The moon just then came peeping from behind a cloud, and fell upon the haggard face and wild eyes of the hapless prisoner, who until then had not uttered a word.
"It is all a mistake, Uncle Ben," faltered he; "but there is no use of making a denial here; if the blow has fallen, I must meet it like a man."
The old man, with tears in his honest old eyes, gazed for a moment at his miserable relative, and then, putting his st.u.r.dy old arms around him, he turned to the officers:
"Gentlemen, I suppose it is your duty. I have no fault to find. If the boy has done wrong, he must suffer; but bring him to the house now, and in the morning you can go your way."
His offer was accepted, and directing the constable to return to his own home with his carriage, the others walked slowly up the lane toward the house.
But few words were spoken during the night. The old farmer and his wife retired to their room, and during the few hours that remained, their voices could be heard as they sorrowfully discussed the painful situation.
Securing Edwards" effects, which consisted of a small portmanteau, they learned from the honest old farmer, whose word was as true as gold, that nothing else belonging to the young man was in the house. All attempts to induce the young man to speak were unavailing, and they finally let him alone, and during the long hours he maintained a dogged silence. The detectives patiently awaited the dawning of the morn. At last the eastern sky was tinged with red, and the faint beams of a new day came streaming in through the windows of the old-farm house; and then Edwards, after bidding a tearful adieu to his aged and stricken relatives, and accompanied by the officers, left the house and proceeded on his way to McDonald, to commence his journey to Chicago.
CHAPTER XI.
Newton Edwards brought back to Chicago--Attempt to Induce a Confession--A Visit to his Relatives--The Burglar Broken Down.
It was in the gray dawn of the morning when the party arrived at the house of the constable, Daniel Bascom. Here breakfast was prepared, and after full justice had been done to a bountiful repast, an examination of the effects of Newton Edwards was commenced. Ever since his arrest the young man had maintained a rigid silence, not deigning to notice the detectives in any manner whatever. He partook of his breakfast in a dazed, dreamy fashion, scarcely eating anything, and pushing back his plate as though unable to force himself to partake of food. In his satchel was discovered a roll of bank-bills, which on being counted was found to contain a trifle over three thousand five hundred dollars.
Edwards gazed at this money with a greedy, frightened look, like a wild beast at bay, but did not utter a word, as Robert placed it in a large envelope and secured it about his person.
"Will you be kind enough to inform me," said Robert, when this was completed, "how you come to have so much money about you?"
After a moment"s hesitation, Edwards replied, doggedly:
"Yes, sir, I will. It is the proceeds of the sale of some property that I owned in the west."
"Very well," replied Robert, finding it useless, at present, to attempt to induce him to tell the truth. "You will have ample opportunity to satisfy a court and jury upon that point in a very short time."
Nothing farther was said to him until the time arrived for departing, and then the party, with their prisoner, walked into the village in order to take the stage for the railroad station at Birmingham.
Before leaving Mr. Bascom"s, however, Robert handsomely remunerated the energetic constable for his valuable a.s.sistance, and after thanking him warmly for his active and cordial aid in our behalf, requested his company to the village.
As they approached the store, where the stage-coach was in waiting, they found an unusual crowd awaiting their appearance. The news of the robbery and arrest had by some means become known, and the eager faces of nearly three score of curiosity-seekers greeted them upon their arrival.
Old Jerry himself seemed to be impressed with an idea of additional importance, as though he was about to be called upon to perform a n.o.ble service of great responsibility to his country, in a.s.sisting to convey such a distinguished company in his old coach. The farmers gathered in little groups about the platform, and conversed in low tones, as they furtively regarded with sentiments almost approaching a respectful awe, the unwonted presence of the detectives and their charge. There was an utter absence of the boisterous hilarity which had been manifested on the preceding morning, and one might have thought that they had a.s.sembled for the purpose of officiating at a funeral, so thoroughly subdued and solemn did they all appear.
The journey to the railway station was made in due time, and without accident, and the party were speeding on their way to Chicago. Robert forbore to press the young man any further, and let him severely alone during the entire day. During the night they all retired to their sleeping berths, Edwards being securely handcuffed to one of my men, and occupying the same berth with him.
In the morning, Robert noticed a slight change in the demeanor of Edwards, and thought he detected a disposition to converse. He did not encourage him, however, preferring by all means that the advances should be made by the young man himself. Nor did he have long to wait. They procured their breakfast in the dining car, and after the meal was concluded, Robert, without uttering a word, handed Edwards a cigar, which he very gratefully accepted. After sitting quietly smoking for a few moments, he turned to Robert and asked: "Mr. Pinkerton, how did you discover that I was in McDonald?"
"In the same manner in which we have discovered many other things in connection with this robbery," replied Robert. "I may say, however, that the man we came for was William R. Amos; do you know anything about such a person?"
As Robert spoke he gazed scrutinizingly at the face before him, and Edwards winced perceptibly under his glance.
"I can explain that all right," he at length replied, with considerable embarra.s.sment. "I got into some trouble at home with a young lady, and thought it best to leave town for a short time."
"Edwards," said Robert sternly, "falsehood and impudence will not help you in this case, and I wish to hear no more. I have only to say that we have evidence enough against you to insure a conviction, and your only hope lies in making your sentence as light as possible."
