Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-10-26
RESTITUTION.
Stolen Property Returned after a Quarter
of a Century-A Remarkable Repent
ance-A Little Book and Some Money
Seeking Their Owners.

Stolen Property Returned after Quarter
of a Century-A Remarkable Repent
ance-A Little Book and Some Money
Seeking Their Owners.
The following remarkable letter has
been received at the New York Herald
office:
To the Editor OF the Herald:
l beg leave to send you herewith a
packet containing an old copy of ''John-
sons Pocket Dictionary" that l desire
most humbly and respectfully to restore
TO Its owner through your good offices,
together with the following explanation
and apology, which will explain the cir
cumstances that compel me to this course
and help you to find an owner for the
little book. A few months ago lost a
little manual of Catholic piety under cir
cumstances that LED me to conclude that
1t had been taken by some boy belonging
to the school of the Jesuit Fathers at
this port. All inquiries were fruitless,
however, and had given the book up as
lost, until it was quietly returned to me
yesterday by some of the schOlastics en-
gagged as teachers in the school, and | at
once demanded that steps should be
taken to discover the thief and to punish
him.
But certain circumstances brought me
to the conclusion simultaneously that the
boy had probably made restitution
through the confessional, whereas l dis
tinctly remembered having stolen the lit
tie book now sent you 26 years ago from
my employer, Henry G. Wheaton, attor-
ney and counsellor at law, of the firm of
Wheaton q Livingston, No. % William
street, New York. Although Mr.. Whea-
ton has probably been dead many years,
his daughters and grandchildren, or some
Of them, may still survive him and be glad
to get this little book, which, curiouSly
enough, l have never parted with IN all
the vicissitudes of my life in the long inter-
val since l committed the mean theft.
This Eurasian boy has taught me one les
son, and the Fathers have taught Inc
another in the silence of their charitable
fOrbearauce under the inviolability of the
confessional.
Moreover, l now send you a draft for
$35, piliered by me from Messrs. Carroll,
Herrick & Mead, formerly of No. 40 Cham
bers street, afterwards Carroll Il Mead, OF
No. 1872 Broadway, New York, a couple OF
years later, and just before the Southern
States began to secede. This firm was en-
gagged in the Southern clothing trade and
failed when the war broke out. A few years
ago heard that one Of the partners, Mr..
Benjamin Il. Mead, was engaged in the
clothing trade in New Orleans. But II no
rightful claimant turns up for this money
within a twelvemOnth please donate it to
the Catholic PrOtectOTy for boys in New
York, or to any other Catholic charity in
New York you see fit.
l have long been an admirer and ferYent
believer in the sacrament of penance and
an adVOte of the rigorous justice eXacted
at the tribunal of the cOGfessiOnal-t0 wit:
cOntritiOn, confession and satisfaction,
and have long realized in this the chief
barrier to the speedy and general adOp-
ton of the Catholic faith by the tribes of
Asia and the Protestants of Europe and
America, but, in my conscious vain-glOry
and pride of self, l never dreamed of hav-
ing it brought home to me in this way and
at this distance of time. Now, however,
while acknowledging the humiliation and
confessing its justice. | do not fail to rec
OgniZe Gods hand in it and to thank Him
for His mercy in enabling me to make
this reparation to His violated honor and
glory.
self, most respectfully, &C."
Shanghai, China, aug. %, 1884.
ECHOES OF LONG AGO.
The attempt to trace the whereabouts
of the gentlemen mentioned in the above
letter served to show how completely
men, even Of some prominence, can drop
out of sight in a great city like New
York. 1t was sad commentary on the
mutability of human affairs. Mr.. Henry
G. Wheaton was at one time well-known
lawyer Of the firm of Wheaton 81 Living
stOn, attorneys and councillors at law,
who had an office at No. % William
street in the years 1859 and 1860.
The partners name was Clarence Living
ton, but he left the law business and either
died or removed hOm the city in 1861.
Mr.. Wheaton continued his profession,
moving his office first to No. 12S Broad
way in 1862, and from 1868 to 1866 occupy
an office at No. 229 Broadway. He ap-
pears to have been unmarried and his res
idence was frequently changed from one
place to another. In 1866 all trace of him
likewise disappears.
AN OLD CLOTHING HOUSE.
Messrs. Carroll, Herrick & Mead were
well known as a large clothing house just
before the war. In 1861 MFR. Warren n.
Herrick went out of the business and the
firm became Carroll & Mead. No trace
of Mr.. Herrick could be. found after that
year. Mr.. George Carroll, the senior
member, lived at the Astor House, and
Mr.. Benjamin f. Mead resided in New
ark, n. j., where some old residents may
remember him. The year after the war
broke out the establishment was moved
to No. 392 Broadway. In 1868 the firm
was established at No. IA Pine street as
brokers in the clothing line. The next
year their affairs were put in the hands of
a receiver and all trace of either member
of the firm is lost. The writer of the letter
seems to indicate that Mr.. Mead was still
alive and in business in New Orleans
some years ago,