Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1874-07-16
A Fortune For One Kind Act.

In the spring of 1864 MI Barnum or
gained an exhibition tour of his little
people" through New York and the East
ern States Gen. Tom Thumb and his
diminutive wife were the stars of the
troupe, and Mr.. William i. Miller was
the manager. Having exhibited at Bur
Whitehall, n. Y, one Friday night in
June, and took quarters in the principal
hotel in that old-fashioned village. The
tour up to that time had been eXtraordi-
narily successful, and Mr. Miller's cash
box was well-filled with crisp green
backs.
On Saturday the General and his
twenty-five pound wife felt disposed to
rest after their extended travels, and
kept their rooms. Mr.. Miller, who is a
fisherman and can cast fly against the
wind with Peter Gill himself, set out to
explore the Whitehall brooks for
speckled trout. Before quitting the no.
tel he took his casl-boX into the little
Generals room and left it in his care,
with warning to keep his eye on it, and,
in case of his going out, to leave it in
charge of the assistant manager of the
troupe.
Early in the afternoon the General and
his lady went out for a walk, forgetting
the cash-boX, and leaving the room door
open. While they were gone chamber
maid entered the room, opened the cash
box, took out the contents-nearly $4,000
and took French leave.
At five D. M Mr. Miller returned with
string of trout, and having occasion to
use pen and ink went to the cash-box,
where those articles were always kept
To his dismay he found only pen and ink
where he had expected to find $4,000
Hurried questioning of the little people
developed the story of the temporary de
sertiOn of the room, and in a few min
utes the desertion of the servant girl was
made equally manifest.
Mr. Miller sought out the Sheriff of the
county, and in short time fleet pursuers
were on the track of the dishonest hand
maiden. Before bedtime the Sheriff re
turned with the dust-begrimed and
travel-worn girl, who had walked and run
over fifteen miles. She was tired and
penitent, and voluntarily confessed that
she had stolen the money.
In eXtenuatiOn of her crime she said
that she was about to be married, and
desired a wedding trousseau. Going into
the Generals deserted room she saw the
money box. The temptation was too
much for her, and without stopping to
consider the possible consequences she
opened the box, took the money and fed
Being asked what she did with the
money, she produced all but about $500
of it, saving that she had lost that sum-
She was so distressed, and seemed so
cOntrite, that Mr.. Miller, after some in
quiries as to her previous character, de-
cided not to prosecute her On the sue
ceeding Monday the troupe went to Sar-
atoga The news of the theft was known
to but few of the villagers Of Whitehall,
and these few charitably kept the secret,
so that the erring girl kept her position.
After the war, when business began to
brighten up, Mr.. Miller left the show
business and went back to mercantile
life, entering the firm of Hurd, Morrison
6 Co., of 500 Broadway, dealers in sad
which has since become
Miller, Morrison & Co. He did not hear
from the girl from the time OF
the theft until two or three weeks ago,
when letter from Mr.. Stebbins, OF
Whitehall, recalled her to his memory.
Mr.. Stebbins' letter recited a lew in
cidents of her history since the theft,
the leading one being her marriage to a
wealthy lumber dealer, who lived but a
few years, leaving all his property to his