The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1869-03-12

him at W. CiEoble's and other places. I knew
him to be nab of temperate habits.
r. CHADWICK.
Sworn to and subscribed Dec. 3, 1867.
W. RI VALENTINE, j. P, Ward No. 10.
This broughtthe affair into December, 1867, on
the 26th OF wb Ah month Mr.. Darling wrote to the
company he WIS afraid things were not right, and
received for ia answer to use all diligence and
spare no expeIte to discover the truth.
In January, o56s, Faulkner again came to Mr..
Darling and demanded, in behalf of Noble, whose
power Of attodaey he held, payment of the policy.
Mr. Darling informed him that certain formalities
had to be gonsthrough with, and besides physi.
clans certificate who had seen the corpse should
be procured. Faulkner returned to his parish and
shortly Afterwards down came another letter from
him, inclosing the following document from q
quack doctor Of the parish, who, il is not to be
doubted, is as grand scoundrel as any OF the
gang:
Personally came and appeared before me, the
undersigned J.sP., Sias G. Thompson, III. D.,
practicing physician in the vicinity OF Roseheld
who, being duly sworn. deposeth and says that
he was sent Tor TO 60 to see one Thomas Nix
on the evening Of the Atm November last, but
being absent on professional business did not visit
him untiljthe morning Of the 9th, when found the
said patient. Thomas Viz, dead, who, il seems from
what could eatn and bis external appearance died
with said T. Viz for several months prior TO his
death. 8. G. THOMPSON, M. d.
Sworn to beNre the undersigned, justice of the
peace, this l2tls February, 1868.
W. Il. VALENTINE, J.P.
Nor was this 81 for, to make assurance doubly
sure, Faulkner hlso inclcsed another affidavit from
Chadwick, and ffidavits from Thos. Delord, C.B.
Grimsbaw, B. Thompson, L. j. MCGEE, another
from Carrawsy, W. H. J. Duke and II. W. J.
Duke, the two latter of whom. our readers will
remember, have since been killed. These men
all swore either to have Vix die, or seen his
corpse, or helped to bury him. or otherwise tes-
titled to his deasB. Besides which there was q
receipted bill f5r a coffin, $40, which had been
paid by Noble y and o bill of SIS, made out
against Noble by Carrswsy, for services rendered
to Vix while or his death-bed. The thing was
most complete, and the scoundrels had hardly left
q single loop.hole out Of which Mr.. Darling might
escape. Nevertheless, that gentlemaR's suspi-
cions were still alive, and he became more and
more determined to work the case up.
Daring the whter and spring Of 1868, Faulkner
constantly CALEB upon Mr.. Darling for the $4,000,
stating that desth had been proved and that the
money was due, and at the same time limiting to
Mr.. Darling that his (Mr. D.'s) private interests
would be much forwarded by the prompt pay.
ment Of the policy, and suggesting that hand
some dOucea1 would be forthcoming when the
$1,000 was paid. Mr.. Darling, to keep Faulkner
of his guard, told him he was id hard no and
would try to earn the promised money, and also
showed to Faulkner copies of letters he had
written to the home Office to demand immediate
payment-letters, IL is unnecessary to state, which
never went beyond Mr.. Dsrling's private office.
During the summer Faulkner transferred Mobiles
per pro. TO gentleman going to Hartford, who,
having no suspicion but that everything was all
right, agreed 10 collect the $1,000 If he could.
But before he attempted TO do SO Faulkner with
drew the per pro.
And now comes the first discovery that amount.
ed to anything ,nade by Mr.. Darling. June 1868,
he, in disguise t60k passage on the Vicksburg to
Columbia, on the Ouachita river, parish of Csld-
well, where Vix was said to have died. He re-
manned there but few days, but in that time
discovered ths.t no such man as ViG had eUsr
been buried sInytohere IN the neighborbood.
This was q glsfiVns discovery and Mr.. Darling
FASTENED to act On it. During the fall of 1868,
through source unknown at the time TO him, it
was discovered through unguarded admissions of
his friends that Vix had not died but moved away
from Columbia TO near Clinton, Louisiana.
M. Darling 81 once instituted inquiries, and
learned that q man named Henry I. Wick was re-
siding four miles rem Clinton, La, and had moved
there about the time Thomas Vix, of Columbia.
died. Mr.. Darling, convinced that he had spotted
his man, wrote 10 Hartford that if he could secure
the seryieee Of q skilled detective he would guar
antee that in TWO weeks lie would clear the whole
matter mp. The company responded by securing
the services Of Mr.. j. H. Wise, of Washington
City, detective with twenty years experience,
who arrived in New Orleans Sunday, February rs,
not quite two weeks ago.
Before we 60 on.with the narrative we must re-
mind the reader that, at this time, Mr.. Darling
had before him mass Of evidence to prove the
death of Vix, and nothing but one or two unsub-
stsntsted assertionsiand some very strong suspi-
cions with which TO combat the proofs and we
wish, therefore, to call attention to the small
grounds upon which Messrs. Darling aud Wise
worked, in comparison with the great results of
their labors.
Their plans all formed and well considered, on
Monday, March /, Messrs. Darling and Wise took
passage on the Nina SHINES for Port Hudson.
When they arrived there 1t was raining hard, and
continued so 10 do until Thursday, when at last
the horse railroad running out to Clinton was in
good enough order to transport them thither.
Monday morning they started; as it happened
there was a troupe OF minstrels on the cars, and
with them the two travellers mixed, SO that to |
outsiders they, too, seemed to be minstrels. |
Arrived at Clinton funny incident took place.
One OF the citizens, presuming that Mr.. Darling |
was the manager of the troupe, asked him If he |
to open that night. "No." replied Mr.. |
Darling; my principal song and DANCE man |
here" pointing to Mr.. Wise, ''has cold. can't
oren till tomorrow"
The next morning, to-day week ago, the two |
gentlemen sailed forth TO see what they could |
ind. MIR. Wise went to the Postofice, and there |
|0und that letters were frequently received for I
NJ. heDry Il. WICK. MI. DarIlng TOOK the stores Il
ss his field, and soon discovered that Mr. Henry |
L. Wick did reside in the neighborhood that he /
had arrived there about the time Thomas vix, Of |
Caldwell parish, had died, and that he had mar.
ned into most respectable family living in or
hear Clinton. Proceeding further, Mr.. Wise man
iged to get look at q bill or receipt Of some
'ort signed by Mr.. Henry 7. Wick, and 10 there
was the identical handwriting in which Thomas
Vix had made an application for insurance fifteen
months before, and in which Thomas vix had
written TO Noble just before his death, telling /
Noble Of his illness, which letter had /
,een deposited by Faulkner as one of the
proofs of Vix's death. Assured of his man, Mr..
Wise at once sued out warrant against Henry T.
Vick, and was soon confronted with that gentle
nan before Mr.. 81. B. Chase, mayor of Clinton. |
The accusation was formally made against him of
bearing false name and of being q party in an
Ittempt to swindle the Phoenix Insurance Com.
,any. He braZenly denied the charge, stating,
however, that he knew Faulkner and the other
parties well; that he was cousin of w. c. Noble,
he man in whose favor the policy had been taken
nut, and that be had left Caldwell parish in No
ember, 1867, the time Thomas vix died. To this |
DR.. Darling replied by telling him that 1t was USE
ess TO deny; that all the proofs were in his hands
md that further evasion would but make mat
ers worse. This seemed to shake Mr.. Henry