Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1894-07-23
"A BOLD BURGLAR.

When was engaged In my profession
down south some years ago, Twas called on
to defend q Yong man whom I will call
Jake, who was arrested for burglary. He
was only 10, good looking and exceedingly
bright. According to his story, which
found was true, he was left an orphan at
an early age and was brought up by his
grandmother, who kept a small store in
country town in Pennsylvania. While he
was reading with a Presbyterian clergy.
man preparatory to his entering college,
he became disgnsted with his mode of life
and started off to look for adventures. He
wandered away on foot, and his money
was soon spent, and he found himself one
night moneyless and houseless and al
most In rags He came across q planta-
ton, and the lights in the great house
shone out bright and cheerful. He turned
up narrow path and soon found himself
with only narrow coppice between him
and the house. He crept through the cop
pice and saw that large company thronged
the big dwelling and lore evidently hay
ing good time. The p..-Jrs were crowd
ed, and he saw that preparations had been
made for private thcatricals. Keeping In
the shadow. he passed round to the side Of
the house and saw awindoDy in the second
floor brightly lighted. The sash was open,
and young man was inside, evidently
putting on dress for some part In play.
Presently the light was turned down, and
the young man disappeared from the room.
After time Jake went cautiously toward
the house and had look at the situation
of the window Walking round to the
rear, he came across a ladder, which he
brought and placed SO as to enable him to
reach the window He assembled the lad
der, and after satisfying himself that all
was clear entered the room.
On the bed lay full dress suit, no
doubt laid aside by the recent occupant,
and a handsome gold watch and chain at
tached to the vest. Patent leather shoes
lay on the floor On the dressing table
was n pocketbook containing over $500 in
bills, and d diamond ring and pin lay near
by. In yaisc lying open on chair were
various attiHles Of clothing. He threw off
his broguta ard put on the patent feathers
Then he drew N tie trousers which were
lying on Eha bed. His next act was to put
on n shirt takCn from the valise, collar
and u nccktir He arraycd himself in the
vest and dress coat and took view Of
himself in the large glass. He unlocked
tuc Whihtu Oub poiuiy lhto tip WI
ridor and turned toward the capacious
stairway. In the hall below gayly dressed
people were walking around. Presently
IA bell rang, and these persons moved to-
ward the parlors, into which they crowded.
Jake calmly walked down stairs to ap-
proach the door of the parlors. After
standing for few minutes gazing on the
scene he went toward the rack where hats
and overcoats were hanging. Selecting a
hat which he thought would fit him, he
took it from the rack and placed it on his
head 1t fitted well. At the moment he
WINS selecting an overcoat a servant ap-
preached and offered to help him. He put
on the coat, with the aid of tho servant,
and saying Il am Just going for a stroll, -
he walked out of the door and away. He
knew that there was n railroad station not
far away, for he had seen the depot as he
came along, and he turned his steps
thithcrward.
On reaching it he found that q train
was due and after asking the porter few
questions he took ticket for II junction
go miles away. The train came in n few
minutes later, and he got on board and
was soon steaming away. In the pocket
of the overcoat he found u case Of fine eli
gars one of which he lit. On reaching
the junction train was waiting, into
which no got and was whirled away, he
cared not whittier.
AT daylight the train stopped for quar-
ter of an hour. The young man, who had
purposely dropped his hat while looking
out the car window, as the name on the
hat might give him away, asked the con-
duotor where he could get another hat.
There was a store opposite the station, and
to that the conductor directed him, and
there ho got soft felt hat. Then he got
something to eat and went off with the
train. OF course / could tell you just
where Jake stopped, but that's not neccs-
sary BY dusk he had reached q populous
city, and there he parted with his over
coat and his dress coat and got new ones
In their places. He went to a hotel and
had % good feed and treated himself to a
bottle of wine.
He was too restless to stay there all
night, and so he took q train north, and
In due time reached New York. He bought
some things needful and put them in a
valise. After seeing the town he deter
mined to visit his old home, and you may
DO sure his old grandmother wns surprised
to see him. It was dusk when he arrived,
and he invented story to account for his
absence Und improved appearance. The
Ola lnuy was suspicious ana tolu MIN her
mind, and he grew alarmed fearing that
she might do something to endanger his
safety. After she was fast asleep he left
tho house, went TO the railroad station n
mile away ard took train for Ohio.
Now, comes the remarkable part of the
story. 1t looks like an invention, but it is
every word true, Jake reached the place
towhich he had taken his ticket next day
and staid there for few hours. Late in
the afternoon he resolved to go farther
west and went TO the station. Many per-
sons We're waiting, as it was a junction
and several trains were expected. A series
Of whistles rang out, and an engine and
tender appeared in n cutting approaching
at a rapid rate. AS the engine passed
there was loud report, and something
shot up into the air. 1t turned out to be n
broken nut. 1t descended with terrific
force and injured passenger on the plat
form of the station. His son and daugh-
ter, who We're accompanying him home
rushed 70 the spot, and among the first to
render nd was Jake A doctor attended
to the injured man, and he was removed to
hotel near by. Tho son had been atten-