The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1889-07-18
letter out of here to certain party"

letter out of here to certain party"
"Better not try it," l briefly replied,
and let him worry again for a week.
1t so happened then that l was de-
tailed to the yard for a couple of days to
assist in repiling some lumber, and when
| returned had some gossip for Hatch.
1t was to the effect that the Governor
was being worked for a pardon for one
of the shoemen, and it was reported that
the lawyer who had the case in hand
was to get $10,0 if he was successful.
could not give his name, not having
heard it, but venturnd the opinion that
the mar must have rich relatives at
work for him.
erich ~ he replied, "He's selling
some one out on the quiet ~
1t was a week before anything further
was said. / had saved my good time
and was almost ready to go. Four days
before was granted my liberty Hatch
handed me piece of paper on which he
had written about dozen figures and as
many letters of the alphabet, and said
ut is to my mother. She will under
stand it. If you can get this out with
you and mail it to the address on the
back, enclosing your own address, you
will receive at least $1,000 within
week. The shoeman is my partner. II
he Is working the Governor 1t is to beat
me. I'll take the chances of trusting
you. We were in big diamond rob
berry in London, last year, and the swaG
is secreted in New York, If this gets to
the old woman she will put it in safe
place."
"But the address is Chicago" said,
as got look at it.
That's all right; she'll understand"
/ had sore finger, and l carried the
note out hidden in the rag wrapped
around the digit. l went straight to
Clio, put the paper in the hands of the
bank officers ard dett ctives, and after
working over the cipher for three days
we were no wiser than at first. The al
dress was "Mrs. Ann Walsh, Chicago,
ILL.," and on the second day after our
arrival in Chicago woman dressed in
mourning called at the ladies' window
and inquired for the name. We followed
her to a saloon and restaurant on State
street, and discovered that she kept house
upstairs, while her son, a young man
of about twenty. five, ran the business
below. The place was looked upon by
the Chicago police as suspicious, and
with their aid search warrant was pro-
CURED and search made. In a tin box
in an old trunk in the garnet we found
the securities stolen from the bank at
Clio. Jordan Hatch's right name was
Billy Walsh, and the woman was his
mother and the young man his brother
Both claimed entire ignorance of the
securities, proving that Billy had the run
of the house when at home and that he
had every opportunity to bring home
and conceal stuff. 1t was not until after
their acquIttal that we found the key to
the cipher. The note then read
Put the swag in safe place at once.
Don't reply to this"
Hatch had promised me $1,000, but he
did not mean l should get 1t, Mother
and son both knew he was in prison, but
were afraid to visit him, for fear of be-
ing suspected of having the securities
Upon leaving prison the men were
tried for murder and robbery. They ad'
mitted the robbery. but denied the muir
der. They explained that they knocked
on the bank doors and told Peter that
his wife was dying. In the confusion
he opened the door and both pushed in,
and as he staggered back he fell and hit
his head on the tile flor, 1t hal been
80 long since the murder, and their law
yer made such a plausible theory that
they were acquitted of murder, though
doubtless guilty, and sent for fifteen
wears apiece on the other charge.
York Sun