Bennington semi-weekly banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 1894-1902, 1894-09-28
A BOLD BURGLAR.

When I was engaged in my profession
down south some years ago, Twas called on
to defend young man whom 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 small store in a
country town in Pennsylvania. While he
was reading with Presbyterian clergy
man preparatory to his entering college,
he became Disguised with his mode Of life
and started off to look for adventures. He
wandered awey on foot, and his money
was soon spent and he found himself ono
night moneyleGS and houseless and al
most in rags. He came across . planta-
ton, and the lights in tho great house
shone out bright and cheerful He turned
up a narrow path and soon found himself
with only narrow coppice between him
and the houGe. He crept through the cop
pice and saw that larGe company thronged
the big dwelling and were evidently hay
ing good TIM he parlors werO crowd
ed, AZ 9hy NaAC preparations had been
MAJ f3r privatey leatr4cals. Keeping in
tAShadow, he passed round to the side Of
house and saw window in the second
br brightly lighted. The sash was open,
d q young man was inside, evidently
putting on dress for some part in a play.
Presently the light was turned down, and
the young man disappeared from the room.
AftNr a timG Jake went cautiously toward
the house and had u look at the situation
of the window. Walking round to tho
rear, he came across a ladder, which no
brought and placed so as to enable him to
reach the window. He ascondod the lad
der, and after satisfying himself that all
was clear entered the room.
On the bed lay q full dress suit no
doubt laid aside by the recent occupant,
and handsome gold watch and chain at
tached to the vest Patent leather shoes
lay on the floor. On tho dressing table
was pocketbOok containing over 5000 in
bills and diamond ring and pin lay near
by. In a valise lying open on chair were
various articles of clothing. He threw of
his brogues and put on the patent feathers.
Then he drew on the trousers which were
lying on the bed. His next act was to put
on a shirt taken from the valise, = collar
and neclltie. He arrayed himself in the
vest and dress coat and took a view Of
himself in the large glass. He unlocked
the door, walked out boldly into the cor
stairway. In the hall below gayly dressed
people were walking around. Presently
a 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 a few minutes gazing on tho
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
was selecting an overcoat a servant ap-
preached and offered to help him. He put
on the coat, with the aid Of the servant,
and saying, Il am just going for a stroll, "
he walked out of the door and away. He
knew that there was railroad station not
far away, for he had seen the depot as he
came along, and he turned his steps
thitherward.
On reaching it he found that a train
was due, and after asking the porter few
questions he took ticket for junction
20 miles away. The train came In few
minutes later, and he got on board and
was soon steaming away. In the pocket
of the overcoat he found a case Of fine CT
gars, one of which he lit. On reaching
the junction a train was waiting, into
which he got and was whirled away, he
cared not whittier.
Atdaylight the train stopped for a quar-
ter of an hour. The young man, who had
Epurposely dropped his hat while looking
ont the car window, as the name on the
haA might give him away, asked the con-
dlykctor where he could get another hat.
Ithere was a store opposite tho station, and
Hyo that the conductor directed him, and
Hthere he 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 neces-
sary. By dusk he had reached . populous
city, and there he parted with his over
coat and his dress coat and got new ones
in their places He went to 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 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
be sure his old grandmother was surprised
to see him. 1t was dusk when he arrived,
and he invented a story to account for his
absence and improved appearance The
old lady was suspicious and told him her
mind, and he grew alarmed, fearing that
she might do something to endanger bis