USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Douglas > History of the town of Douglas, (Massachusetts,) from the earliest period to the close of 1878 > Part 19
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The axe is now ready for the third stage in its progress, and the temperers next assume its management. However essential the preceding operations may be regarded, this must be conceded to be of the first importance, since however finely shaped, well forged, or how excellent soever the materials entering into the construction of an axe, without the most skilled attention to the tempering it is just about worthless. The first thing done by the temperer is to make the tool as hard as possible, and this is effect- ed by heating it until it becomes cherry red in color, and then immediately plunging it into a bath of the strongest brine. It is then exposed to the heat of a small coal fire until, from the thin edge to the thickest part of the blade, the precise colors are brought out which indicate the exact temper required, when an- other cold bath puts it in a permanently serviceable condition, reminding us of the legend of the warrior, who could not wait for
HUNT'S
SUPERIOR HATCHETS
BEST REFINED CAST STEEL
DOUGLAS AXE MFO CO.
BROAD HATCHET.
HUNT'S SUPERWR HATCHETS
WSTREFIEBOA STSTA EVOGLAS ANE MIE
SHINGLING HATCHET.
HUNT
SUPERIOR HATGHEDS
BEST HIFIMID CASTSYO
LATHING HATCHET.
HUNT'S SUPERIOR HATCHETS
BEST REFIN ED CAST STEEL DOUGLAS AXE MFT CO
AXE PATTERN HATCHET.
PATTERNS OF HATCHETS MADE BY THE DOUGLAS AXE MANUFACTURING CO.
18
274
HISTORY OF DOUGLAS.
the finishing of his armor at the forge, but seizing it red hot, rode swiftly forth, and was surprised at finding the cold air had tempered it into an excellent steel weapon. The utmost care is taken in this department, so different from the practice in other establish- ments, in order that each individual axe may have the same durable quality secured to its entire steel equipment ; and the employes here, for that reason, would come under the head of watchmen more strict- ly than workmen, since only through the most careful observation of the varying color in every tool while under this fiery test can the differing degrees of hardness at the edge and middle of the blade be secured.
HUNT'S
SUPERIOR RATCHETS
CLAW HATCHET.
The finishing up of the axes in the polishing rooms is the last process. This is accomplished by the aid of emery-wheels large and small, coarse and fine, and needs no description from us. It is simply the aesthetical department, where the painstaking artisans may well be pardoned for pausing a little while just to beautify an implement so well cared for by their brother workmen, from first to last, as they send it out to win golden compliments from the great army of " hewers of wood and drawers of -" blood, sometimes, if those who wield a Douglas axe are not as sharp as these tools are capable of being, with fair usage, always and everywhere.
It only remains for us to follow the brightly polished axes to the apartment where, after being separated into the three grades manufactured, they are stamped, bronzed and labeled ready for packing in boxes, some with the helves and handles complete, and the rest in nests of a dozen, for convenience in handling.
CHAPTER XIX.
INCIDENTS.
-
ROBBERY OF THE AXE COMPANY'S SAFE.
MONG the various inci- dents connected with the history of the town, none COGNA probably have caused so deep an interest as the following, the main par- ticulars of which we tran- scribe from the columns of the Douglas Weekly Herald of May 22, 1869 : Our usually quiet com- munity was suddenly thrown into the wildest excitement last Saturday morning (May 15), by the discovery that the office of the Douglas Axe Manufacturing Co., which is located in a building standing by itself in the very heart of our village, and almost literally surrounded by dwelling- houses, had been during the preceding night made the scene of one of the most daring burglaries. The startling fact was not discovered until after 7 o'clock, when Mr. Charles A. Hunt, one of the clerks, was engaged in opening the office for the day as usual. The Agent, Mr. Edwin Moore, was quickly notified of what had taken place, and himself and the office employes as soon as practicable commenced an investigation as to the extent of the depredations committed.
It was soon ascertained that the burglars effected their entrance to the building through the east outside door, by turning the door-
276
HISTORY OF DOUGLAS.
key which had been left in the lock on closing the office the even- ing previous. This key was found subsequently on the bridge below the office which leads to the finishing shops. After getting inside the building, the door leading to the counting-room was easily forced open, apparently with one of several jimmies with which the burglars were equipped. The Company's heavy iron safe was situated in the farther corner of a room opening from the counting-room, and this was moved entirely across this room, through the door and into the middle of the counting-room, a dis- tance of nearly fifteen feet. This was done evidently for the purpose of getting the safe as far as possible from the dwellings in the rear of the office, as less likely to expose their operations to be heard. And now, of course, the real work of the gang com- menced. Up to this point it had been to them but child's play, and with their accomplished burglars' outfit they attacked the mass- ive safe. ' Probably its outer door was opened with comparative ease, but the inner door must have given them a good deal of trouble, as they evidently found themselves completely baffled, even after cutting off the hinges of this door, and were at last com- pelled to abandon their efforts at this point. They then turned their attention to the top of the safe, where they tried the driving of iron wedges into the angle formed by the junction of the front and upper plates of the inside compartment. In this they so far succeeded that, with the aid of a peculiarly-shaped iron hook with which they had come provided, they fished out of the drawers in the upper part of the safe nearly everything of value which they contained, comprising government bonds, certificates of stock, and some $50 in money. The latter they probably overlooked, and it was found where it had been placed at the close of Friday's business.
