Western Reserve Chronicle

The Man with "False Whiskers and Goggles."

OHIO STATE PRISON,
COLUMBUS, June 5, 1870.

Hon. JUDGE PILLARS, Tiffin, Seneca County, Ohio-Dear Sir: The dictates of a troubled conscience and misery of a sinful course, urge upon me, as a duty to myself and justice to others, to make to you a confession of the facts connected with the circumstances upon which you thought it your duty to punish myself and my brother George W., and cousin William P. VanGorder, in this prison, charged with the crime of arson.

Neither Court nor community are in possession of a correct understanding of the case; for the facts, until now, have been successfully concealed within my own breast: and I have, until this late hour, thought I would rather suffer torture than betray my secrets. But the veil which has so long disguised my crime and its cause, has at length been rent; my sinews of iron have become like those of a child, and nothing less than what I have suffered would have softened so hard a heart as mine-and not even that, unless accompanied by a firm resolution to abandon my sinful course.

Having a desire to correct any misapprehension my friends may have concerning my proceedings and situation, it will be necessary to go back to the time I imprudently exchanged a well cultivated and productive farm with my brother-in-law, J. H. DeWitt, for a stock of goods, and trace their history down to the time I first stained my character and conscience with crime.

In the absence of experience, I thought a large stock would be more apt to lead to success. I purchased largely on credit, during the high prices. The decline in the markets and dullness of the times left my goods unsold, while my creditors were threatening to close my store. The fear of being forced to a large sacrifice led me to get the store insured at the office of Col. Shannon, of Perrysburgh; but for some cause unknown to me, the company withdrew their policy, and I was compelled to abandon my scheme until a more favorable opportunity.

I then borrowed of my brother George thirty-five hundred dollars belonging to his wife, giving him, as security, a partnership interest. With this aid I was relieved for a time, and purchased an additional stock, having paid off my old claims and contracted new ones. But a few months passed before I was again embarrassed, and, in an evil hour, I resolved to use my brother George as the instrument by which I might carry out the scheme which I had contemplated and abandoned so shortly before.

To do this successfully, I proposed a sale of convenience, under pretence that if I could prevent my creditors from distressing me for a few months longer, I could pay all my liabilities. I then urged George to become the ostensible owner, and to hold the goods in trust, giving me the privilege to continue business under his name.

After a proper exchange of papers, I made a proposition to J. H. DeWitt to furnish means and reference and go East and purchase to the amount of five thousand dollars, which he accepted, and went to Sandusky City to see a Mr. Barney, who had done a large business in New York: but for some reason DeWitt failed in securing his reference.

I then made a proposition to George that I would give him two hundred dollars if he would furnish endorsers that would enable me to make a purchase of four or five thousand dollars in his name; and it was for the payment of this bonus that I sent him those goods, by express, to Warren.

Having selected the goods at A. E. Andrews', Warren, Ohio, I then made an arrangement to receive fictitious receipts of Edward Andrews, to show to my neighbor merchants, that I had made a purchase of nearly nine thousand dollars; and I left fifty dollars with George to give him as a bonus.

My next step was to get an insurance on building and contents. I made application at the office of Col. Shannon, of Perrysburgh, taking George with me, to sign the necessary papers, he depending on my representations, and little knowing their contents or design.

Having succeeded in obtaining the policy of insurance, I immediately solicited John Halderman, by letter, to assist in removing some of the finest goods, under pretence that I had made application in bankruptcy. He came at once, and, with his usual dissipated habits, conducted himself so indiscreetly, (even while he was ingeniously disguised with false whiskers and goggles, and acting in the capacity of a stock-buyer.) as to lead to the suspicion that his business was not legitimate.

Not wishing to endanger the property of my neighbors, I selected a cold, still and bright moonlight night in January, and with my own hands placed a lighted candle near a quantity of cotton batting, as, in my judgment, would require about two hours to take fire, and left the store for the last time.

The report that J. H. DeWitt set it on fire is as unjust as it is untrue. And cousin William is innocent of this crime -not a living soul but myself having any knowledge that the store would be burned, nor by what means it took fire.

As soon as possible, after the fire, I sent George word that the store was burned, and for him to come and make the statements as to loss. He came, but said he knew nothing about the value or amounts, and could say nothing. I told him I would instruct him what to tell the agent, (Mr. Hosmer,) and I dictated his answers to the questions and inquiries, which were reduced to writing, and testified to by George as to the best of his knowledge. And thus was he led into this difficulty unwittingly, and left master-dupe and victim, and censured by a large circle of friends as being the instigator of a crime of which he had no knowledge, and is in every way innocent.

However much the circumstances of ownership and extravagant purchase of Andrews & Son, may seem to point to his complicity, I will do him the justice to acknowledge my guilt, and let the blame rest in its proper place.

It is worthy of remark, here, that George has always cultivated a reticence and a propriety of feeling, and exercised a brotherly attachment for my society, and would endure with concealed suffering any injustice or punishment, rather than murmur or complain of the actions of his friends. And that you may know what untiring efforts I made to prevent him a knowledge of my guilt, on the day previous to coming to this prison, I wrote a letter, and requested George to copy and address to you, intimating that two of the prosecuting witnesses were implicated, still striving, after pleading guilty, and causing my brother to do the same, to turn a portion of the crime in another direction.

Such has been my influence and control over my brother; and, until this late hour, I have failed to acknowledge my error.

I have not enjoyed a day of peace since the perpetration of this crime, and my heart sinks within me when I think of the weary days and months I allowed my brother and cousin to spend in jail, while I was constantly urging him (my brother) to not accept of the terms of trial which you had provided, until he became discouraged, and feeling his friends had forsaken him, and being denied a trial by the State, through the advice of one of his counsel, he chose to plead guilty rather than remain in jail till the next term, subject to the results of so long continued change from active to sedentary habits.

Had I possessed moral courage to have confessed my guilt, and saved those who are innocent from such anxiety and suffering! But I have been constantly striving to conceal the workings of a guilty conscience, which has so long unfitted me for labor or rest, and I sigh for that peace which alone sweetens toil and makes life cease to be a burden.

As this was my first step from a life of integrity and uprightness, to that of disgrace and crime, let me hope you can discover circumstances that are extenuating, and not consider me lost to the influence of home and friends, but that you will exercise your pardoning influence in my behalf, and restore me to my doubly afflicted and suffering family-a wife and five small children-who are in pressing need of assistance, and wanting for the necessaries of life.

I trust you will feel yourself at liberty to use this confession as best meets your judgement: but I earnestly desire that through the columns of the Warren CHRONICLE, you will place it before the public, that the influence and censure my wicked course brought upon both my brother and cousin, so far as lies in my power, may be counteracted, and that the community may see that I have moral courage to acknowledge my crime and its cause, and have taken a firm and decisive step toward reform.

P. S.-Although asking a great favor, let me indulge in the hope that you will not pass this by without attention, (through multitude of business,) but will please make the best use of it for the injured parties, (as the opportunities here for writing are somewhat limited): and I desire it placed before the public, at Warren, especially.

Respectfully,
I. N. VANGORDER.