Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1866-01-16
miscellaneous.
AREMARKABLE CASE.

n
Many Of our readers will remember, says
the Washington (Pa.1 Reporter, that some
months since, Mr.. A. B. Craig then in the
employ of Messrs. Chambers & Mathews as
clerk in their store, was discovered by those
gentlemen - have been in the habit OF pur-
luiniuS both money and goods from them
When found ont he acknowledged his guilt,
ard Protested to make restitution by surren-
dering a considera olesum of money and divers
quantities of goods not only TO MeSsrs. Cham
hers s. Mathews, but to Mr.. Harding, by
whom he had been previously employed for
about year and a half. Having made this
PREPARATION of his own free will and accord,
and without any inducemcnt wisatrver being
held out by his employers, he suddenly left
for parts unknown, aud was not heard of again
until last week, when Mr.. Harding received
a letter from him dated at Wheeling, express
rive Ct the deepest penitence for his misdeeds,
end requesting an Interview with him at the
Grant House in that city on Friday last
Taking friend along with him, Mr.. Harding
went to Wheeling on Friday, and, on repair
ing to the. Grant House, found Mr. Craig
there, who at once informed him that he had
net made fell PREPARATION for the injury done
t6 ehose by whom he had formerly been en-
ployed, but declared it his intention then and
there to do so to the outside cent. To this
end he proceeded to place in the hands of Mr..
Harding the sum of So, 500 to be applied as
follOws:-S3, 800 to Mr.. Harding; 1000 to
MessrS. Chambers g. Mathews, and S 900 to
Mr.. Isaac Beeson. of Uniontowu, in whose
employ he had been previous to his coming
20 this place. This, lie alleged, covered every
cent he had taken from his employers, and he
expressed the utmost JOY at having been able
to restore it all to them, as he would now
Joy t!.p peace Of conscience to which he had
been stranger so long as the ill-gOtten gains
remained in his possession. As some curl
osity may be felt to know where he has been
since his departure, it may be we'll enough to
give his own story, which is this :-Imme-
diatcly after leaving Washington, Penn, he
5Tocecded to New York, whence he sailed by
'he first steamer for California. which lie con-
templated making his future home. Arriving
at the Golden State, he proceeded to convert
his government securities iIto gold, which
he was enabled to do at discount of twenty
four cents on the dollar. During his whole
stay there as he says himself, lie was con-
stantly suffering from the pangs of a guilty
conscience and was allowed no peace Of mind
whatever. The sense of guilt preycd upon
him Ikea cankcr; and, after enduring untold
agony from the gOadin@s of the silent monitor
within, he at length resolved to come back,
and make full and complete restitution to
those he had so deeply injured. lie accord
inyly returned to New York, where he dis
posed Of his gold at the regular premium
whereby lie realized enough in the way Of
profit to defray the expenses of his trip to
California and back Having done this, he
at once came to Wheeling, where lie sought
and obtained the interview with NJ Hard
ing which resulted as above described
Lookingat this thing from beginning to end
it certainly presents one of the most rcmarka-
Big eases we ever heard or read of. This
young man had been in the habit of robbing
his employer almost daily, for a period of not
less than three or four years, in the course of
which time he must have taken money and
goods together amounting to over $4,000
Notwithstanding this long indulgcnccsin sin
and the constant practice of the craft and
cunning necessary to carry on his systematic
robbery, he seems never to have become hard
cned i'll guilt, but on the other hand, when
charged with the offence, promptly confessed
his crime, and proceeds at once to restore. rs
was supposed, the whole amount taken
Leaving his employers under the impression
chat he had made them whole, or nearly so,
he takes his departure for the Pacific coast.
intending never to return; but the rcstitu-
ton he had made being only partial, he is
still troubled by the sense of guilt. lie
still has 800 in his possession. which for
aught that was known by any save his Maker
and himself, honestly belonged to him, but
Che consciousness that it had been fraudulent
Iy taken from others gave him no rest, and
at length he comes back and restores it all to
its ri ghtful owners.