St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-02-18
A ROMANCE IN REAL LIFE.
How Love Caused a Burglar to
Restore a Stolen Fortune.


Restore Stolen Fortune.
Milan (Tenn.) Special to Globe-Democrat.
The truth of the old saying that for
tune fayors those who wait has again
been illustrated in the case of Lal
Wickland.a IAN old man, siXty-three years
of age, and an employe of the Illinois
Central railroad at Mcconnell, some
fifty miles north of here. The story
reads like a romance, and, as given to Il
Globe Democrat reporter. runs in this
wise:
There resided in the city of Aberdeen,
Scotland. seventeen years ago, rich
and prosperous jeweler, Lalland Wick
land, a man of family, which consisted
OF himself, his wife, three sons and
three daughters. The name of his eld
est son was Jean, and he was engaged
to young lady of his native city by the
name of Craig, one of the foremost of
the beautiful Scotch maidens of Aber-
deem. Their marriage was only de-
ferred on account of some business
transactions. One day Wickland burst
into his wite's room, greatly agitated,
and exclaimed:
"Mary, we are ruined. utterly ruined
The shop has been broken into and at
least e12,000 worth of plate and jewelry
carried off. | have been with the de-
tectives through all the holes in the
city, but we found no traces of the
thief nor of the goods. The detectives
think the goods will never be recovered,
and we are ruined if it is So"
When this robbery occurred Jean
Wickland was in London, and he read
the news in London newspaper. He
tod bon 90 ilx, i,,
the greatest distress. For many days the
Wicklands INDUCED themselves in the
hopes that some clew would be found to
the robbery, and their precious wealth
be restored them. These hopes were
never realized. The robbery, as the
police said, had been cleyerly and
clearly done. No trace of the perpe-
traitors or any part OF the property was
ever discovered.
In the meantime Wickland had paid
all his outstanding debts and found him.
self pauper and without a sixpence.
He might have urged the robbery as a
plea for bankruptcy, but he was too
honest and conscientious man to ever
think of such course, so he paid his
debts to the last penny. The utter ruin
which had overtaken the Wicklands
postponed and proposed union between
Jean and Miss Craig, and Mr.. Wickland
struggled on for a few years in small
way of business, his son Jean assisting
him all the while. but they could not
even make living out of it. 1t seemed
that fate was against them.
About this time thousands of people
were leaving the old countries Of
Europe and heading for America. Mr..
Wickland caught the emigration fever
and lOnged to come to this country. He
sold all his personal effects, and after
securing steerage passage for his FAM
lily, landed in New York. He had some
money, and it went fast. He began to
realize that he must find something to
do. He left New York and went to st.
Louis. When they arrived in that city,
some fifteen years ago. they had very
little left. The boys found employment
as hands on the railroad. In 1868 they
came to Cairo, ILL.,, and the boys staid
there, while the old gentleman secured
a position further south. at Mcconnell,
as track walker and keeper of the tanks
in that vicinity.
For years they have battled with diff
culties since coming to America, and,
while never in real need, fortune still
was unkind, and they have never been
able to lay by enough TO go back to
Aberdeen. During all this time Jean
and Miss Craig kept up correspondence,
until. in November last, Miss Craig was
agreeably surprised by the sudden and
unexpected appearance Of Jean Wick
land in his native city, who bore the
joyful intelligence that his fathers
family, their fortune restored, would
soon be in their old home. How was it?
This happy termination came out in
this wise; A nan named johnson To-
Gated himself at Mcconnell as mer-
chant, running plantation and a sup
ply store. His unlimited amount of
money was the talk Of the town. He
sold lots of goods and made money hand
over fist. He took great interest in the
Wicklands. and seemed to evince
especial interest to the facts relating to
their robbery and utter ruin. 1t finally
came out that johnson had been a
prison bird and the cold shoulder was
turned to him by Lucy Wickland. to
whom he was paying attention. This
seemed to nettle him, and he sent for
the old gentleman to come to him.
Their interview lasted two hours.
At length johnson confessed that 1t
was he who had robbed Wickland of his
wealth, and, coming to this country.
Ldu tiOUlCQ LID poooVootOIlos 1c gave
the old man his check for $4,000. So
soon as this happened the Wicklands
decided to return to their native land.
When Johnson heard of their determin-
alton he insisted on paying their pas
sage back to Scotland. The strangest
feature of the affair was that johnson
Immediately sold out all his belongings
and went back to Scotland month
after the family of Wickland had re-
turned, and letter yesterday from him
to friend announced his marriage to
Miss Lucy Wicklapd, eldest daughter
of the man whom ha had rollhad