The Yale expositor., 1900-04-20
WAY TO GET RICH.
5HREWD YOUNG MAN STEALS
FROM HIS EMPLOYER.
Compromises With His Victim anu
Builds Up n Fortune - Found Dead
While Enjoying the Sight or . Pile
of Gold.

Few men showed greater cleverness
in planning to get rich, or more nerve
in carrying out the plan than old Peleg
Kenyon, who died few years ago in
Griswold, Conn. Kenyon's acres were
broad, his cattle were sleek and fat, his
fences were well kept up, his barns
were big and house was in good repair,
but he had no friends, and he died
alone and uncared for. Peleg was the
son of a close-fsted Yankee couple and
was born in the house in which he
died. His parents wanted him to be a
farmer like his father. Peleg did as
they wished till the elder Kenyon died,
when the boy was II. He then told his
mother that he was tired of farm life
and was going to Boston, where he was
sure he could make his pile" much
sooner than in Griswold.
After reaching Boston he went to
work in a machine shop and speedily
became the butt of the other employees
from his constant talk of getting rich
quickly. Later he became night watch
man in a warehouse owned by Henry
Henderson, an importer of West In
dian goods. There Peleg became
! favorite because of his faithfulness
and readiness to do all sorts Of odd
! jobs about the place, and Henderson
himself soon placed unlimited conf
dence in the lanky Waterman. Mean
time the latter, profiting by his ma
chine shop training in working metals,
made duplicate keys to the cash box
and the big iron safe, combination key
less locks not having been invented at
that time For two or three years he
made use of the false keys. Night after
night he went through the cash box
often finding from $4,000 to $4,000 cash
in hand that had been received too late
for banking hours, but not enough to
suit his purpose.
One Saturday afternoon, after the
banks had shut and just before the
closing of the warehouse for the day
cash to the amount of 100000 was
turned in to pay for a cargo of molas-
ses. The safe was considered fire and
burglar proof, and Henderson had no
hesitation in leaving the money there.
This was Peleg's opportunity. Soon
after dark he opened the safe, wadded
the money into his pockets and took
the next train for his old home. By
midnight he was hiding his booty, at 5
in the morning he was on the train
returning to Boston, and, of course,
was in his place at the warehouse on
Monday morning when the day force
came on. Naturally there was tremen-
dous excitement when the theft was
discovered, and naturally Peleg was
questioned infinitely. He affected pro-
found ignorance. No stranger had
been about the place, he said, and he
hadn't been away from it after dark.
He couldn't offer the slightest sug-
gestion. He made no effort to run
away, and his employer still believed
in him.
But a few days later, urged by the
police, Henderson caused Pelegs ar
rest. He took it coolly-too coolly, in
fact, and Henderson's faith beginning
to waver, he went to the jail and put
the Waterman through another course
of questions. Then Kenyon owned up,
to the infinite disgust and indignation
of Henderson, who threatened impris-
onment.
That's what I've expected" said Pc
leg. Go right ahead. According to
the law of this state the heaviest sent
ence that can be imposed upon one
who steals from his employer is
seven years, and that's a short time
in which to earn $105,000. After
have taken my legal punishment for
theft, the money is mine, don't you
see?"
Henderson was amazed, but, on find
ing that Kenyon knew what he was
talking about, offered him $1,000 and
freedom If he would return the money.
Peleg laughed at this and also at sew
eral more favorable propositions, and
then made a counter proposition, to
return 10000, retaining $4,000, If
Henderson would sign a paper agree
ing not to prosecute. Henderson re-
fused at first, but yielded after six
weoks' delay. becoming pressed for
ready funds.
Peleg went home, crawled under the
stable, fetched out the ready cash,
gave $4,000 to Henderson and pocket
ed the remainder. Then he went into
the house, put the money down in
front of his mother, and declared that,
having made his pile" he was ready
to share it with her. She declined to
have anything to do with him, and he
went back to Boston. made invest
ments in city and suburban real estate
and grew richer every year. Every
business venture he made turned out
we'll, though socially he was ostracised.
In time his mother died, and he re-
turned to the old farm, which he
made the finest in the county. He was
worth S750,O00 when he died, sitting
bolt upright before a pile of gold and
banknotes. With the purpose of par
tial restitution, no doubt, all his prop
erty was willed to the heirs of Henry
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