The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1900-06-06
HE KEPT HIS WORD.
PELEe SAID Hs WOULD GET RICH
QUICKLY, AND HE DID.


PELEo SAID HE WOULD GET RICH !;
QUICKLY, AND HE DID.
Ht Required Patience and Nerve 20
Carry Out the scheme He Concoct-
ca. Gut he Had Both-vvealth That
Bought OstFacinzn.
Few men showed greater clcverhess
in planning to get rich or moro nerve
IN carrying out the plan than old peleg
Kenyon. who died years ago 10 Girls.
void. Conn. Kenyon's acres were
broad, his cattle were sleek and Fat,
his fences were well kept up, his barns
were big. and his house was In good
repair, but he had no friends, and he
died alone and uncared for. Peleg was
the son OF close flsted Yankee couple.
and was born in the house In which he
died. His parents wanted him to be
farmer. like his father. Peleg did as
they wished till che elder Kenyon died.
when the boy was II. He then told
his mother that he was tired OF farm
life and .Gas going to Boston, where
he was SURE he could make his pile''
much sooner than in GriBwold. She
did her best to keep him home, but
presently he made his words good. Ae
he passed through the gate ehe shook
her flst In his face and screamed out:
"Don't you dare to come back to me
till you have made your piler'
Neae 0s EEs. Nenyon's neighbors
blamed the old lady. for after Peleg
had gone she had to take his place be-
tween the pl0w handles and In the hay.
Geld or Let the farm 60 uncultivated.
Peleg went to work IN machine
shop flrst and speedily became the BUTT
OF the othes employees from his con-
slant talk about getting rich quickly.
Later he became night watchman in q
warehouse owned by Henry Hender.
son, an importer OK West Indian goods.
There Peleg became 9av0rite because
Of his faithfrlnees and readiness to do
all gorts OF odd Jobs about the place,
and Henderson himself soon placed un.
limited confidence In the lanby watch
man. Meanwhile the latter. proflting
by his machine shop training In work
Ing metals. made duplicate keys to the
cash box and the big iron safe. COM
bination keyless 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 pur-
pose.
One Saturday afternoon, after the
tfc hut MI frvC
closing Of the warehouse for the day,
cash to the amount oe Slo5,oooG was
turned In to pay for cargo of mo-
iasses. 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 8 In the morning he was on the train
returning to Boston and, OF course, was
In his place at the warehouse ON Mon
day morning when the day force came
on. Naturally there was tremendous
excitement when. the theft was discov-
cred. and naturally Peleg was ques-
toned minutely. He affected profound
ignorance. No stranger had been about
the place. he said, and he hadn't been
swny from It after dark. He couldn't
7 offer. the slightest suggestion. He made
no effort to run away, and his employ
er still believed in him.
But few days later, urged by the
police, Henderson caused Peleg's> ar
rest. He took it cooiIy-too coolly, in
fact-and, Henderson's faith beginning
to waver, he went to the Jail and put
the watchman through another course
of questions. Then Kenyon owneskup,
to the infinite disgust and Indignation
OF Henderson. who threatened impris-
onment.
'That's what I've expected" said
Peleg. "Go right ahead. According to
the law Of the state, the heaviest SEN
tence that can be imposed on cne who
steals from his employer Is seven
years, and that's q short time in which
to earn $105. 900. After I'VE taken my
legal punishment for theft the money
is mine, don't you seer"
Henderson was amazed; but, on find
Ing t:.at Kenyon kHeT what he sgas
talking about, offered him $1,000 and
freedom IL he would raturn tbs money.
Peleg laughed at him and also at sew
eral more favorable propositions and
then made counter proposition to re-
turn $4,000. retaining $4,000 if Hen
derson would Sign paper agreeing
not to prosecute. Henderson refused
at first, but yielded after six weeks
delay, becoming pressed for ready
funds. s9r,s,
Peleg went home, crawled undef the
stable. fetched out the, cash, gave $780,
600 to Henderson and pocketed the re-
mainder. Then he went into the house.
put tho 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 any
thing, to do with him, and he went
back to Boston, made investments In
city and suburban real estate and grew
tax.