of those economical men who
thought penny saved was as good as
penny earned. Gold at this time was
at q premium, hence saving could
be made by making an exchange OF
gold for paper currency. Besides, he
may have thought paper money more
convenient for the soldiers use. AS
he passed down the custom house
steps he paused moment as II to de-
termine 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. Step
ping around the end of the counter
he met and shook hands with stock
lily 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 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. 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 package that looked
like money was slowed away in the
paymaster's breast pocket. The major
do u0 ISSHlSlCQ bnC eau Qlu lOt hOtiNN
that the driver was casting longing
eyes upon the bullying portemonnaie.
He was then taken to the post Office
which was located in the custom
house. He got out OF the cab and
stepped inside, where he remained
Just long enough to unlock and re
move the mail from his letter box. Re
turning to the street he was greatly
astonished and nearly paralyzed will
excitement to discover that the cal
in which he had left the $4,000 hat
disappeared. He looked up and dowi
the street stupidity at first. Recover
Ing himself he madly rushed aroun,
the corner There was no cab Il
sight He then started on foot at
lively pace for the office of the pre-
vost marshal general on st. Charlie
street.
| CHANGED to be in the provost mai
BhaPs Office at this time. | listene
to the paymaster's story and was tn
first to undertake the recovery of tn
money. 1t was one of those smoot
easy robberies with little or no clu
for a starting point.
| started out on what seemed to b
rather difficult case, less than o
hour after the theft.
had an abiding faith that If coul
meet the guilty man face to face Will
the affair was yet warm on his min
I could pick him out from the man
cab drivers In the city.
The paymaster thought the drive
of the cab an freshman, but was n,
quite certain He knew that he ha
been separated from his money ar
that was about all the information
could give. The capturing of the thi
and recovering the money SCENE
now to rest upon the telltale eyes.
It was now MONDAY and feedir
time. The most of the cabs were c
the streets, but | CHANGED to secu
pne. and | started out to visit II
many cab stands in the city When
met a driver of one of these vehicl
| looked him over carefully, but sa
nothing in the face of any of them
arouse suspicion. My mind mig
have been little romantic In tho
DAYS, but | thought the thief won
have a disturbance on his face
which would be able to pick him OF
When at last had met nearly all t
cabbies in the CITY, and discover
nothing upon which to base suspicio
the driver with whom | was ridi
CHANGED to speak of a man who h
quite recently started in the cab blu
ness His stable was at his oN
home on ST. Peters street. He kn'
the place and told him to drive to
Arriving there, | entered the yard a
discovered wheel tracks that appear
TO be freshly made. There was
small stable in the rear of the lot ne
which was pile of litter. The top
his pile had recently been disturb
with a pitch-fork overhauled SO
II 1t. can give no explanation VIII
Md this. | made no discovery. tn
,scended the stairs leading up on
outside of the house to the port
md entered living room In the