"How so?" he asked.
"By telling all you know about this matter. One of your accomplices, we have got dead to rights, and if you won"t tell perhaps he will."
"Who have you got?" inquired Edwards, anxiously.
"That I cannot tell you now; our business is with you for the present. I want you to consider this matter carefully. You are a young man yet, and though you have thrown away golden opportunities in the past, you have yet an opportunity to reform your ways, and by a.s.sisting the officers of justice in recovering the money which you and your companions have stolen, and in arresting the rest of your a.s.sociates, you may receive the clemency of the court, and perhaps benefit yourself materially."
Edwards was silent for a long time after this, and it was evident that he was seriously considering the matter. The words of the detective had made an impression upon him, but with the craftiness of an old offender, he was debating a plan by which he might turn his admissions into account for himself. At length he turned to Robert and asked:
"Will I be able to escape if I tell what I know?"
"I cannot promise that. But you are aware that the giving of information which leads to the capture of your a.s.sociates and the recovery of the balance of this money, will work to your advantage very decidedly in the mind of the judge."
"Very well," said Edwards, with a dogged sullenness, "your advice is very good, but I have no confession to make."
"Take your own course," said Robert, carelessly. "My advice was for your own good, and as you don"t seem willing to accept it, I have nothing more to say."
Although he had not accomplished very much as yet, Robert was still hopeful of inducing Edwards to unburden himself; but he resolved to attempt nothing further with him until they arrived in Chicago, where he could be managed more successfully by those who were more fully conversant with the facts in the case. He well knew that we already possessed testimony amply sufficient to convict Edwards of partic.i.p.ating in the robbery, but what we most desired was to obtain information concerning his partners in the deed. However, he decided to allow him ample time for reflection and said no more to him upon the subject until they reached Chicago, when he was at once conducted to the agency.
A consultation was immediately held in order to devise the best means to be pursued to induce Edwards to reveal who his partners really were.
William at once resolved upon a plan which he was hopeful would lead to good and immediate results. Calling a carriage, he directed the driver to take him to the residence of Edwards" sister, Mrs. Andrews, on Logan Place. On arriving at the house, he found that lady and her daughter at home, and he was immediately ushered into the parlor by the pretty servant, Mary Crilly. Without unnecessary preliminary, William informed the lady that we had succeeded in arresting Edwards for the robbery of the Geneva Bank, and that he was now in custody. He also stated that from information which he had obtained, he was led to believe that his family were perfectly aware of his actions in this matter, if indeed they had not aided him in accomplishing it.
At this point both mother and daughter burst into tears and sobbingly denied any knowledge of Edwards" crime until after he had committed it, and then they could not act as his accusers. Mrs. Andrews finally urged him to visit Edwards" brother, who resided on Freeman street, and hinted that he could tell something about the matter, although she a.s.serted he took no part in it, and knew nothing about it until it had been completed.
Taking it for granted that they had told him all they knew about the robbery, William next hurried to the place of business of Edwards"
brother, whom he was fortunate enough to find in his office, and disengaged. He at once stated who he was, and what he wanted to know.
Mr. Edwards was at first disposed to deny all knowledge of the matter, but on William"s informing him of his brother"s arrest, and hinting that he had made a partial confession, he changed his mind and became quite communicative.
The brother then stated that for years he had been troubled with Newton"s bad habits and extravagances, although he had never known him to commit a crime until the robbery of the bank at Geneva. He remembered hearing his brother boast once when he was intoxicated, that he could get plenty of money without work; but as Newton gambled a great deal, he imagined that he had alluded to that means of obtaining his money.
"Well," said William abruptly, "I want to know what you know about this robbery."
"I will tell you all I know," answered Mr. Edwards. "Some three or four weeks before I heard of this robbery, Newton was at my house, and was intoxicated. He boasted in his maudlin way that he had an opportunity to rob a bank, and that the cashier was a party to the affair; but I attributed all this to the wild utterances of a drunken man, and paid no further attention to it. On the Sat.u.r.day night before the robbery took place, however, he came to my house during my absence, and had a companion with him, for whom he made a bed upon my parlor floor. In the morning they went away, and I have not seen him since. My wife informed me afterward that Newton, who was drunk at the time, had told her that the man with him was the one that was to help him to rob the bank, and that she had then ordered both of them out of the house. I did not at any time know where the bank was located, nor did I ever seriously entertain the idea of his attempting anything of the kind; but when I heard of the robbery of the Geneva bank, I at once suspected my brother, and although humiliated deeply at the thought, I could not take any step that would tend to bring disgrace and ruin upon my own family."
Without entering into the question of family honor, William inquired:
"Do you know the man who was with him at your house, and who was to a.s.sist in this robbery?"
"No," answered Mr. Edwards. "I never heard his name, and all that I ever knew of him was that he came from Denver, Colorado."
"Can you describe him?" asked William.
"Yes, I think I can," said Mr. Edwards, and he then gave a description of the man, which agreed perfectly with that of Edwards" companion on the day of the robbery.
Having now obtained all the information that was possible to be gained from this source, William returned to the agency, and entered the room where Edwards was confined. He found the young man sitting with his face buried in his hands and evidently in sore distress.