Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1894-12-21
THE NEWS IN BRIEF.
How the $354,OOO Was stolen.

the new YORK bnnA---heShh WIN u
Mistake and lie Was soon in Bakers
Power.
Samuel c. Seeley, the defauting book
keeper of the National Shoe and Leather
national bank of New York, has made
full confession. lie says that in 1885
Frederick Baker, lawyer came to the bank
with check for $500. When it was pre-
scented the paying teller asked Seeley if
Bakers account warranted its payment.
Seeley had no doubt that it did and an
swered in the affirmative. When the ac-
counts were balanced that night Seeley dis
covered that he had made a mistake and
that Baker had Overdrawn his account
He covered up the deficiency on the bank
books, went at once to Baker and asked
him to make good the amount. Baker eX-
pressed great surprise and agreed to square
the account in a day or two. Instead of
doing So however, he said at their next
meeting that he was worth not less than
100000, but that he was pressed for
ready money, that as he had once over
drawn his account it would do no harm to
again do so, and that the small amount of
cash would greatly facilitate his settling
with the bank as well as relieve him from
an unpleasant position. Seeley objected
keeper finally consented to having a second
overdrawing made. After this his fate
was in Bakers hands. Then the story
was repeated over and over again. Seeley
would 90 to Baker and beg him to make
good his promise Baker would renew his
promise, ask that he be given little more
time, and declare that he must have more
money to enable him to master his own
embarrassments and raise the amount he
owed the bank Seeley knew that Baker
was a man of large property interests, and
to the last believed in his ability to make
good the default, and trusted and trusted,
and hoped against hope, that the lawyer
would rescue him. Seeley received only a
small salary and needed more money. lie
went to Baker, who gave amounts from
time to time that amounted to $4,000.
When Seeley knew that the change of
bOokkeepers was de ,ided upon, he saw that
discovery was inevitable. He put the
books in such a condition that the amount
of the defalcation could be easily ascer-
tanned, fled to Washington, thence to Har-
risburg, and from there to Chicago, where
he was arrested. Baker committed suicide
as soon as he knew of Seeley's flight.
Baker had secured S3j4 900 from the bank.
The Income Tax.
The income tax regulations have been
approved by Secretary Carlisle. Every cit
iZen of the United States, whether resid-
ing at home or abroad, and every person
residing or doing business in the United
States who has an annual income of more
than $500, is required to make return,
under oath, before the first Monday of
March of each year. The first return is to
1894. Persons having less than $500 an
nual income are not required TO make re-
turn. All incomes of $1,000 and over are
taxable at two per cent The tax on in
comes for the year 1894 will be due and
payable on or before the first day of July
next.
An important Capture OF COunterfriters.
Agents of the United States secret serv-
ice bureau captured four experienced coun-
teIfeiters at Bridgeport, Conn, Saturday,
with their moulds, dies and other appara-
tus and large quantity of coins in half
dollars and dollars. The three men were
held in $4,000 each, and the woman with
whom they boarded, but who is supposed
to be the wife of one of them, was allowed
to 90 on her own recognizance. The coun-
terfeters came to Bridgeport from New
as a notorious all-around crook.
A Prominent Manufacturer Charged
with Assault.
f. b. Pike, the principal owner of the
Pike Manufacturing company, milestone
manufacturers at Pixies Station, y. H., is
under $1,000 bail for appearance at the
county court on the charge OF assault. He
discharged a man named Fitzpatrick from
his employ. The latter was under the in
tuence of liquor and refused to vacate his
room. Mr.. Pike struck him several times
with pitchfOrk handle, intlicting serious
injuries.
A Brave Engineer Saved Forty Lives.
The engine house of a coal mine at
Wilkesbarre, Pa, caught fire Saturday
night and the flames spread to the mine
itself, in which forty men were at work.
Engineer Thomas Lloyd, who was alone,
saw that if the engine stopped the life
sustaining current of air which the fan
forces into the mine would be cut off. He
therefore stood at his post and three times
brought to the surface the cage bearing the
miners, until all were saved. Lloyd was
badly burned, but will recover.
Another Death i'm the Prize Ring.
AMY bowen, the New OfleaES llg NJ
weight puglist, was knocked unconscious
Friday night at the auditorium club in that
city in glove contest with kid Lavigne
of Saginaw, Mich, and he died early the
following morning. Lavinge and the off
cal of the fight were arrested. The dead
ly blow was struck in the 18th round
Bowen had long record as a fighter.
Rival for the Standard oil Trust.
A big deal, involving some $4,000, 900 to
SS,000,O00 which will make Toledo the
most important point in Ohio, and at the
same time give the Standard Oil Company
a dangerous rival, has been formed. 1t is
a combination of three Independent com
panies, with chances in favor of two or
more going into it.
Oscar Rogers, who took part in the rob-
berry of the Southern Pacific train near
Maricopa, Arizona, has received a sentence
of death.
Six masked men tortured David Slocum
of Washington, Pa, Saturday night, and
took about $4,000 Of his savings from an
old trunk. Slocum and his wife, who are
over 70 years old, lived in a secluded spot.
j. H. Turner, a San Francisco real es-
tate dealer, is charged with swndling OPP
erations which will aggregate nearly $780,
O00 If is ca id that no tnortua 0ad ,,rO,ar