The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1915-11-03
A Singular
Vindication
BY DONALD CIiAMBERLIN

that was coming up the bay. Wher
the ship arrived was locked and thu
dozen passengers that had come from
England on her began to descend 'ths
gangplank the young man mentioned
scrutinizing each person, finally pointed
to q woman with patch over her left
eye and called upon constable stand
ing beside him to arrest her. She was
taken to the headquarters OF the watch
where she proved to be man. Then
4 young woman who stood by threw
her arms about the man who had caus-
ed the arrest and silently wept tears
of relief, with her head on his shoulder.
Ten years before, at seventeen, she
had married Abel Williams, two years
her senior, a clerk In the counting room
of Edward Hooper, china merchant
They we're very happy, and little girl
was born to them. One evening when
the young husband was playing with
his little daughter several men entered
and arrested him on a charge Of EN-
bezzling money from his employer.
For some time Williams was at a loss
to understand why he, conscious of be-
ing perfectly innocent had been charg-
ed with crime Then, remembering GER
tain suspicious circumstances connects
ed with a fellow clerk named Skinner.
he came to the conclusion that Skinner
was the defaulter and had laid his pee
A krlt
books were brought into court at his
trial and showed conclusively that
some one had been covering up loss
of about $4,000 He was not an ex-
pert accountant and fioundered hope
lessly In his defense. He was convict
ed and sentenced to five years impris-
onment.
During his incarceration his wife
stood by him, and when he stepped
from prison she took him home, and
the two began to plan for his vindica-
ton. Unfortunately an investigation |
would cost money. Besides, there was |
no clew, nor were there In those days |
detectives, as there are now. After |
considering the matter for some time
they gave up hope OF removing the
stigma. Abel, having been a criminal,
could not secure a position and was
obliged to make living by working
at home. He was very handy with
knife and carved out trinkets that his
wife sold for him.
One difficulty In the way OF his vim
dication was that Skinner had left New
York, and no one knew where he had
gone. His disappearance confirmed
Abels suspicion that he was the real
criminal and had covered up his own
through the books kept by i
Abel A criminal In one case is likely h
to be a criminal In other cases, and I
had Skinner remained In New York q
possibly he might have got into trou-
BILE that would have explained Abers 5
ruin. But Abel was not sure that Skin I
ner was guilty.
While In prison one of the inmates
whose cell was directly over Abel's APP :
pealed to him to assist him In making
an escape. The man cut hole In the
noor and let himself down into Abers
cell. A3l permitted him to hide I'M
der his cot. Abel, who was employed
,n the prison books and accorded spe- I
.ial privileges, also consented that the 9
nan should take advantage OF them. !,
He thus escaped, and Abel lost his job
IN the books and was relegsted to a
ell. :
One day when Abel was at work !,
making toy ship man walked IN and s
TODD looking at him. n
You don't remember me-" he said. a
I'm the man you helped 10 escape
rom prison. I've come 20 pay you for
What you did and suffered for me.
Ion't know whether you are bad un n
r good IN and don't care. l only
now that I'm bad. pal OF mine
rho has got some valuable jewels that :,
e and I took together on the other i,
lde OF the big water is goin' 10 beat =,
be out o. nv share. I can fx Il 10 :,
hat he'll have to divide with you" n
Abel told the man that he would not tr
eceive stolen goods. ed
We'll. then continued the jailblrd,
I can IN II this way: There's a big re- IL
ard offered Cor the property. You're Of
'elcome to H. BE-
Abel readily asseuted 10 this. and the &C
ian Informed him that the PARTY was A
ringing the jewels from Paris. where Sc
,ey had been stolen. 10 dispose Of D.
lem IN America. He was a one eyed u
an and readily identified We would y
rive on a certain day and Abel could ln
I'm him over 70 the authofffies ana -
cure the reward ~
To return 10 the PARTY who had Just h.
scovered that the person arrested =,
as a man. Mrs Williams rssoguized u.
Inner. He vas much chnnaed from -,
bat be had been and bad lost an -
o. Tie fact that Abel was cr would 80
rindicated ~ the arrest YVES a ~ ~
2 q the poor woman which caused a.
c0mIaete reiarafion. Fur q ssw mo u
ents she werH on Der husbandfs re
oulder. then. turning 10 the i,risonsr. M
u. en-
Skiuuers of
ne Jewels we're found con,esled IN
pif VEN ~ the crlminni and Ahsl -
'sire1 q rsNari ~ fI00a as 81
~ enrig~ea 81 eNTsrr neconnfsuf -
g. aver the tsaats ~ -as s~rnans
tarnf~rfnr wtfh snf q wns snnsd
y the sborFars nd tsnsn arrsr~uus
srznsfarrea fraFn ~ iss-its kss# ~ -.
irnsr - thn~s - Ais1 NE nrrn !.