Los Angeles herald., 1891-03-29
RESTITUTION AT LAST.
THE RESTORATION OF A STOLEN
FORTUNE BY THE THIEF.

FORTUNE BY THE THIEF.
A Ceremony That Was Delayed Many
Ycars-Hardshfps Of q Family That
Had Been Robbcd-The Rascal Nfarries
One of the Daughters
The truth of the old saying that fort
une favors those who wait has again
been illustrated in the case of Lal Wick
land, an old man 63 years of age, and an
employe Of the Illinois Central railroad
at Mcconnell, some fifty miles north of
Milan, Tenn. The story reads like
romance. There resided in the city Of
Aberdeen, Scotland, seventeen years ago
rich and prosperous jeweler, Mr.. Lal-
land Wickham, man Of family, which
consisted of himself, his wife, three sons
and three daughters.
The name of the eldest son was John,
and he was engaged to a young lady of
his native city by the name of Craig, one
of the foremost of the beautiful Scotch
maidens of Aberdeen. Their marriage
was only deferred on account of some
business transactions.
One day Wickland burst into his wife's
room, greatly agitated, and exclaimed:
ssMary, we are ruined-utterly ruinedl
The shop has been broken into and at
least e12, 900 worth of plate and jewelry
carried off. have been with the de-
tectives through all the holes in the city,
but we found no trace of the thief or Of
the goods. The detectives think the
goods will never be discovered, and we
are ruined if it is so." When this rob-
berry occurred John Wiclkland was in
London, and he read the news in a Lon
don newspaper. He hurried home and
found the family in the greatest Distress
SEEKING A NEW FORTUNE.
Formany days the Wicklands indulged
themselves in the hope that some Glow
would be found to the robbers and their
precious wealth be restored to them.
These hopes were never realized. The
robbery, as the police said, had been
cleverly and cleanly done. No trace of
the perpetrators or any part of the prop
erty was ever discovered.
In the meantime Wickland had paid
all his outstanding debts, and found
himself pauper without sixpence. He
might have urged the robbery as a plea
for bankruptcy, but he was too conscien-
tious ever to think of such a course, so
he paid his debts to the last penny. The
utter ruin which had overtaken the
Wicklands postponed the proposed union
between John and Miss Craig, and Mr..
Wickland struggled on for few years,
his son John assisting him all the while,
but they could not even make living.
1t seemed that fate was against him.
About this time thousands of people
were leaving the Did countries of Europe
.s'1d heading for America. Mr.. Wick
land caught the emigration fever and
Ionged to come to this country. He sold
all his personal effects. and securing
steerage passage for his family landed in
New York. He had some money and ii
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,
nos,na Gf+aa-> AS-----A--e~, ta.oy 71osa----ry
little left. The boys found employment
as hands on the railroad. In 1888 they
came to Cairo, Qls., and the boys stayed
L4ClC, WAAAO WIG Olo SoCAGiCL4cA oCSuAC C0 d
position further south, at Mcconnell, as
track walker and keeper of the tanks in
that vicinity.
HAPPINESS AT LAST.
For years they have battled with diff
culties. During all this time John and
Miss Craig kept up correspondence until
in November, 1890, Miss Craig was
agreeably surprised at the sudden and
unexpected appearance in his native city
of John Wickland, who bore the joyful
intelligence that his family, their fortune
restored, would soon be in their old home
How was it?
This happy termination came out il
this wise: A man named johnson located
himself at Mcconnell as merchant,
running plantation and supply store.
His wealth in ready money was the talk
of the town. He sold goods rapidly and
made money hand over fist. He took
great interest in the Wicklands and
seemed to evince especial interest in the
facts relating to their robbery and utter
ruin. It finally came out that johnson
had been prison bird and the cold
shoulder was turned to him by Lucy
Wickland, to whom he was paying at
tenton. 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 it was he
who had robbed Wickland of his wealth,
and coming to this country had trebled
his possessions. He gave the old man
his check for $4,000. So soon as this
happened the Wicklands decided to re-
turn to their native land. When John
son heard OF their determination he in
sisted on paying their passage back to
Scotland.
The strangest feature of the affair was
that johnson Immediately sold out all
his belongings and went back to Scot
land month after the family of Wick
Land had returned, and a letter from him
to a friend announcing his marriage to
Miss Lucy Wickland, eldest daughter of
the man whom he had robbed, has been
received.-St. Louis Globe e-Democrat.
He Had Good Reason to BE Afraid.
"Your uncle" said friend to a young
fellow who has great expectations from
a rich uncle, ''told me today he was go
ing TO seek a change of air."