Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1855-08-17
MisrtIlantuug.
For The Waterman & Journal
OLDEN TIMES.---No. 16.
SEVENTY YEARS IN THE WIN.
OOSKf VALLEY"
The Pocket Pistol and a Pair
OF Shears.


carriage, Mr.. -, accompanied
by another man, with whom he APP
peared to be in close conversation.
Thinking nothing of the incident,
he kept on his way, whistling in his
light heartedness as he proceeded.
When the carriage came up with
him it suddenly stopped, and the
gentleman accompanying -
thus accosted him:
81 am extremely sorry to inform
you, young man, that You are strong
y suspected of committing, what
in the language of the law is known
as petit larceny; consequently | am
under the disagreeahle necessity of
inlimating to you that you are here
by arrested"-exhibiting at the
same time his authority. Ny
friend here, Mr.. -" he con-
tinued, has made oath that he has
good reason to believe, and does be-
lieve, that you, Jacob Wilcox, have
stolen from him, against the peace
and dignity Of the State of YER
mont, and in violation Of its laws,
a pair Of sh,drS, Of the value OF
one dollar, whereof he has made
complaint in due form therefore,
for the present, at least, you must
consider yourself my prisoner"
Search was made, and 10 and be-
hold on opening Jacobs pack, a
pair of shears was found. answering
the description Of those set forth in
the writ. Had thunderbot ex-
ploded at MONDAY, with bright
sun and no cloud to be seen, or any
other strange phenomenon exhibit
ed itself, Jacob Wilcox could not
have been more COMPOUNDED or ut
terly amazed.
had for many years
been a trader in the town, and was
reputed rich, but whether his riches
were honestly accumulated, was OK
,remely doubtful. lie held mort
cages on many farms in the neigh
borhood, and was so intimately con-
nected with the business of the re-
gion, that he was obsequiously cour-
ted and faitered on account of his
wealth, rather than honored and
respected by reason of his good
qualities, whether of mind or heart
On their way back to the village
Mr.. thus condolingly ad.
dressed Jacob: What pity it is
that a young man like you, just set
ting out in life, and with such fan
prospects before you, should be
overtaken in such a grievouS fault
| wouldn't wish to be hard with
you, or pursue 10 eXtremitles, see
ing it's only your first offence
which no doubt il is, and | woul'
hope it might prove good lessor
to you for the future. This matte
can easily be hushed. Come, now
just pay me fifty dollars, and hav
this painful matler-for painful it
to me, assure you, all settled
Mr.. - replied Jacob, {
know not by what means, or b
whose agency these shears came i
my pack. | certainly never pu
them there. An enemy has don
this thing. shall abide the result
come veal or come woe. 1t sha
e never be said that the son of Ga
briel Wilcox paid hush money, I
avoid the imputation of crime, {
, which he was entirely innocent
They then moved on in silenc,
soon arrived back to the village, an
stopped at the tavern, where shor
4 ly after Jacob was summoned in du
form before Squire -, the vi
lage Justice.
The news Of the pursuit and al
rest, which had spread abroad, ha
collected together the usual numbe
of loungers and do noihings genel
ally TO be found in the vicinity Of
country Jim. The examinatio
proceeded Tho complainant state
briefly, distinctly, and with an a
of one familiar with such proceed
> ings, the fact of Jacobs coming I
his store that notwithstanding h
bottle filled-the shears lying o
the counter when he came in---an
of his missing them immediatel
after his departmental no otht
person came into the store or wa
there during the time. The consti
BILE testified to the manner of III
: arrest the finding Of The shears
{ Jacobs pack, and also to his asse,
eratlons Of innocence.
, Here, then, was chain of eli
/. cumstances plain, simple, and NJ
to be gainsayed.
At this point the Justice, turnin
. to Jacob, asked him what he had +,
offer, why he should not suffer ii
penalty of the law.
Jacob arose with much calmnes
/. though with a countenance MOI
= than usually pallii, and said Ma
!. it please the Court am innocen
Circumstances appear much again
me Judge not according to aPped
ances, but Judge righteous jmd.
ment. An internal plot has bee
laid to rob me of my good nam
: and'-clenching his huge fist, al
slowly extending his long muscul
arm in the direction of the cor
plainauf-tf ho,f ~