Martinsburgh Gazette

PHILADELPHIA, Nov. 10. - A friend mentioned to us, the other day, that a trial of a very singular nature had just terminated, in the court now sitting in this city - we did not attend the court, and will not, consequently, give any names.

It is stated that a young man, after having been several years in the employment of a tallow chandler, in this city, as a book keeper, &c. concluded to commence business in that line, on his own account; which he accordingly did with the concurrence and good wishes of his employer. Soon after the commencement of his business, or perhaps in the midst of arrangements, (we have not particulars,) he was taken ill, and died in two or three days, without having possessed sufficient strength to arrange his affairs. As the young man was without any relatives in the city, the Scotch Thistle Society, of which he was a member, undertook, as is customary in such cases, the direction of his funeral and the settlement of his effects; and, to this end, appointed two respectable and capable gentlemen to act in the name of the Society. These gentlemen, after the funeral, returned to the house, and proceeded to take an "inventory of all he possessed to the last." Examining a very large chest, containing wearing apparel, they accidentally discovered, under the till, a secret drawer, in which, on opening it, they found, to their utter astonishment, a sum of money, amounting, as we learn, to nearly ten thousand dollars.

This discovery was soon made known; and the gentleman in whose employment he had been, for so many years, instituted a suit against the administrators for this sum of money, so found, upon the plea that it must have been purloined from him, by the deceased, during the time of his service.

It was proved by the defendants, that the deceased had ever borne a good character - that no suspicions had ever been expressed by the employer - that the deceased was in the habit of loaning sums of money on interest, discounting notes, and purchasing lottery tickets, during the time of his clerkship.

The jury, however, brought in a verdict in favor of the plaintiff, the former employer, for six thousand dollars.