Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1852-11-17
MISCELLANY Y .
Special Providence.

"What is special Providence p said
lady to clergyman, who formed one of a
cheerful winters evening party, seated a
round brightly blazing fire which cast its
ruddy light over an antiquely wainscoted
room in which they were assembled.
"My dear madam" said he, drawing his
chair still closer to the hearth, "you have
touched upon subject which perhaps l
can better illustrate by an anecdote p
"That will be delightful said chorus of
voices.
"The story which am about to relate, !"
said the clergyman, although positively
one Of the most remarkable of its kind, is
yet no less strange than true About ff-
teen years ago,I was appointed was then
a young man-to curacy in the town Of
Bradford. in the woolen district of, York.
shire. Soon after my arrival, the town was
electrified by reports of the robberies mys-
teriously perpetrated at large mill in the
neighborhood but although of almost daily
occurrence, and Notwithstanding the most
vlgilant means were employed, all attempts
to discover the guilty party were for along
time of no avail. The article stolen was
cloth. The theft was effected by cutting
pieces of yard or so in length from the
long rolls IN the warehouse. The first in
timation which the firm obtained of the
robbery, was by the return of large quanti-
ty of goods upon their hands, marked short
lengths They felt their honor as men of
business involved. and Immediately search
ING investigation took place. All the rolls
in the warehouse we're Pemeasured, and the
result proved that nearly one half Of the
stock had been tampcred with. The hands,
employed in the warehouse and mill were
upwards of thousand in number, and each
was subjected to long and painful inquiry.
Nothing definite, however, was elicited.-
But although the theft was not brought home
to any one, more than fifty persons were
discharged on suspicion.
Notwithstanding the precautions, how
ever, reports of fresh robberies were from
time to time circulated, and the thief SEEM
ed to bid fair to elude detection but the
daring delinquent was at length discovered.
One of the partners in the firm being called
by business to Sheffield, saw there, expos
ed for sale, in the window of tailor's shop,
walstcoat- piece, of pattern and quality
made only, and that too, very recently by
their house-so recently, indeed, that to
be fully prepared for the probable demand
they were still manufacturing, and had not
as yet, sent single piece into the market
The gentleman Immediately communicated
with the police authorities; the tailor was
waited upon, underwent long examina-
ton, but stated plain case, saying in a
few words that the waistcoat piece was
part of job lot purchased from man
named James Burrows, of Bradford. This
was sufficient. James Burrows was q con-
fdential warehouse clerk, in the employ of
the firm, and positively the last person on
whom suspicion would have fallen. He was
professor of religion; man of some
standing among his sect, being local
preacher, Sabbath school teacher and class
leader.
Returning to Bradford that same evening,
the gentleman consulted with his partners.
He had brought the piece of stolen cloth
from Sheffield, and they resolved that, with
out Burrows knowledge, every roll of that
description should be unwrapped, until, by
fitting at the point OF severance, 1t was
matched with the piece from which it had
been cut.
The whole night was occupied in this
manner, but the piece was discovered, and
in the morning Burrows was confronted
with proofs OF his guilt. Taken quite aback,
and finding denial or excuse equally hope
less, he confessed all, acknowledged that
in violation ofthe trust reposed in him, he
had committed all those robberies for which
so many of his fellow workers had been
discharged with ruined characters, and
pleaded hard for mercy.
This however, was out Of the question.
The firm were justly indignant. Burrows
was committed for trial. They prosecuted
pressed the charge-conviction followed,
and the Judge, after remarklng on the fla
grant nature of the case, sentenced him to
be transported for life.
"With heavy heart his wife and child
ren-the latter six in number-bade him
farewell at the appointed time he left his
native land an outcast and felon.
"Convict discipline was even more Sc.
we're than now, Burrows, upon whose des