Rutland herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1823-1847, 1843-12-07
From the Barre Gazette
SINGULAR AND SURPRISING THEFT
BY 4 WOMAN

great degree of excitement, has prevailed ir
our town Ter a day or two past in consequence O.
The discovery OF large quantity of stolen goods in
quarter where they would have been las, looked
lot IL has been known for more than a veal
pasl mat very extensive game of pilierng from
several dry goods shops IN this town was carried
on, and suspicion has changed into various quar-
tiers without settling with certainty upon any one
On Tuesday woman was seen in the store oil
Woods Field & Co. to put an article sylv in
her muf To be further satisfied, another suila.
BILE article was placed in tho way and that disap-
pearcd into the same receptacle On being charg.
ed, she confessed the theft and returned the anl
cles specified II subsequently appeared that at
the same time she took several other articles
which she carried home.
The woman was Mrs. Harriet Smith, wife o.
Mr. Josiah Smith
Suspicion Of further theft having been excited
the family were called upon, and ut the request Of
Mr.. Smith, who was informed of the detection, the
house was searched A large quantity of good:
was found, which Mrs Smith confessed 10 have
stolen from shops in the village, chiefly from
those of Woods Field & Co and Jenkins, Lee &
Co. Upon being further pressed. she owned the
taking OF many other things which had been used
or which she sold to ncighbors and relatives -
The list taken down comprises silk dresses laces
calicoes, chusans, de lanes and other articles OF
wooden and cotton dress goods, cambrics, silks
NUTS, shoes (20 pairs) hosiery, cardinals, shawls
and almost every other conceivable article of la
dies wearing apparel The whole amounted &c
sfheefal hape BacA 4Isecso5rcred and means are taxi
ing to bring the whole to light She owns only
such as are pressngy charged upon her although
she confesses TO have carried on regular business
of pllerinu for three wears
Mrs Smith is native Of this town, and of a
most respectable family. Her husband is one o.
our most respectable farmers, and they have two
children patterns of proprie,y Mrs. S. is a mem
Der Of a church, and by whole community ha;
been considered as a model TO be held up for im
tation wife, mother, friend and christian -
There is not woman in the whole town who
would have longer escaped suspicion. The de-
velopement Of such unmiiiga,ed and long contn
uod dishonesty has cast an expression Of q loom and
surprise over our little community
No suspicion rests upon any one as having
been concerned with her. II is to prevent thou
sand wrongful rumors that we have been desired
to place the facts above related in our column. -
Under other circumstances than those we have
mentioned, we should have refused to add more
publicity to the matter. The forgeres of VIM.
Goddard did no, create a deeper sensation among
US indn lcse ueNtIopcneh s.iuluh9 us 'ney W '"e
reputation Of one who has stood fairest among our
fair, and blasting as does the peace and happi-
ness Of a family that had been looked upon with
envy When such things occur, well may the
expression leap from the lips-"whom can we
trust
We understand ina, measures have been taken
in the matter which Justice and even security de-
mand Painful as is the publicity Of such occur
rences, it is preferable TO their being smothered or
overlooked