This robbery must have been the work of a gang of pretty thoroughly experienced burglars. No two persons could easily have moved the ponderous iron safe for such a distance, besides lifting it over the threshold of the door through which it was taken. An experienced safe manufacturer, after closely examining the matter, pronounced the job skillfully done, the only thing indicat- ing inexperience in the business being the attempt to get at the valuables by cutting the hinges of the inside door. This must have taken them considerable time and hard work to accomplish, and besides it was all labor lost, since when this had been effected
277
INCIDENTS.
they were not any nearer their object than when they commenced, as the hinges were merely designed for the door to swing upon, and the strong lateral working bolts inside this door effectually resist- ed all attempts at forcing it open. Their expertness at the desperate business is made still clearer from the fact that when they found themselves foiled at this point, where they evidently expected only a slight obstacle, they directed their efforts to the only remaining vulnerable point in the safe. The edges of the top
RESIDENCE OF A. F. BROWN, ESQ.
and front plates did not overlap each other, but simply met together, leaving just enough of a chink to admit the entering of a sharp wedge, and in this manner the work of distending this small open- ing sufficiently for their purpose was comparatively an easy task.
The scene presenting itself to the clerk on opening the door of the main office, on that Saturday morning, must have been shock- ing indeed. Close by the door which he had just opened stood the. wreck of what was, on the previous evening, a highly finished and apparently immovable safe. Scattered about the floor, in every
278
HISTORY OF DOUGLAS.
direction, was a perfect medley of burglarious implements, such as jimmies, cold chisels, wedges, hammers, etc., while the fractured lid of the office desk, with the open door of the safe which had been so securely locked the night before, completed the picture of violence and ruin so suddenly and unexpectedly bursting on his astonished vision.
The safe was permitted to remain undisturbed till the following Monday, to enable the officers to make all necessary examinations preparatory to entering upon their search for the perpetrators. Several experienced detectives came from Boston, Providence, and other points, including the chief of police from Boston, and Sheriff Shumway from Webster. A detective from Providence took a description of a couple of suspicious-looking persons who had been seen lurking about town the day previous to the robbery, to see if they could not be identified as a couple of New York roughs who had been " spotted " in that city.
The professional burglar always proceeds systematically about whatever scheme he undertakes, rarely venturing upon the con- summation of his plans till they are thoroughly matured, even if to secure this weeks and months of closest watching and plotting are requisite ; and that this was true in this instance there is little room to doubt. In the first place the members of the gang were evidently aware of the fact that as a rule the funds for paying off the employes are sent from the Boston office to the resident offi- cers here only on the afternoon prior to pay-day, which comes regularly on the 15th of each month. The works of the Company were now running at nearly or quite their maximum capacity, re- quiring some $25,000 monthly for the wages of the men, and no better time for the "planting " of their job, as in burglarious tech- nology the commencement of active operations is styled, would be likely to offer itself. Very fortunately for the Company, however, on this occasion the money was forwarded somewhat later than usual, greatly to the chagrin of the thieves. And then again, the night of Friday chanced to be one of those in which mist and darkness combine to favor such clandestine operations.
Their method of procedure was also quite as characteristic of the profession as the circumstances were seemingly favorable. The task of forcing apart with iron wedges the stout iron front and top of the safe, not to mention that of cutting the solid iron hinges of
279
INCIDENTS.
the inner door, must apparently have been attended with noise sufficient to awaken the occupants of the closely adjoining houses ; and the only possible reason why all this heavy work failed to arouse the entire neighborhood was that copper sledges were evi- dently used, thus deadening to a mere thud the blows which oth- erwise would inevitably have rung out a sharp alarm to the entire neighborhood. As it was, with all these well-planned precautions, Mr. Caouette, one of the nearest residents, twice left his bed dur- ing that night, thinking some one was committing depredations around his house. On one of these occasions he threw open a window directly facing the office, and looked carefully around, but seeing nothing to excite any farther suspicions he again retired. Mr. William H. Moore, a son of the Agent, also employed in the office, passed by the building at about 12 o'clock, but neither heard nor saw anything to excite his suspicions. Mr. James Smith also passed the building not far from the same hour, and remembers hearing distinctly a succession of dull, heavy thumps, as of some one pounding, but suspecting nothing wrong he paid no farther attention to them. No light was seen in the building by any one at any time during the night.
