The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1876-07-12
A MAN AND A BROTHER.

and feminine handwriting. The con-
tents commanded his reading more than
once, for they were an appeal from q
stranger to his courtesy and from
woman to his generosity. The writer,
in as few words as possible, spoke of
herself as having arrived in Erie only a
few days before in the hope of pro-
curing q loan from the bank upon Ger
tain securities which constituted her
widows dover. She had visited the
bank in expectation of an interview with
the president, but found her courage un-
equal to the attempt, for, without speak
ing, she had gone out again, though not
until she had noticed the kindly counte-
nance of a gentleman who was subse-
uuently named to her as the cashier.
For reasons which she could scarcely ex-
plain to herself that countenancs had en-
couraged her to address its possessor in
the present unwonted manner and to
beg his kind Office in her behalf with
the bank. She knew nothing about
business, had no masculine relative or
friend to call upon for aid or advice, and
was stranger in strange city on an
errand absolutely beyond her power.
Despair made her bold to impose upon
the chivalry of Mr.. Edward j. Warren,
who, at such number on such street,
might find the writer of this poor ap-
peal.
Mary Kinnaird was the name signed
to this somewhat vague missive, and
Warren pondered the latter with sensa-
tions of mingled surprise and curiosity.
He remembered noticinga yelled woman
of graceful figure, who had abruptly
turned back from walking into the bank
during the day, and doubted not that
she was the author of the note. He was
vain with the not unnatural self-conceit
of comely youth whoD position and
manners had secured him high feminine
favor in local society, and the promise
of romance in the appeal of his new cor
respondent was very tempting. In
short, he decided to see the lady forth
with. Repairing, after supper at his
hotel, to tasteful mere toy of cottage in
theenvirons, as directed, he found there
the young widow of the note and her
securities. The latter, small in amount
but good of their kind, he thought might
be negotiated; the former, intelligent,
graceful, and unaffected, he was delight
d to find ready to receive and trust him
as friend.
Thus romantically began an acquaint
ance which ran on without further nota
BILE incident for several weeks. Mrs.
Kinnaird rented the little cottage until
the business calling her to the city
should be finally settled, and in that
time surprised the cashier by two calls
upon him in his rooms over the bank
On one OF these extraordinary occasions
her excuse was that she had an insatia
BILE womanly curiosity to see what bank
vaults were like, and Mr.. Warren polite
ly escorted her down stairs and
explained the mysteries of locks and
iron doors.
As she had previously preserved to-
ward him. a certain modest reserve in al
their interviews, he was yet more
amazed when, on the very next evening
she again presented herself at his lodg
ings and, after much frivolity of dis
course, asked him to send for bottle o.
wine. In his growing fatuity he as
sented, and had scarcely drained bis frs
glass when his strangely changed com
panion struck an odd vein of converse
tion. Did he remember that about si1
months ago lad had entered the banl
and requested him to change a fifty dol
lar bill2 Yes, he recalled the matter
perfectly. The bill was a counterfeit
and he fastened after the lad and caused
his arrest2 Yes, of course, but why
this questioning9 Bewildered by the
woman's strange looks, as well as words
the young man would fain have demand
ed explanation, but his speech suddenly
became thick and dreadful stupol
crept over his senses. "That boy would
not tell where he got the bill, and or
your evidence, Edward Warren, he wal
J convicted and sentenced to solitary con
fnement for seven years. He is my
brother, and I am here to avenge him I
Such were the words heard by the hap
less bank cashier as he sank senseless
under the wine which the speaker hac
drugged for him.
When Warren recoveredhis conscious
ness fremen were dragging him from
the smoke which had assembled thickly
to his room from the bank below, fol
the latter had been in flames. Upor
the extinction of the fire it was founG
that the vaults had been robbed o.
nearly $50, 900 by the deliberate unlock
ing of the doors. Further search dis
covered match safe from the cashiers
room amongst the debris of the fire, an6
several hundred dollars of the stole1
money in drawer of his bureau. The
signs were clear that Edward Warren
turning robber and seeking to hide hi
guilt by firing the bank, had been over
come by the smoke, and thus fell al
easy prey to detection. He was arrested
indicted, and, being ashamed to tell tht
whole truth, even to his counsel, obsti
nately adhered to the plea that he hat
drank some wine, fallen asleep, ant
knew nothing that happened thereafter
In his morbid social pride he could no
endure to confess that woman had 81
egregiously fooled him, and as neither
court nor public credited the incoheren
defense really offered, the trial ended il
his conviction of larceny and arson ant
condemnation to the Allegheny peniten
tiary for life.
The venerable father of the wretchet
convict-a farmer from the vicinity O
Bufalo-never believed that his son wa
guilty, nor that he had told the tru
story of his misfortune. By importunit.
with the governor of the State he at las
gained permission for an interview witt
his unhappy boy in prison, and per
suaded from him full confession
After the fire at the bank Mary Kinnair'
had never been seen in Erie, nor coul.
any one tell whittier she had disappeared
Only by her capture could the e1
cashiers miserable situation be changed
and forthwith the father devoted hi
every hour and dollar to the task OF find
ing her. Detectives, supplied with mi
mute personal descriptions, secure
several States in the pursuit, and ulti
mately took into custody woman Q