Rensselaer Union, Volume 10, Number 38, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 6 June 1878 — Hallermeier’s Hard Luck. [ARTICLE]

Hallermeier’s Hard Luck.

Joseph Hallermeier, an Austrian, about thirty-two years old, as brown as a nut, poorly clad and travel stained, walked into'Treasurer Gilfillan’s office yesterday. He was from Pulaski County, Mo., about thirty miles below St. Louis, and has walked all the way; to Washington. He had in his hand an envelope containing fragments of masticated greenbacks, which he wanted, if possible, to have redeemed. Some time ago he dug a .hole near a tree at home, and, for safe keeping, placed therein $215 in five-dollar greenbacks and National Banknotes, all the money he had. The hogs in rooting around the spot unearthed the pocket-book containing the money, and chowcd and tore the notes into little bits. Upon discovering this, Hallermeier gathered together the pieces and tried to dispose of them in his neighborhood and in St. Louis. Unsuccessful there, he took up his march for Washington to see what he could do here. Treasurer Gilfillan examined the notes, and found that only two National Bank fives and two greenback fives —twenty dollars in all —could be recognized and redeemed. This amount was given him in exchange for his mutilated currency, and he went his way. In telling his story, Hallermeier could not keep from crying. This was all his money, he said, and he was buying a farm. A short time ago he had given an agent eighty dollars to enter his patent, but just before the loss of the $215 he had discovered that the agent had kept the money and had not entered the land.—Washington Star.