The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1847-02-27


the money, (the same amount as before, and
Immediately left for home. They had pro-
ceedGd on their way as far as Trenton, when
the portmanteau containing the money was
opened and $l2, 200 taken. No sooner had
the robbery been discovered by Mr. W,thau,
by what device know not, Mrs. w. per-
suaded her husband that as the $4,000 We're
actually stolen, and as they could not 10y any
means make amends (or it was more than
they were WORTHY it would he better to appro-
pirate the remainder to their own use, aud
pretend, as they might with equal propriety,
that the whole had been taken. The coun-
selling ofhs wife, aided as we must believe,
by the spirits of darkness, finally were etlec-
tual, and the unhappy man, till then, upright
in all his deeds,consentcd.
The reader ere this must be well aware
where the $4,000 were, but Mr. w. did not
know, nor did lac learn the full iniquity of the
scheme in which hc had suffered himself 10
become involved. until considerable time had
elapsed, and the excitement Of the transact
ton had in Il measure subsidized; not till then
did Mrs. W. dare TO disclose to him the full
depth of her guilt. But to resume the mar
ratiye at the point where we left 1t, the rob-
berry at Trenton. After the remainder of the
money had been safely concealed about the
person of Mrs. w. the alarm was given, and
the extent ofthe robbery was shown by the
rent and rihed portmantcau, the house was
searched, individuals apprehended on susp-
cion, rewards were offered, and every meas
ure which the fertile mind oiMrs. w. could
invent TO give plausibilty to the statement,
was carried into effect. As we may suppose,
all was Intellectual for the recovery of the
money. The missing funds were missing
still.
After the return of Mr. and Mrs. w. to Wat
ertown in great apparent detection. at the
loss Of such an amount oimoney, their plain,
nm, pruis&Gd tale perfectly agreeing when
told Inv ,ither their well affected sorrow, and
above all the character previously sustained
by Mr. w. for hoGesty and integrity, ieit IN
the minds ofmost no room a. uouD 1 VI 'n S
truth of their statement. Inc bo:us'nen y!
Mr. w. though ruined in proper;Nv, dee!ueu
policy TO affect TO believe the whole, at ieTs'
until some discovery might be made 10 Jrstl.
fy suspicion. About this time an invalid /
officer of the army nj Sackett's lIarbor, not
being able to perform his duty, came 10 Wa
ertown for medical aid, and took lodgings in
the family ofMr w. In few days after his
arrival he died. His remains were Inferred
in II decent manner, and as the place of his
nativity was not known, and no friend was
there to honor his memory with tear e was
soon forgotten. . ............
The exceedingly swollen, and unnatural
state of his body excited remark; hut 1t was
attributed to disease. a few days alter ms
dccease Mrs. w. went TO n merchant in an
adjacent village, aud requested him 10 re-
ceive rs loan 5000. She said it was n pres
ent to her children from a friend, AMI she did
not wish MIR w. 10 know anything of the mat
ter. This circumstance is mentioned here Ill
consequence of the indirect bearing 1t has on
the sequel ofour tale. But TO return. Judge
X. was Il near ncighbor of Mr. w. aud IA
miliar man in his habits-he often visited his
house ut the most unexpected hours-and
though he discovered nothing that would
have excited the suspicion OF II less percep-
tive mind, he saw many thugs that forced
upon him the conviction that the lost money
must be in their possession.
They both would converse with perfect
ease on the subject of their misfortune, and
lament with apparent sincerity their loss,sliil
a guilty conscience would betray ITSELF in
some slight way not perceptible to the multi |
tude. Accordingly he left his chamber I'M
known to his wiie(who by reason of ill health
occupied another bed in the same room,) and
for fourteen nights in succession lay upon the
piazza of Mr. WIS house, directly under the
window of their sleeping apartment
He could perceive them talking in low
tone at all hours of the night, hut so lndls-
tinctlv that he could make out nothing OF any
consequence. However, by some means or
other, he came to the conclusion that they
were about to leave the country; and he I'M
mediatelv determined upon desperate ell
fort to ascertain the correctness OF his suspl- |
cions. Accordingly he impaired to Mr. T.:
his associate bondman, a full account OF all
he had been witness to- and his strong belel
that the had. or knew something of the mon
n
test the truth of their suspicious; as a precau-
tionary measure, Il physician OF emlnence
was consulted as to how long person might
he kent under water and be resuscItated. AS
il mirht he that they were about to remove,no
delay in executing the scheme was consider
ed safe The very same morning therefore,
Judge X. sent to MIR W., wishing him to
come to his house some time in the day, and
make final settlement.
About IL o'clock, Mr. w. arrived at the
house of the Judge, and under pretence OF
talking over the matter free from interruption:
he proposed walk. They, in company with
Mr. f., left the house aud proceeded across
Iotsp toward piece ofwoods. They walked
on ,ill thew were nearly halfa mile from any
house. and had come to the side of a muddy
brook, entirely hidden from view by surround
ing hills and woods. Wholly unsuspiclous
ofwhat awaited him, what must have been
Mr. WIS establishment when Judge ~ step
ped before him, and in "A tone of voice aud
with countenance not to be misunderstood,
told him the intent for which they had
brought him there. and charged him with the
embezzement of $4,000, their reasons Tor
thinking so, and telling him if he did not dis
close where it was they would drown HIM or
the spot. IJnawed bv these threats the hard
ened man, with a look of Innocence, eXcaim-
ad 81 know nothing of the matter" No