The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1866-06-20

unlocked and uOt Cut OpeL showing taat Z
must have been done by some one having
N bis possession United States mail key.
Third, that had not been a. home during
the evening, and that when summoned at
the post Office delayed 80 long n making
ny appearance.
To combat these facts argued that tie
state OF the Office proved cOnclusiYely that
il had been robbed; and that without doubt
the Keys and revolver had been taken a.
that time. Also that no trace Of any o.
the stolen articles We're found about me.
my house. or my Office; and that further Il
l had desired 10 rob the mail | might have
waited until Il had arrived al the Office, and
thus have saved myself the crime Of mur-
der. Against the third statement told the
reason OF my remaining in the Office Sd tate
ard brought forward Witnesses 70 prove
that often did so on Wednesday evenings,
/ IN order that the mail might be delayed as
little as possible. Further. that the reason
OF my remaining 50 long in the Office was
that could not open the door and brought
forward the fact tina. the keys were missing
TO sustain nv declaration.
Although these arguments were bv no
means fully satisfactory 70 those vino took
tie ground THAI was guilty still they were
so Tar 80 that / Was released on Dail OF i've
/ thousand dollars which readily obtained.
/ BY consent OF the Postoffce Department I
turned the affairs OF the Office over 10 my
assistant. / was thus left free % pursue
every means 10 prove ms innocence. which
| .elt could only BE lone by discovering the
+ guilty party.
/ | accordingly placed the oest o. detec-
tiyes al work, with Oniers % communicate
to me the first suspicion that they enter
tanned, Tor found that il was anything but
comfortable 70 be looked or IS q murderer,
although knew that was innocent.
Thus three weeks passed without any
thing Of interest occurring. and at the end
4 OF that time / could endure the suspense
no longer Therefore wrote 10 an Oh
7 friend Oi mine, who was then or the detec-
/ tive force OF P. and he getting leave Of
absence came to HE at r., and together
We set out about tie search.
A week passed without bringing more 10
light, and causing Us % despOud for We
feared that the murderer had so covered
his track that it would be impossible 10 dis
cover him. We had been al work two days
IN The city Oh c., and being about 20
leave, I entered into the hOte. office 10 sci
tie. Having no small bills. there was CON
siderable change handed back, and among
it ten dollar bill. which had been torn In
two. As / turned IL carelessy over / found
that the parts had been fastened together
with the margin Of a couple Of postage
stamps, which had printed upon it - No.
llJ-Plate," but the No" and Plate
had been crossed out and substituted IN
the place was Mar and 'IS6I, making
il read Mar l5-l6f" which was the day
before the robbery and murder. This may
seem common enough, but TO me it was
q ray OF light and hope; Tor the change was
IN my own handwriting l also remem-
bered perfectly well making the change
also that had placed my initials on the IN
derside, and that the bill must have been in
the safe at the time of the robbery. Calling
to my friend We went into a side room and
there carefully removed the paper On the
underside we discovered, as | had expected
the letters -. b. much blurred from wet
ting, but still legible Ny friend agreed
with NE that it was q very important dis
c0very. and in order to press it forward,
We called in the landlord and questioned
him.
lie remembered having received the bill
that morning, and had rather questioned
taking il on account OK the tear On beng
= asked to describe the man, he said.
AS near as ! can recOllect, lie was
= about five feet ten inches in height. and
quite stout in proportion. lie was dressed
entirely ia black. The only peculiar mark
: that l noticed was deep scar running
across his face and his left eye was gone. -
the place being supplied by piece OF black
silk. which he showed very plainly when ne
2 winked."
think | must have started very percep-
e tibly when heard this description for | rec
: Ognized the man Immediately As q runner
Z from the firm OF Bagley & Mason, Of Boston.
: who had been IL our town for about a week
a previous to the murder, and had left the
u same morning. His own name was James
i Burnham
u As we could learn nothing more from the
e landlord, save that be heard him order the
> hackman To drive to the Boston depot. we
> dismissed him, anu held a consultation.
z, We both agreed that it was best 10 20 i'm
u mediately TO Boston. see Bagley & Mason.
J. and, il possible, learn OF Burnham's where,
, abOuts. Carrying out this plan we learned
u from the firm the following facts:
James Burnham was good, reliable busi
c ness man He had been in their employ.
G ment for about fifteen years, and they were
J willing to trust him with any amount o
u their funds. He was now ii Vermont
where he had been since leaving L
: and had not. 20 their certain knowledge
g been ut C.
J. This rather perplexed Us but at last We
. determined that he must have deceived hi:
L employers; and although we did not thinl
that we had sufficient cause 10 arrest him
{ still we determined to track him while
With this purpose we went to Vermont anC
g fell in with him al Montpelier. For a weel
a We observed his every motion. but at th'
L end of the time had discovered nothing
: save that he would stay in town about on,
Il week longer. Feeling that my friend wa
l. fully capable Of watching him alone. | de
!; termined to 90 10 Boston TO see if cOul,
u learn anything new; and accordingly OF
the morning OF the 2lst OF April left. hav
e in 1irst arranged system of cypher, b,
z other if occasion required it.
!, Early on the morning OF the 22d | wa
q standing on the steps of the -- Hotel
Il when paper dropped at my feet appa