Year: 1876

room amongst the debris of the fire, and several hundred dollars of the stolen money in drawer of his bureau. The signs were clear that Edward Warren, turning robber and seeking to hide his guilt by firing the bank, had been over- come by the smoke, and thus fell an easy prey to detection. He was arrested, indicted, and, being ashamed to tell the nately adhered to the plea that he had knew nothing that happened thereafter. endure to confess that woman had so egregiously fooled him, and as neither court nor public credited the incoherent defense really offered, the trial ended in his conviction of larceny and arson and condemnation to the Alleghany peniten- tiary for life.

 The venerable father of the wretched convict-a farmer from the vicinity of Buffalo believed that his son was guilty, nor that he had told the true story of his misfortune. By importantly with the governor of the State he at last gained permission for an interview with his unhappy boy in prison, and per suaded from him a full confession. After the fire at the bank Mary Kinnaird had never been seen in Erie, nor could any one tell whither she had disappeared. Only by her capture could the ex- cashiers miserable situation be changed, and forthwith the father devoted his every hour and dollar to the task of find ing her. Detectives, supplied with mi nute personal descriptions, secured several States in the pursuit, and ulti- mately took into custody woman of Pittsburgh known as Kate Fallon, the wife of a celebrated forger and counter feiter. Upon being charged with the Erie robbery this person indignantly denied all knowledge of either the City Bank or it's former cashier, but upon be- ing suddenly addressed as Mary Kin naird" by the elder Warren, her changing countenance was testimony against her, and the subsequent dis covery that her Pittsburgh house and furniture had been purchased with some of the bills from the robbed bank sealed her fate. Tried at Erie, identified by her victim and by the landlord of her former cottage, and seeing no chance of escape, she finally confessed her guilt.

 Throwing herself upon the clemency of the court, she told how her young brother had gone to prison for attempt ing to pass counterfeit money for her husband, and how she had planned and executed the ruin of the vain young bank officer by whose instrumentality the boy was brought to justice. But the court did not deem her case a proper one for mercy and she was sentenced to prison for life. Nine years later the governor pardoned her, in consideration of testimony respecting her husband, by which the latter dangerous counter feiter was sent to take her place, and she came out of her cell, mere specter of her former self, to become but specter indeed very soon thereafter.

 As for Edward Warren, the Buffalo NeaOs, from which chiefly these facts are compiled, says that he and his devoted old father departed for some Western State immediately after his release from prison, and, as the events above de- scribed occurred only about thirty years ago, he may be yet in the land of the living. Aside from it's common admoni- tion for all men holding offices of trust that uniform prudence socially, no less than incorruptible integrity financially, is essential to safety, his story illustrates very dramatically what may be called the heroism of evil in woman nature.