The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1867-08-21

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scription, for I recognized the man
Immediately rs a runner for the firm
of Bagley & Mason, of Boston, who
had been in our town for q week pre-
vious to the murder. and had left the
same morning. His own name was
James Burnham.
AS we could learn nothing more
from the landlord, save that he had
heard him order the hackman to
drive to the Boston depot, we dis
missed him, and held o consultation.
We both agreed that it was best to 90
Immediately to Boston, see Bagley &
Mason, and, if possible, learn of
Burnham's whereabouts. Carrying
out this plan, we learned from the
firm the following facts:
James Burnham was q good, relin
ble business man. He had been in
their employ for about fifteen years,
and they were willing to trust him
with any amount Of their funds. He
was now in Vermont, where he had
been since leaving il, and had
not, to their.certain knowledge, been
nt c..
This rather perplexed us, but at
last we determined that he must have
deceived his employers; and although
we did not think that we had suffi-
cient cause to arrest him, still we de-
termined to track him. With this
purpose, we went to Vermont, and
fell in with him at Montpelier. For
q week we observed his every motion,
but at the end of that time had dis
covered nothing, save that he would
stay III tile town about one week
longer. Feeling that my friend was
fnlly capable of watching him alone,
[ determined to go to Boston to see
If could learn anything new; and
accordingly, on the morning of the
21st of April, I left, having first ar
ranged system of cypher, by which
we could communicate with each
other, if occasion required it.
Early on the morning of tie ODD,
was standing on the steps of the
- hotel. when paper dropped
Mt my feet, apparently from one of
the upper windows. STOPPING down,
picked it up, but discovered that it
was but an envelop, and was abont
to drop it, when the name upon it
caught my eye. 1t was that of
leading merchant of IL. Look
ing up at the window, 1 saw, to my
surprise, the face of James Burnham,
and that he turned deadly pale when
he saw me. Feeling certain that he
knew my errand, I saw that it would
be safe to let him escape me no
longer. [ Immediately determined
on having him arrested at all hazards.
Hurriedly writing despatch, which,
to the operator, would read, "Join
me in Portland, tomorrow. Imme-
diately upon the receipt of this, YOU
may close the bargain which 1 spoke
to you about yesterday" but. to my
friend, Games Burnham is in Bos-
ton. Why are you not? I have n
clue. Shall arrest him immediately.
sent it to the telegraph office, and
then hurried to the police station.
Here l told my story in as few words
as possible, and in fifteen minutes
more was at the door of the room
from which the envelop had come.
A noise of some one moving rapidly
about told us that the occu pant was
still there.
The door of the room was not fast
ened, but as the officers approached,
Burnham sprang to do so; but they
were too quick for him, and had en-
tered before he could get it done.
AS we came in, he stepped back, and,
IN no gentle tones, demanded the
cause of the intrusion. In answer to
him, one officer said:
IL arrest you, James Burnham, for
the murder of Charles Smith and the
robbery of the post Office, ut D.,
on the night of the 10th March last ("
The effect was instantaneous. He
turned deadly pale, and sank into a
chair near by, but, after a moment,
reused himself, and said:
"You have mistaken your man.
My name is not James Burnham, but
William Chase"
We considered this, however, as
but an attempt to bully us, and he
was accordingly led away. The
search which followed brought to
light considerable money in bills
and number of checks, many of
them payable to certain merchants
in l., and some of them from
citizens of IL, payable to per-
sons living in Boston.
Immediately telegraphed the par
ticulars of the arrest to my friend,
aDd he joined me the next morning: