The evening times., 1900-01-29
THE REWARD OF HONESTY.
Reformation Followed by the Accu-
mutation of a Fortune.

BRIDGEPORT, Conn. Jan. 29.-Edwa d
Burns. safe breaker. shakspearian student,
and Biblical scholar became a successful
miner when he decided to live an honest
life. As a result he is now returning from
the Pacific Coast with a fortune made in
Two years, which will approximate $500. 900.
Burns life is d remarkable one. lie
came to Bridgeport when a young lad with
his parents. Before he was twenty
years old he had passed the threshold CT
a prison cell
His first offence. so far as the police rec
ords show was an assault upon conduct1r
of a street car He escaped severe punish
ment fcr this but in short time he again
was in trouble.
Policeman George Sanger caught a man
entering a house in North Bfigeport about
twelve years ago. Two shots were fred al
most at the same time. The policeman
dropped with a bullet in his body. TIE
burglar disappeared, but left behind him
a heavy overcCat. in which there was a
bullet hole. Sanger recovered. and was
positive that the burglar was Burns The
young man did not make an appearance
in Bridgeport after that for several
months.
About ten years ago Burns and another
young man known to the police CoaEel-
ly broke into a store in East Main Street
at o'clock in the morning, just after e
police went of duty for the night. They
rolled a heavy safe out the door to a house
five blocks distant without being discoy-
cred. Later the safe was traced TO the hid
ing place, ard the two men were arrested
and convicted ot the crime.
superintendent Birmingham and his men
kept CiCse watch upon Burns after he
came out again, and il was not long before
be found himself behind the bars for an
other burglary. In attempting to arrest
him Policeman Joseph Burke was obliged
to shoot his man. The lniured burglars
wound did not prove serious. Fer this Of
fence Burns went to Wethersie!d prison
for two years aud a half.
During his confinement he spent all his
leisure time studying either Shakespeare or
the Bible
While be was studying the Bible duriag
his last Imprisonment Burns decided 10
live an honest life His first act after lie
left Wethersfeld was to visit SupeTinend-
ent Birmingham. make known his inten-
ton, and ask for enough money to get him
out of Connecticut.
IL you'll give me s. you'll never set
eyes on me again" he said to the super
intendent I'm going away, and now. at
the age of forty, I'm going to begin n |
honest life
Superintendent Birmingham handed him |
the money, bade him gCodby. and has |
never heard from him since Burns worked !
his way to the Klondike That was more |
than two years ago, Nothing was heard |
from him until a few days ago, when lie |
wrote to one of his old pals the story of |
his good fortune in the Klondike.
I'm worth nearly $500, ,000,'' he wrote.
having made a rich strike and | came bv
it all honestly superintendent Brming- |
lam will hear from me soon. as | intend
to return that s. with liberal interest
But / shall not come near Bridgeport. 1
gave him my word that he would never
see my face again, and | shall locate in
some strange city, where l can continue
the life which | started when | left the
prison walls behind me. 1t pays to be
honest