The Conservative. (M'connelsville, Ohio) 1866-1871, 1867-11-21
fFrom tbe Cincinnati l,ommeroisl.1

which was stolen In ISB4--In-
nOCent Parties VLndtcated--
wonderful Consequences OF n
Dream--The Guilty Party AR
rested--A Sad Case.
LAFAYETTE, IND, Nov. II,
On the Both of December, 1864, MIR
James s. Breckenridge, a stock. dealer
ofthis State, started on the night train
from indianapolis, on the Lafayctt,
and Indianapolis Road, with a valist
containing s13,931 In paper money
AT Thorntown he stepped out of the
cars to speak TO his brother, leaving
the valise under his seat. Before he
could get back the train had started
He Immediately telegraphod to the as
sistant superintendent of tho road to
be at the depot and board the cars for
the carpet sack, and TO send 1t back
on the next train to Clark's Hill. The
valise was found, tho money counted
in the presence Of several persons, and
then put in what was thought to be u
safe place. Upon the return of the
train the request of Mr.. Breckenridge
was complied with TO all apLearan ics,
but on opening tho valise he found the
money gone. Mr.. Leonidas Lovelace,
an employo Of the rad at Clark's Hill,
was arrested, and underwent a long
trial for the theft, coming near con.
v%iction. Having spent several thous-
and dollars in his defense. and suffer
ing IN reputation, he and his brother
who was arrested as an accomplice,
brought SUIT against Mr.. Breckenridge
FOR malicious prosecution. They, how
ever, at last dropped Is, and suffered
patiently the heavy burden their un.
fortunate position imposed upon them.
A few nights ago Mr. Thomas Rey-
nolds, who was present when the val.
Use was opened at the depot here, had
the whole scene brought wildly before
HIM in q dream, revealing tho pres
ence Of a young man whom he had for~
gotten in connection wI,h the matter.
This young man was Samuel Dounolly
at the time Of the theft n clerk in the
employ Of the railroad company at
the freight office. lie ot once inform
ed hIs brother, Mr.. VIM. Reynolds. the
President, and detectives were set to
work to ferret the case out upon the
new trial. 1t was found that Donnel-
" had loaned Messrs. Earl & Hatcher,
The well known grocers of this city,
$4,000, they knowing no rcasohn why
re should not be legitimatoly possess
ed Of that much money. II was also
found that lie had, IN his mothers
name. $4,000 of government bonds on
deposit at the National State Bank
Possessed of this information, and u
set Of handouts, the interested parties
went to Charlottesville, whore ho was
at school, and confronted him with
both the facts and irons, which brought
ftom him a full confession, partly, It
is said, under the influence of a prom
Ise that he should not be prosecuted.
He came to the city on Saturday and
gave up the money, with tho exception
Of 1891, which he had used in purcha-
sing a small house and lot. The he
decided to Mr.. Breckenridge, and also
gave him his notes, payable in FIVE nd
ten years for tho interest upon the
money. Although neither Mr.. b. nor
the railroad company cared 10 prose-
cute him, the Messrs. Lovelace, whom
he had caused to suffer 80 much, felt
differently, and, therefore, they swore
out a warrant against him on yester-
day and had him arrested.
This is truly n sad case. Donnelly
Is but little vor Jwenty-one years Of
age, and is exceedingly ino looking
and intelligent. Previous to his fall
he had been a trusted clerk in the
post Office, and had born an irroproach-
able character. Ho says that after
having distracted the money and ia
ken it home. he sat down upon the
steps, and such was his romorse, that
he at once determined to 90 back to
the depot and replace ii IN the vaIisc.
He started 20 do so, but heard, at that
moment the cars start and knew it was
too late.
lie had always been ambitious, and
instead OF ~sqUandering the money, inn
mediately commenced a course of stu
dy at Charlottesville, whore he had
been for nearly two years when his
crime became known. On account of
his former reputation, his studious
habits, the s%uddenness Of the tempta-
ton, the terrible anguish no seems to
feel IN consequence of his sin and DIS
grace, there ls an unmistakble symDa-
thy for HIM in this community. The
law, though, will have it's course. To
many it will, doubtless, occur that
there is 50 much crime in the land,
rendering life AMI property more than
usually unsafe, no consideration of
sympathy should be allowed to inAu.
ence the jury in this or any similar
case, to mellow the rigor of punishment
stern justice demands. But there are
others, again, who, remembering the
story of Jean Vatican or Elsie Venner,
are will to not exact the yellow pass,
port for every offender, or set down