St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1877-12-07

PeiS. IL VIII tnuS De noticed
That both trains over the P. & o. con-
meet with Passumpsic trains at this
place, which must satisfy the most ex-
acting.
Another Sad Fall.
Richard E. Peabody was arrested in
Boston last week, on charge of forgery,
and was lodged in Jail in this place on
Sabbath morning. On Monday he was
brought before justice Lewis, and waiy-
ing an examination, was placed under
$1,000 bonds for his appearance at coun-
ty court, in default of which he was re-
committed to Jail. The above are about
all the facts elected by the judicial in
vestigation, but there are many more
stories aflOat which are fully believed.
If not we'll authenticated, which make
this one of the saddest cases of mis-
placed confidence and dishonesty which
we have been called upon to record.
The stories which we are told Peabody
admits, are briefly these When his
financial embarrassment forced him to
sell out his lumber interests at Nc
lndoe's Falls, there were ten one thou
sand dollar notes drawn by Peabody &
Co., and endorsed by Geo. VanDyke
and Henry Merrill individually, and
also by Peabody 81 Co. The first of
thASa 1.,a -. e
date. A week or two ago it came to
Mr.. Merrill's knowledge that there we're
more notes due than there should be.
and on looking the matter up, he found
several forged one thousand dollar
notes, drawn and endorsed similar to
the genuine ten. Capt. A. NJ. Beattie
of Maidstone held two of these forged
notes, and last week, in company with
an officer, he went to Boston and caused
Peabody's arrest, and he was lodged in
Jail in this place, as stated in the begin
ming of this article. We understand
that since his arrest Peabody has ad-
mitted to more than one that he issued
thirteen $1,000 notes, initiating the sig
natures of VanDyke and Merrill, all of
which were negotiated. Capt. Beattie
has two, the Merchants Bank in this
place, two; the First National Bank
one; the bank at Wells River one; the
Lyndon bank two; Charles H. Weeks
of Canaan, VT, one Lane, Pitkin g.
Brock, Montpelier, three; Hyde, War
rem & Heard, Boston, one. 1t is also
reported that S. S. Sleeper & Co. of
Boston, hold one, which makes IA heard
from at the present writing. There are
two of the genuine and one of the forg-
ed notes in the First National Bank in
this place, none of them yet matured.
On comparing the three, all admit a
very skillful imitation of both Van
Dykes and Merrill's signatures, and we
doubt if very many could select the
spurious. So far as is known, all these
forged notes were put out as collateral
security, and this makes the case still
more unaccountable. How Peabody
could commit such crime, with the
certainty of being found out, without
realizing cash for the paper, and then
remaining in the country until the forg-
ed paper matured, is past cOmprehen-
sion for he had the reputation of being
smart business man. But there were
sufficient reasons for this, and those too
which reflect no credit on Peabody, as
we believe will be shown before the
matter is through with.
Many of our readers are tolerably
familiar with this young mans history.
1t is brief but instructive. A few years
ago, when scarcely 81 years old, with
the aid of his father, wealthy man of
this town, young Peabody engaged in
the lumber business in GrotOn, and for
few years carried on quite large
business there. He afterwards engaged
very largely in the lumber business at
McIndoe's. Having run through all his
fathers handsome property, as is be-
lieved, and some for other parties, he
sold out within year to VanDyke &
Merrill, going to Boston as a silent
partner, or agent, to sell lumber for the
concern. OF his conduct while in that
city, there are plenty of stories, but we
have no disposition to help circulate
them; the result is public now to the
world. This blow comes with crushing
effect upon Peabody's young and beau
tiful wife and his invalid mother, who
is just about heart-brOken. The story
carries its own moral, and we have no
heart or desire to enlarge upon it. The
family friends of the young man and
his wife are among our best and most
esteemed citizens, and they receive the
heartfelt sympathy and pity of the
community. 1t is another awful warn
ing to young men but one which they
are very slow to heed.
Young Peabody is said to be very in
d;Aearant in rara,,l tn his crime Those.