New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1866-01-22

45 5fl, &, T. .
Many Of our readers will remember, says the
y Washington {Pa.) Reporter, that some months
since, Mr.. A. b. Craig, then in the employ of
Messrs. Chambers Matthews as clerk in their
store, was discovered by those gentlemen to have
been in the habit of purloining both money and
goods from them. When found out he acknow-
lodged his guilt, and professed TO make restitution
by surrendering considerable sum Of money and
divers quantities Of goods, not only to Messrs.
Chambers Matthews, but to Mr.. Harding, by
whom he had been previously employed for about
d year and half.
Having made this PREPARATION of his own free
will and accord, and without any inducement
whatever being held out by his employers, he sud
denly left for parts unknown, and was not heard
ceiyed letter from him dated at Wheeling, ex-
pressive of the deepest pentence for his misdeeds
and 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 repairing to the Grant House, found
Mr.. Craig there, who at once informed him that
be had not made full PREPARATION for the injury
done to those 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
follows: $500 to Mr.. Harding, $1,000 to Messrs.
Chambers & Mathews and $1,000 to Mr.. Isaac Bee
son, OF Uniontown, in whose employ he had been
previous to his coming to this place. This, he
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 enjoy the peace of conscience to
which he had been stranger so long as the ILL
gotten gains remained in his possession. AS some
curiosity may be felt to know where he has been
since his departure, it may be well enough to
7 give his own story, which is this /: Immediately
L after leaving Washington. Penn, he proceede3to
New York, whence he sailed by the first steamer
for California, which he contemplated making his
future home.
convert his government securities into 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, he was constantly suffering
from the pangs of guilty conscience, and was al
lowed no peace of mind whatever. The sense of
guilt preyed upon him like canker and, after
enduring enduring untold agony from the goadings of the
silent monitor within, he at length resolved to
i come back and make full and complete restitu-
lion to those he had SO deeply injured. He &C.
: cordngly returned to New York, where he dis
posed OF his gold at the regular premium, whereby
ne realized enough in the way Of profit to defray
the expenses Of his trip to California and back.
having done this he as once came to Wheeling,
! where ne sought and obtained the interview with
\ Mr. Harding, which resulted as above described.
Looking at this thing from beginning to end it
certainly presents one of the most remarkable
cages we have ever heard or read of. This young
man haa been in the habit of robbing his employer
almost daily, for q period of not less than three
or four years, IN the course of which time he must
nave taken money and goods together amounting
TO over SIG, oo0 Notwithstanding this long indui,
gence in crime, and the constant practice of the
GRAFT and cunning necessary to carry on his syste.
matte robbery, he seems never to have become
hardened in guilt, but on the other hand, when
charged with the otIense, promptly confessed his
crime, and proceeds at once 10 restore, as was
supposed, the whole amount taken. Il ['S6
Leaving his employers under the impression that
he had made them whole, or very nearly SO, dc
takes his departure for the Pacific coast intending
never to return; but the restitution he had made
being only partial he is still troubled by the sense
OF guilt He still has $500 in his possession which
for aught that was known by any ave his maker
and himself honestly belonged to him, but the CON
others, gave him no rest, and at length he comes
back and restores it all to the rightful owners.