The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1911-02-11

TNN city with an Iron nano.
iT6 Everything down there
- including the weather
was sizzling hot Thugs and thieves
were being severely dealt with Mar
dal law was In force and summary
punishment was being meted out
By the provost Judge. Several house
robbers had been hanged by or
der Of General Butler and there
must have been a ticklish sensation
about the Lecks Of the unruly.
It 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 of1oe In the custom house car
Tying q portemonnaie containing Just
$4,000 la gold coin. The major was
one of those economical men who
thought a penny saved was as good as
. penny earned. Gold at this time was
at premium, hence a 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 a moment as II to de-
termine the course to pursue. He
hailed a passing cab, and entering 1t
he Instructed the driver to take him
20 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
fly built man whose locks were long
and white. This was Jacob Barker
whose name at this time was familiar
70 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 a side
transaction and q package that looked
Ike 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
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 with
excitement to discover that the cab
IN which he had left the $4,000 had
disappeared. He looked up and down
the street stupidity at first Recover
ing himself he madly rushed around
the corner. There was no cab in
sight. He then started on foot at a
lively pace for the. Office of the pro-
vost marshal general on St. Charles
street
l CHANGED to be In the provost mar
shars ONCE at this time. listened
to the paymaster's story and was the
first to undertake the recovery of the
money. 1t was one of those smooth
easy robberies with little or no clue
for starting point.
started out ON what seemed to be
o rather difficult case, less than an
hour after the theft.
had an abiding faith that IL could
meet the guilty man face to face while
the affair was yet warm on his mind
I could pick him out from the many
cab drivers In the city.
The paymaster thought the driver
Of the cab an Irishman, but was not
quite certain. He knew that he had
been separated from his money and
that was about all the information he
could give. The capturing OF the thief
and recovering the money seemed
now to rest upon the telltale eyes.
1t was now MONDAY and feeding
time. The most of the cabs were of
the streets, but l CHANGED to secure
one. and I started out to visit the
many cab stands in the city. When |
met a driver Of one of these vehicles
I looked him over carefully, but saw
nothing In the face of any of them to
arouse suspicion. My mind might
have been little romantic in those
days, but l thought the thief would
have a disturbance on his face by
which would be able to pick him out.
When at last had met nearly ali the
cabbies In the city, and discovered
nothing upon which to base suspicion,
the driver with whom l was riding
CHANGED to speak of man who had
quite recently started in the cab bust
ness. His stable was at his own
home on st. Peters street. He knew
the place and l told him to drive to 1t.
Arriving there, l entered the yard and
discovered wheel tracks that appeared
to be freshly made. There was a
small stable IN the rear of the lot near
which was pile of litter. The top of
this pile had recently been disturbed.
With a pitch-fork l overhauled some