News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1892-05-05
Gathered in by the Bunoo stearers.

! SPEND THE NIGHT-S250OM MORE FROM
| ANOTHER FARMER BY GAME OF CARDS.
/ One of the most remarkable crimes
! of the kind ever committed in YER
mont was successfully carried out by
Red =" Austin and Ludlow, two no
) ted bunco men, on Tuesday. 1t is
supposed that these men had been
staying for some time at the Bard
well House at Rutland. They came
to the Stevens House at Vergennes
on Monday by different trains and
registered as A. B. Clark and B. c.
Bolton of Boston. On Monday Aus
tin hired a team and drove to Bristol
and New Haven. At the former place
after making many enquiries, he call
ed upon Elisha Hewitt. Mr.. Hewitt
! is q farmer 50 years old, who has a
wife, two sons and three daughters.
He is estimated to be worth $4,000
Austin introduced himself to Mr..
Hewitt as the cashier of the Burling
ton savings bank, and pretended
that he was in search of q farm which
he wished to buy OF his sister. He
talked with Mr.. Hewitt on financial
subjects and found that the latter
usually carried large sum of money
on his person. From Bristol Austin
drove seven miles to New Haven,
where he visited Samuel Wright, tell
ing him the same story which he re-
! lated at Mr.. Hewitt's. Mr.. Wright
is about rs years old and is worth
$4,000 Austin went back to YER
gennes, and in the morning he and
Ludlow started out for business.
Austin drove to Mr. Hewitt's house.
after leaving Ludlow beside theroad
He invited Mr. Hewitt to look over
the farm with him and the latter got
into the carriage and the two drove
away. When they reached the fence
where Ludlow was waiting Mr.. Hew-
lit says he became suspicious, and
"smelt tar" He attempted to get
out of the carriage, but Austin took
him by the shoulder, saying, Hold
on, | will carry you back to the
house." This is the last that Mr..
Hewitt remembers until he became
partially conscious on Lincoln noun
tain seven miles away, the following
morning. He wandered home. The
| $500 which he carried with him in his
pocket was missing. When he did
not return at night the people in the
vicinity we're alarmed There was
great excitement and 100 people were
out searching for him. 1t was sup |
posed that he had been murdered.
AS soon as the buncoers had dis |
posed of Mr.. Hewitt they drove to
New Haven and Ludlow was again |
left by theroadside and Austin called |
upon Mr.. Wright, who consented to
go out for drive with him to see the
farm. They met Ludlow, who said
that he was the advertising agent of
a big tea company, and that he had
sent his team to Brooksville and was
walking back to Vergennes for eXer
else. Ludlow enquired about Mr..
Wright's farm and offered him $50 |
for the privilege of putting up bill
board at a corner near the road.
The offer was accepted, and Ludlow
went on to tell about the immense
advertising schemes of his company.
He had one scheme that was way
ahead of anything in it's line. He
would show it to them. So he pulled
out a pack of plain white cards, on
which characters were written. If |
the cashier of Mr.. Wright drew the
right card, that would win So. The
cashier whispered to Mr. Wright that
he had seen the game before and
thought they could win some money
by it, Both drew and were success
full. The game was repeated and
they won again. The tea merchant
than told them that the tea compa-
ny had grand prize of $500 The
cards were shuffied and Mr.. Wright
and the cashier each drew the grand |
$4,000 prize. The tea merchant at |
once handed over two packages OF |
| bills, each of which, he said contained
| $500. These packages the cashier
said he would place in a tin box which |
he had under the seat for safe keep
ing. He already had $1,000 in the
box, he told Mr.. Wright, which he
was taking to Burlington to deposit |
in the bank for Mr.. Noyes of New
Haven. The money was placed in
the box. The tea merchant then |
told them that they would be obliged |
to show them that they were each |
worth $4,000 in order to retain the
prize. The cashier said that he was
willing to do so, but he could not |
till he got back to Burlington. Mr.. |
Wright said that he would 90 to the
bank in Vergennes and draw out |
$500 All of this was agreeable to
the tea merchant, who said that he |
would walk along the road towards !
Vergennes until the cashier returned |
with the money.
So the cashier and Mr. Wright |
drove to the Vergennes National !
bank. Mr.. Wright got his money,
and returning. they met the tea |
merchant on the road. Mr.. Wright |
showed him the money and the tea |
merchant said that he must place it |
i'll the box with the rest of the money |
He would lock the box and keep the !
key. Mr.. Wright would keep the box |
with the money until he( the tea mer-
chant) should return next week. The |
money would then be formally paid |
over. This pleased Mr. Wright and |
he deposited his money in the box.
The cashier said that he would wrap |
the box up in paper, so Mr. Wright |
could carry it home. With the box |
in his hand he reached under the |
seat for some paper, wrapped up the
box and cautioned Mr.. Wright not |
to show it to his family. Mr.. Wright, |
box under his arm, trudged off |
towards home, while the cashier and
the tea merchant got into the team
and drove off towards Vergennes.
Mr.. Wright never reached home |
with the box, however. His grand
son, who had suspected something |
wrong, had gone to the bank, found |
out that his grandfather had drawn
out $4,000, hurried after him and |
overlook him-box under his arm
on his way towards home.
AS quickly as possible he told his
grandfather what had been done,
and taking him into the team, they
drove to Vergennes. Into States
Attorney Fish's office they rushed
looking for Deputy Sheriff Middle
brook. He was not there, so the box
was opened. 1t contained a copy of |
the Police Gazette and a few sticks.
The grandson and officers at once
vent in pursuit of the buncoers, who |
had only half an hours start. Near
Richmond all traces of the buncoers
was lost. 1t has now been learned
that they droye to Richmond, and
made their escape on one of the trains.
General William Wells, one of the
best known citizens of Vermont, who
was prominently spoken of last year
as likely to be the successor of Sec
oF War !