Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1863-01-01
From the Cleaveland Herald.
6 One Of my Clients.0

| (THE REAL HERO OF THE STORY IN THE
| "ATLANTIC NoNTHLY.")
In the December number of the atlantic
Monthly is an extraordinary story or sketch,
under theiabove title, which has been received
with general incredulity by the public, al
though it is said to be partially vouched for by
one of the publishers of the Monthly. The
| sketch purports to have been written by law
yer who had as his client &c Mr.. Sidney"
The Mr.. Sidney" of the story is no myth,
so far, at least as the leading portions of bis
history is concerned.
He was a man who but few years ago filled
a large space in the history of the time, from
his relations to one of the most remarkable cases
known in the criminal annals of the west. he
was also well known resident of this city,
where bis family now reside. In short, the
"Mr. Sidney." of the story is no'other than the
late Sidney G. Burton, of this city, famous for
his connection with the " Martha Washington
case. There is no mistaking the identity of
| the two characters and their histories.
In the year 1851 Sidney G. Burton shipped
| quantity of skins, valued at $500, to house
| in Cincinnati. These skins were said to be
shipped on the steamer Martha Washington for
New Orleans. While on her way down the
river the steamer took fire near Island No. 65,
January 18th, 1852, and was entirely consum-
ed, with all her cargo and a number OF pas
sengers. All the officers and crew, except the
carpenter, escaped. The books were lost
The boat and cargo were very heavily insured
in various offices, but circumstances led the
insurance companies to withhold payment until
further investigation was made.
Mr.. Burton applied to his Cincinnati con
signees for the value of the skins. They de-
oil ,,avp,ant t,ntil tha incurapca could ba
recovered. Mr. Burton doubted the fact of
the shipment of his skins, and soon obtained
what he deemed sufficient evidence that neither
his skins, nor the other property alleged to
have been shipped on the steamer, had ever
been shipped. He again demanded payment,
which was again refused, and he then set to
work to discover and expose the conspiracy
suspected to be connected with the affair
In the summer of 1852 l.. L. Filley of Gin
cinnati, one of the suspected parties died. On
his death bed it is said he confessed that there
had been no merchandise shipped on the Mar
tha Washington, but that the boxes and bar
rels contained nothing but sticks, stones, and
rubbish. Mr.. Burton gave up his whole ener-
gies to the task Of ferreting out the crime of
the conspirators, and in so doing claimed that
he had discovered a conspiracy of gigantic pro-
portions, including among its numbers men of
high commercial and official rank, and embrac-
ing within its scope the crimes of forgery, ar
son and murder.
William Kissane, one of the leading conspi-
rators, was brought to trial at Lebanon, Ohio,
and afterward at Cincinnati, on the charge of
cOnsplrlng to burn the steamer, which inl elv-
ed also the charge of murder. He was con-
victed, but obtained new trial and was ac-
quilted. The other alleged conspirators were
also tried at Columbus and acquitted. Mr..
Burton claimed that owing to the numbers,
power and influence of the cons pira.ors he
Could not obtain justice, but he determined
never to relinquish the pursuit until he had
brought the guilty to punishment, or fall him
self in the attempt.
In 1854 Mr.. Burton obtained a reousition
from the Governor of Arkansas on the author
tiles of Ohio, and several of the alleged con-
sprators were arrested at the Walnut Street
House in Cincinnati, ironed, hurried off in an
omnibus to a steamer, and taken to Jefferson
vile, Indiana, and thence to Helena. Arkan-
sas. Here they were kept in jail for three
months, tried and acquitted.
But the chase was not vet over. Mr. Bur
ton had spent nearly all his own means in the
pursuit, and now the insurance companies
came to his aid. The United States govern
ment also employed him to track out some ex-
tenslve counterfeiting operations. alleged to
have been committed by the consprators
whom he was pursuing.
In 1904 William kissane committed heavy |
torgerles on the Chemical Bank of New York. |
He was caught, but whilst in custody of an |
officer-and, it is claimed through his conni- |
Vance-he made his escape through an aper-
ture IN the water closet of railroad car. He |
was subsequently retaken, tried and sentenced |
= fo,, 10
but was pardoned out by Governor Clark. of |
New York, in December, 1855.
Still Burton kept on the track of the con-
spirators like a bloodhound Numerous at
tempts were made on his life. At a hotel in
Columbus, and in other places, poison was
found in his food. In the winter of 1855 he
came home broken down in health, and assert
ing that he was dying from the effects of slow
poison. On the llth of December, 1855. he
died at his home on the west side, the un-
doubted victim of the poisoner
AS an instance OF the many attempts made
On his life, we may mention the fact that
whilst sick at New York, before coming
home to die, a glass of WINE was sent to him.
With the regards .of the landlady. but as
Burton never drank wine or spirits, it was
eft untouched. 1t turned out that the land
ady did not send it, and on analyzation it
vas found to contain poison enougth to kill
hree men.
1t should also be mentioned that Kissane
Vas pardoned out on the request of Burton.
md that had the latter lived, important re-
suits would have followed Kissane's liberia
ION.
The reader cannot fail to see the unmstaka-
Die identity of g Mr.. Sidney" with the late
Sidney &. Burton, and there are other smaller
that confirm the fact beyond
dispute. Mr.. Sidney = alludes to woman
"A the gang whose strength of nerve and will
,affied all his endeavors to master her schemes.
N private conversation here Mr.. Burton has
'tten alluded to this woman as the wife of one
II the consplrators, but whose name, for obvi-
'us reasons, we cannot now publish
The mysterious part of the magazine sketch.
namely, the power of {" Mr.. Sidney to read
he character and history of an individual by
lis hand writing, we cannot throw much light
IN, as he made but little mention of his skill
n this respect among his friends here That |
le was a skilful expert in detecting handwri-
ing, is however, well known fact, and on
me occasion forgery on one of our banks,
# which a clerk In a prominent River street
BUSINESS house had been suspected, and who
vas under police surveillance in consequence,
vas by Mr.. Burton, in an instantaneous glance ,
/ the writing, fastened ON one of the gang of
He even mentioned the day on which the
orgery was committed, and stated that on
hat day the person he mentioned would be
topping at one of the hotels under one Of | /
hree or four assumed names. Instant search i
roved that the person in question had stopped i
nat day at hotel under such a name. How 9