Year: 1877




and aided Fairbanks in dragging tn,
Judge from what appeared to be hi
watery grave-fainting struggling an(
} exhausted. He owned up the whole rob
berry at once, and said the money wal
then undoubtedly in his wife's possession
on her person, or under tile of the
hearth in certain chamber.


After his confession it was agreed that
Keyes should remain with the Judge
near the spring, while Fairbanks should
Immediately repair to Mr.. Whittlesey'
mansion to obtain corroborative proof OF
the truth of Judge Whittleseys S acknowl-
edgment. Rapidly, and without turning
to the right or left, Fairbanks passed
through the streets of the village with
coat off, pantaloons rolled above his
boots, covered with mud and dripping
with wet, and his eyes wild with excite
ment, the people gazing and wondering
on what errand he could thus be hurry
ing in such a strange plight. Rapidly
entering the house, he inquired for Mrs
Whittlesey, and was informed she was in
her chamber. He flew to the door and
demanded admittance. Mrs. w. replied
that she was dressing and he could not
enter


Without moments hesitation Fair
banks placed his heavy foot against the
door, and it flew with rapidity from it's
hinges. Mrs. Whittlesey, on seeing him
enter in that violent and unaccustomed
manner, was instantly filed with alarm
and threw herself violently on the bed.
Without ceremony, Fairbanks dragged
her to the floor, and throwing the bed
ding apart, there discovered the long
lost and long-searched-for money. Mrs.
Whittlesey, filled with alarm, cried out:
you've found it ! You've got it My
God, have 1 come to this ~ The bank
bills had been deftly and slyly quilted in
pair of drawers, to be worn undoubted-
ly by Mrs. Whittlesey on their expected
journey, for safety.


Fairbanks seized the drawers, rolled
them up, and speedily returned to the
spring where Keyes and the Judge
were impatiently awaiting him. All
three then in company started for the
village and the Whittlesey residence.
And truly strange spectacle they pre-
sented to the citizens. Fairbanks and
Keyes, dripping with wet and covered
with mud and slime, and Whittlesey
walking between them, his new black
suit saturated and ruined with the dirty
water of the spring, and his fine, glossy
hat crumpled and wrinkled, and drawn
down in shame over his face, the most
mortified, miserable, ruined wretch in all
the world.


On arriving at the stately residence,
they were met by Mrs. Whittlesey, pale
and wild with rage, who exclaimed,
Whittlesey you coward, you idiot
Why did you disclose our secret and
disgrace us before the world 2" 81 could
only thus save my life" exclaimed the
mortified Judge. "Save your life, you
fool l woald have died n thousand
deaths before L would acknowledge
one iota of the deed - And no doubt,
from what Immediately took place, she
would have suffered drowning again
and again rather than have revealed a
word of her guilt.


In the meantime the tidings of the
scene which took place at the pool of
water, and the recovery of the stolen
money flew like wildfre throughout the
village, and the entire population-law-
yers, doctors, merchants, mechanics, la
borers, men, women and children-poured
like a flood into the streets and made
their way hastily to the Whittlesey man.
sion-a large, fine, white house-at that
time the most elegant i'll the town or
vicinity. Exulting vociferations and loud
huzzas filed the air. Rejoicing to the
fullest extent was everywhere exhibited
throughout the entire community. Can
non were rapidly drawn from the arsenal,
near at hand, loaded to the muzzle and
dragged to the street in front of the
house, to be discharged as an indication
of the general gladness that the villainy
had been discovered and the money
found and restored. The relatives and
friends of the guilty family, which stood
high among the most wealthy and fash
ionable people of the place, crowded
the premises, and in and around the
dwelling.


The residence stood on one of the
main streets, about 200 rods from the
Black river. To approach the river
from that point, one would be compelled
to cross the street-pass through the
village burying ground-descend bank
or hill, about 100 feet, and then APP
proach a perpendicular precipice of
limestone rock, of about thirty feet, to
reach the surface of the stream. At that
place, the river ran deep, dark and rapid,
it being about quarter of mile below
two falls of some forty feet each in
height. Pandemonium seemed to reign
around the Whittlesey abode. The
streets in front and rear of the house
were filled with excited people. Just
ready to fire the cannon, and make all
other manifestations in their power of
exultation at the turn which affairs had
taken. Within, the dwelling was per-
vaded with weeping, and agony and
cries of distress from friends were heard
in nearly every room.


Suddenly Mrs. Whittlesey disap-
peared On every tongue the inquiry
was, Where is she, and whittier has she
gone? In vain the hSuse was searched
throughout; nothing could be seen or
found of her. In few moments a
woman living upon the opposite side of
the street suddenly appeared in great
alarm with the tidings that a moment
before Mrs. w. crossed her doorstep ON
a full run, her eyes wild with rage. and
her face pale as death. With swiftness
ho aox, 4l,~r..~.l Al.