Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1886-01-08

Portland Mercury.

of all the successful robberies that
have been committed on the Pacific
Coast none have attracted more at
tention or been enshrouded in greater
mystery than the theft of $lS,0 in
cola from the safe OF the Northern
Pacific Express Company at Aims
worth about two years ago. The
package in question was forwarded
by Ladd & Tilton of this city, to
Nelson Bennett the railroad contrac-
tor, who then had his headquarters
at the above place. The train mess
enger who had charge of the money
from Portland to Ainsworth deliv-
cred it to Z. Z. Johnson, who was
then acting as agent for the express
and railroad companies at AinswOrth,
and that individual according to his
own statement placed it in the safe
10 await the owners order the next
day. When morning came the mon
ey was missing. and from that day to
this no positive proof as to who
stole it has been obtained. johnson
at that time was a man who com
manded the confidence of all who
knew him, and was universally re-
garded an an honest. upright man.
Immediately after the robbery de-
tectives were placed at work on the
case and the most searching investi-
CATION on their part failed to furnish
any clue TO the perpetrator. John
son remained at his pest for several
weeks after the crime was committed,
until at last the finger of suspicion
pointed TO him as the guilty man.
At the suggestion of the company he
was finally arrested and taken to
Walla Walla for trial. but the evil
dence introduced by the prosecution
was not strong enough to convict the
prisoner and he was accordingly &C
Quilted. After his discharge be went
TO Spokane Falls, where he opened a
tirst-class saloon on what a great
many people believed to be the
Northern Pacific Express Compsny's
money. Detectives were constantly
on his track shsdowing him night
and day in hope of obtaining some
positive clue, but all to no avail.
johnson knew he was watched, and
often told his watchers that he knew
than, and it was no use to follow
him. as he was too fly" for them
At the end of year, through gam
bling and dissipation, he found him
self without a dollar of his i'll gotten
wealth and minus the friendship of
those who once looked upon him as
an honest man. II ever a man had
an opportunity of judging the value
of a good name it was johnson. At
his trial everything pointed to him
as the thief, but his good name came
to his rescue and saved him from the
penitentiary. The blood suckers
that fiocked around him in the hour
of prosperity to share in the spoils,
began to desert him, and he found
when it was two late, that the ties of
friendship founded upon oysters aud
champagne suppers were not the
same rs those won by honesty and
industry.
THE DOWNWARD GRADE.
When the last pound OF flesh was
gone, these human vultures took
their departure for new fields and
left their conscience stricken CON-
panion to fight it out alone. A few
months ago johnson came to Port
land In the hope of securing employ
ment, but he found that the friends
who were once glad to meet him now
slammed him as they would leper.
He went from here to British Col
umbia with the expectation of get.
ting employment on the Canadian
Pacific road. but his reputation had
preceded him and he was forced to
leave the land that ordinarily fur
nishes refuge to men of his calibre.
He next turned up at San Francisco,
where. by preying upon the sympath-
les Of former friends, he managed to
get ticket to Chicago, whittier he
started without a dollar in his pocket.
His penniless departure from the
Pacific Coast must have furnished
him bitter food for reflection, as he
looked back over the field and real
lied what he might have been had he
chosen to lead an honest life.