Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1880-09-24
ARREST OF SILAS M, WAITE.
RE H. Appreciated at Omaha, Neb,
and Brought Home for Trial.
The U'Ork of the Detectives.
THE FULL PARTICULARS OF MS CAPTURE AND
THE MEASURES WHICH LED TO 1T.

THE MEASURES WHICH LED TO 1T.
The fact of the arrest of Silas NJ. Waite,
the fugitive president and cashier of the First
National bank, first became known in this
village on Wednesday morning, when the
news was contained in brief press dispatch
published in the Rutland Herald. The
Springfield and Boston papers of that morn
ing had dispatches the same in substance as
that contained in the Herald, but no partcu-
lars of the arrest were known until the arrival
of the New York Times by the White Noun
tain express in the afternoon. Tho first de-
tailed intelligence of Wate's arrest appears
to have been given to the public through
special dispatch TO the Times on Tuesday
night. This dispatch was rs follows;
OMAHA, Sept. 21.-A decided sensation was
created in Omaha to-day by the arrest Of Silas
NJ. Waite the abscouding president of tho
First National Bank Of Brattleboro, Vt,
whose defalcation amounts to 100000. He
was arrested at the house of his brothcr-in-
law, Truman Buck, well known and re-
spected citizen the arrest being made by W.
H. Llewelyn and w. II. Shields, special
agents of the Department of Justice, assisted
by Charles Sweezy, Of the Omaha Post Office.
At the time of the arrest Mr. Buck and his
family were away from home attending the
State Fair The house was surrounded,
when Waite ran into the cellar and tried to
make his escape through a back door. When
caught he threatened to commit suicide, and
precautions were taken to prevent any such
deed. lie was taken to jail to await further
action 1t is said that during the last three
months he has made occasional visits to the
city, always stopping at his brother-in-law's
house. When he fled from Brattleboro in
June last it was generally supposed he had
gone TO Europe, but in time it was discover.
ed that he was still in this country and the
Government took hold of the case. He was
traced by way of Duluth to the Winnipeg
country, thence to Wyoming, where he in
tended to stock ranch. He had already be-
gun to carry out his project. 1t is suspected
that during the past eight or niue years he
has invested his money in Nebraska or else
where having sent money hero quite fire.
quently. The officers who arrested him claim
that quite u large sum was telegraphed to
him here from New York few days ago, and
that il is now here and can be recovered.
Some further particulars arc contained in
the Springfield Republicans special Omaha
dispatch published on Thursday morning
OMAHA, Sept. 22.-The arrest Of Slas NJ
Waite was made Tuesday morning by W. H.
Shields of New York and w. II. II. Llewellyn
of Justice. Shields arrived hero Friday, and
on Sunday Waite was positively located at the
| house of Truman Buck, his brotheri in law,
| where he has been for several weeks past
| Great care was taken not to flush the game.
| Tuesday morning n fugitive warrant was OBJ
tanned and Buck and family having gone to
the State fair, the officers, with Charles
Swcsy went to the house, posting the latter
at the rear and going in Mt the front door, in
Al. a 1
| all through the house. down cellar and out
the back way. where he was seen by Swesy.
| He was followed close by Shields and Level
| lyn, but he locked the doors on them He
| then ran around the house to the front and
into the arms of Llewcllyn. Shields said,
"Silas NJ. Waite arrest you Waite threw
his hands TO his forehead and exclaimed,
ooh, God my poor babies" He made no
| resistance, but asked the officers If they would
have shot him if he had run, and said ho
wished he had run If they would He desired
to be allowed to commit suicide and said the
great mistake Of his life was that lac had not
killed himself. Search revealed nothing but
a watch, pocket-knife, etc He kept the
watch, saying he would give it to his wife.
He afterward became more cool, but talked
suicide to the last. He said he would plead
guilty to everything, and expected to pass
the rest of his days behind the bars. Bucks
ton with them In the presence Of an officer,
and packing his things drove TO a hotel, dined
and left at | j. NJ, with Shields for Brattle-
boro. The officers expect to recover a large
part of the money. A few days ago, w. f.
Waite, son of the prisoner, teegraphed
Buck large sum, probably $4,000, from
Northampton Mass. Waite looks robust and
hearty. Swesy claims the 5000 reward Of
fered by the directors of the bank.
mi i ~ :
at this writing Of the time, place and manner
of Waites arrest.
How the Arrest Was brought About.
The universal interest which is felt to know
by what means the arrest was accomplished
finds answer in the statement herewith given.
About the middle of July last Mr.. 7. NJ Price,
the gentleman designated by the government
as the receiver of the First National bank,
went on to Washington to asce rtain whether
a government fund existed which could be
used to aid in Waito's discovery and appre-
hension. He found such fund in the De
partment of Justice, it being part of a reg
ular annual appropriation by Congress- aud
at Mr. Prices request, Special Agent New
comb Of the Department Of Justice, was
sent to Brattleboro to look up the facts in the
case. He was furnished with an "informa-
ton" (the same in effect as an afidavit") OBJ
tanned by Mr.. Price of Hon. b. F. Fifield,
United States District Attorney. This in
formation affirmed that s. NJ Waite was an
embezzler in the sum of $500, 900 of the
funds of the First National bank and that he
was fugitive from justice. 1t was submitted
by Special Agent Newcomb to Attorney Gen.
eral Deyens, who decided that it was sufficient
to warrant the use of the special fund above
referred to to secure Waites arrest, if posi-
BILE. Mr.. Newcomb thereupon detailed De-
tective l.. A. Newcome of New York to work
up the case. Mr.. Newcome came to Brattle.
boro late in August or early in September, to
begin his work. He stopped at the Brattle
! boro House under an assumed name, saw Mr.
Price and obtained what information thai
gentleman could give him, and was furnished
with photographs and a description of Waite
He was also armed with warrant issued by
3 Hon. Royal Tyler, United States Commits
S sioner which commanded him (Newcome) oil
, w. II. Shields to arrest S. NJ. Waite if he
-, could be found, and bring him before hiu
Commissioner Tyler for examination. Mr.
. Newcome left Brattleboro about a fortnight
ago, He deputed Mr.. Shields to work NJ
the case, and the result of his work is statec
= in the dispatches above given. 1t is know
c to Mr.. Price that Waite left Portland on tho
Friday after his flight, by way of the Crane
4 Trunk railroad going to Toronto then t.
i, Winnipeg, and from there down to Bismarck
Dakota
, The News IH BrattIebOrO.
n The announcement of the arrest was dc
e cided surprise to almost every individual il
n this community, and the news created an ex
: element which rapidly spread throughout tn,
town. Although many people have profess
: eddy held to the opinion that Waite had no
left the country, the majority had settle,