Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1890-07-24
THE CONvICT'S OFFER.
A BROOKLYN Wom,n's story of a Negro
Burglar and His Wealth.


A BROOKLYN WOm,n's story of n Negro
Burglar and His Wealth.
'Some years ago my father rented
house in Wethersfeld from Captain
Willard, who was then warden of the
Connecticut State prison. He was att
erward stabbed to death, as you may
remember, by one of the prisoners, who
was hanged for the murder" said a
Brooklyn lady. MY fathers family
was very large, but so was tho old
house, and there was plenty of room for
us all. The grounds were spacious and
required good deal of care, and five
or six colored gardeners we're often
working on them. These men were all
convicts, hired by my father from the
prison, which was about quarter of
mile from our house. Captain Willard
said they were dangerous lot, and
warned us to watch them closely, and
advised my father not to allow any of
us girls to speak to them, or to go near
them alone | can not say, however,
that any of the gang allotted 10 us ever
misbehaved-u indeed, it was the
one about whom am going to speak.
"Ihis was a big, good-natured fellow,
very black, capital hand with the
banjo, and about forty years old. His
wife and children went to see him in
the Jail every visiting day, and they
all seemed to be very hopeful of the
future, for the prisoner was serving a
term of only five years. lie was sus
pected of having participated in num-
Der of burglaries, but was convicted OF
but one, the robbery of jewelry store
in Hartford. Very little property was
found with him when he was arrested,
and, though the store had been COM
pletely emptied of its valuables, it was
supposed that he had played but very
small part in the raid upon it, and his
sentence was light.
but one day this man, to whom my
father had been very kind, told him
confidentially that he had been entire
ly alone in his last robbery and a dozen
others, and that the day before he was
taken into custody, knowing that his
arrest was imminent, he had buried all
his booty, amounting in value, he
thought to close on to $50, 900, in an un-
frequented place. lie offered to tell
my iather where the treasure lay and
share it equally with him if he would
unearth it, turn it into cash, and hold
it until his term of Imprisonment had
elapsed. OF course, my father refused
to listen to such a proposition, and
tried to worm out of his informant
where the wealth was hidden; but the
prisoner was too cunning for him. He
detected his object and became very re-
ticent.
'About month after the man had
been released my father received by ex
press u package containing fully $500
worth of jewelry, in the shape of ladies'
rings and bracelets. There was nc
letter with the bundle, but
there was no doubt about the
accuracy of the address. The
things were shown TO the jeweler
who had been robbed but he said none
of them had ever belonged to him, SC
we kept them, subject to an original
owners claim.
Late last winter | was in Now Or.
leans with my husband, and one after
noon an elderly colored man accosted
me as | was walking in the street, lie
was dressed in the most fashionable
material, cut in the latest style, and he
literally twinklcd with diamonds; but
l easily recognized our old Wethersfield
gardener. lie was, evidently, quite
rich, and asked him when and how he
had acquired his wealth.
Missy he said, forgetting that
was an elderly married woman, it wa'
befo went to prison. done tole yel
pa all bout it, but he give me de cole
sholdah. IN. Y. Sun.