o the office for me and bring back
the answer. He soon returned with a note which politely informed me that
the trunk had been sent to Natchez. I immediately returned to Natchez,
found the trunk, signed the receipt, paid the charges and left for
Mobile _via_ New Orleans, and I tell you I was more than pleased when I
arrived there with my trunk.

"When I reached Montgomery a bevy of my friends came down to see me.
Porter, one of my best friends--a splendid fellow--was amongst them, and
as he was clerk of the hotel I had him order my baggage up. He had a
carriage for me and we drove to Patterson's, and then went over to the
hotel. In the morning I had him bring the old trunk into my room. I
opened it before them all, carelessly took a few cigars from each of the
boxes and gave to them to try. In this way their suspicions in regard to
the old trunk, if they had any, were entirely dispelled.

"Mrs. Maroney was still in New York. I remained for some time in
Montgomery, still suspecting that some one was on my track, but could
find nothing to confirm my suspicions. It was getting time for me to
make some preparation for my defense. I had formed a plan to overthrow
the testimony of the company by having a key made to fit their pouch,
introducing it at the trial and proving that outsiders might have keys
as well as the agents. I was desirous of having the key made at once. It
could not be made in Montgomery or at New Orleans, for, though there
were plenty of locksmiths, their work was not fine enough to suit me; so
I concluded to go to New York and have one made.

"I had some business to transact with my wife also, and wrote to her to
meet me at a certain date in Philadelphia. I came North, met my wife in
Philadelphia, where we stopped a day or two, and then started for New
York. As I stepped ashore from the ferry-boat I was arrested. Never
before in my life was I so dumbfounded. I can't tell you how they knew
the time I would arrive. The detectives in Philadelphia must have been
after me while I was there, and when I left for here they must have
telegraphed, and thus secured my arrest. They brought me here and I told
my wife to come and see me in the morning. I was too confused to say
anything and my brain was in a maze. I never dreamed of the possibility
of arrest in New York. I might have been prepared for it in Montgomery,
but did not think it possible that anything of the kind could happen
here. My wife spoke to me on th