Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-03-11
pELEG KENYoN,s FoRTUNE.


III Gotten Wealth that Became the Bur
den of His Life-Dyiug an Unhappy,
Friendless Old Man, Leaving Prop
erty Estimated to be Worth $4,000
Making Restitution In His Will.
HARTFORD, March 7.-Peleg Kenyon,
aged go, recently died in Griswold, rural
manufacturing village in the eastern part
of this State, leaving property worth, 1t IS
estimated, $4,000. Kenyon was bach
elor, lank, keen-eyed and bald, and typ
ical Yankee. He died a miserable old
miser. The boast of his life was that be
started at q machinists trade at II years
of age, and at 81 was worth 10000. he
has lived alone in the barren Kenyon
homestead for years, an unhappy, Irlehu-
less old man. AT his funeral not a tear
was shed on his bier, and there was no
particularly interested attendant save
Boston lawyer. Most of his property is
in real estate and mortgages IN Eastern
Massachusetts, and he left it TO the heir
of Henry Henderson, an importer OF west
India goods, who thriyed at the hub some
what more than 40 years ago.
Peieg kenyon's mother was a hard
listed Yankee widow. honest but amOl-
ti01s. When her son left the ola farm,
more than two score years ago, just as
begun, to seek his fortune in a Boston
machine shop, the widow was mad at
him. She took hold of the plough handles
herself, and told Peleg never to come
back until he had made his pile. Before
a month had elapsed he was the butt OF
the shop where he worked in consequence
OF his frequently and carelessly expressed
determ nation 10 become a rich man WITH
in five years. He was considered cranky.
A I.,t, rl-x-s vi H.
stalled in the great warehouse of Henry
Henderson as the night Waterman. de
also did odd Jobs OF repairing about the
place. He soon ingratiated himself into
the good graceS of his employer by his IN
defatigable labors and his faithfulness.
During the six months that followed
Peleg was not idle. He attended closely
to his duties, ami in his leisure hours he
made first duplicate key TO the Once,
then one to the safe. and lastly one to the
cash box inside the safe. From time TO
time he would investigate the contents OF
the cash box, but never finding more than
from 81, 600 to So, COO in ii, he bided his
time patiently. One Saturday afternoon
the house received after banking hours
cash payment of $4,000 for crop of
molasses. The money was placed Ia the
cash box in the Office for safety. The safe
was both fire and burglar proof, and the
building convinced Mr.. Henderson that
the great packages of bills would be as
secure there az anywhere. That night,
as soon as Kenyon was left alone, he
opened the safe and the cash box, stuffed
the bills into his pockets, locked the doors
behind him, walked to the depot, and
took the evening train for Putnam, Conn.
At u O'Clock that nj hit he drove uD to
the old homestead in GrisWOld. At the
Inc hfnx 5eaf In
pot again, but minus the money. Sunday
night he resumed his duties as night
Waterman in the warehouses OF Henry
Henderson.
On Monday, of course, there was an
outbreak. CONSERVATION regned in the
establishment when the cashier, on open
ing the safe at the beginning OF business
hours, found the cash box empty. Where
could the money have gone to? Toe night
Waterman was questioned closely. lie
knew nothing about it, had seen no
one about the place nor in it, nor
had he been off the premises after
dark. Two detectives were put on
the case, and the next day Kenyon
was arrested on suspicion. He stoutly
maintained his innocence, and was re-
luctantly taken to prison and locked up.
Mr.. Henderson visited him daily and
talked with him, but Kenyon held an I'M
chant grew desperate. His business was
badly cramped by the loss OF the money.
No trace of it could be found anywhere.
No one was suspected except Pcleg, and
many believed him innocent. Mr.. Hen
dersOn walked into his cell one day and
said:
''Peleg, this thing has gone on long
enough. You stole that money"
"Well, what if l did?' coolly replied
Peleg.
"What if you did? You scoundrel, why,
I'll send you to prison for life!
mo, you won't, Mr.. Henderson. Mas
sachusetts law provides seven years only
for the man who steals from his en-
plOyer," Peleg replied laughin9ly.
you villain! What do you mean:'
said MIR. Henderson.
81 can't earn $1O0, 900 in seven years,
Mr.. Henderson, and you know I'm bound
to be rich man. Now Pye got that
much, and after I've been punished seven
years for taking it, it's mine, dOn't you
see?"
The merchant was bahled. No amount
OF talk would affect the thief. The de-
tectives were bafiled. All their wiles had
failed TO secure the money. The widow
Kenyon, too, was batfled. She was taken
to Boston, and with her eyes streaming
with tears she implOred Peleg to make
restitution. 1t was without avail.
"YOu told me to make my pile before l
came back, mother" he said, ''and when
L come home Pll show it to YOU
Mr.. Henderson was disguised. At the
end of week he offered Pelcg his liberty
if he would return the money.
"Why, | want to go to prison for it,"
was his answer. 81 expect to be punish
ed for taking it.'
Gwen give you your liberty and
$1,000, > was the merchants next offer.
''Pll give you $1,000 to let me co." re-
spOuded KENYON.
"Pll make it $4,000" said Mr. Hender-
son in dismay.
''And so will ], y SAID Peleg.
The offer to Kenyon was slowly in.
creased TO $4,000, and he as steadily adj
vanced his offer for liberty to that amount.
Hr. Henderson was now in despair. He
gave up all hope of getting the m Oney,
and arranged his business so as to DO
without 1t. Kenyon was not brought to
trial, however, and two months later Mr.
Henderson asked him submissiyeIy what
he would do.
'If you'll let me 90 with a written
guarantee not to trouble me, I'll give you
all but $4,000 tomorrow" said Peleg,
blandly.
changed if l will" said the merchant.
Six weeks more rolled by, and Mr.. Heu-
ders0n saw fit to accept the terms of the
shrewd Yankee thiel. For $4,000 he
signed an instrument putting Kenyon
out of harms way, with the lions share
of the money in his pockets. Kenyon
was released. He went at once to Girls
void, crawled under the horse stable in
the red barn at the old homestead, and
drew forth the bundle of $4,000 in bills
intact. He counted out $50, 200, and going
into the house, said to his mother:
EGMarV. there's nv Oile,D
''No good will come Of it, my son." she
sternly responded.
Peleg went back to Boston and paid
over $4,000, first investing his own
money skilfully in real estate, mortgages,
and loans. Financially he was fOrtu-
nate. Socially he was Ostracised. In
ten years he had doubled and trebled his
fortune, but in the meantime his mother
had died, as had all his near relatives.
He went back to the old farm in Griswold,
and made it the fairest in the land. The
barren hillsides blossomed like the rose
tree, fat cattle beloved from the rich
valleys, and fine horses neigh d in the
old stables. But the honest country pee
pie held alOOf from him, and for the rest
of his life Peleg Kenyon lived alone
soured and rapidly aging man, with no
enjoyment save the piling up and gloating
nAN