During the day previous, as already intimated, suspicious char- acters were seen lurking about town, and in the evening they en- gaged a team and driver of Mr. T. H. Baker, livery stable keeper, to go to Worcester, stating that they wanted to take the early morning train for Boston. They seemed to be in a great hurry to reach that place, and when asked why they did not wait till morn- ing, and take the first train direct, as they would get there sooner, they only gave vague answers. These same men stopped at the Bay State House in that city until morning, and were known to have been there as late as 8 o'clock, and it is surmised that they waited for the boat train to New York, which leaves at about 10 o'clock. The Worcester Gazette says the names they wrote on the hotel register were of course fictitious, and one of them was the name of a young man employed by the Axe Company, who was at that time in this place. One of the two was marked very con- spicuously by a broken nose, and is known to be a noted burglar. There were strong grounds for suspicion that these men were in some way implicated in the robbery, and steps were immediately taken to hunt them up and cause their arrest.
280
HISTORY OF DOUGLAS.
The following is a list of certificates taken from the safe : -
A certificate of ten shares of Axe stock, belonging to the heirs of Charles Hutchins, $1,000
A certificate of five shares of stock, belonging to Edwin Moore, 500
Certificate, No. 72, of five shares of Central National
Bank stock, Worcester, belonging to Anderson Hunt, 500
A certificate, No. 336, of one share of Central National Bank stock, belonging to Anderson Hunt, 100
LIST OF THE STOLEN BONDS AND THEIR NUMBERS.
Nos.
Amt. $1,000
Nos.
Amt.
78,191
28,812
$50
17,796
100
58,486
50
.8,611
50
38,086
500
8,610
50
91,265
.
500
8,699
50
116,412
50
6,463
100
91,264
500
4,108
50
214,552
100
28,875
500
96,771
1,000
31,993
500
45,013
1,000
17,172
500
28,347
500
110,027
500
6,439
500
25,688
100
24,837
100
The following is a list of the bonds, showing the numbers and amounts, belonging to the heirs of William Kendall : -
6-81s.
87,173
$1,000
2,375
$50
87,172
1,000
51,659
1,000
17,740
100
10,006
100
9,392
500
21,768
1,000
9,306
500
12,445
500
80,189
1,000
281
INCIDENTS.
5-20s. - 1862.
PRINCIPAL LOSERS.
Heirs of Wm. Kendall,
Edwin Moore, . . $1,500
about
$9,000
Heirs of Chas. Hutchins, 2,700
Royal Keith,
1,250
Anderson Hunt,
2,600
Rev. Wm. T. Briggs, . 1,700 Douglas Axe Co., . 500
The entire losses reached the sum of $20,000."
DAY AFTER THE ROBBERY.
Owing probably more to excitement than any real grounds for suspicion, an itinerant vender of moth powder, who wasted con-
RESIDENCE OF CHARLES HUTCHINS IN 1870.
siderable breath in accusing some of our towns-people who are above suspicion of complicity in the robbery, and made some other bold and improbable statements, was regarded by many as knowing more about the robbery than he wished to acknowledge. His braggart style made the place too warm for him, and he con- cluded to try his luck at exterminating moths in some other locality.
282
HISTORY OF DOUGLAS.
About the 25th of July a New Yorker named Daniels was also arrested and brought to town, on suspicion of being implicated in the robbery, but no evidence was found corroborative of the sus- picion, and he was discharged.
OTHER INCIDENTS.
In 1790 Capt. Benjamin Dudley, Samuel Wallis, Paul Dudley, James Wallis and Ebenezer Curtis went to Boston on snow-shoes, drawing hand-sleds loaded with produce, which they exchanged for such commodities as they were unable to procure at home. At Roxbury they were beset by a party of about forty roughs, who, notwithstanding their numbers, were no match for the strength and prowess of our hearty backwoodsmen. The Douglas boys won a signal victory, and their fame spread far and near.
One of the characteristics of the men of that day was a pas- sion for military display, and in the days of trainings and musters some of the best military and cavalry companies in the State had their headquarters in Douglas. Captain Stockwell, in 1820, com- manded an organization known as the Douglas Light Infantry, which was presented with a stand of colors by Sarah Titus, a most beautiful and accomplished young lady. It was a gala occasion, which some of the older inhabitants still remember with pride. Oliver Emerson, the ensign of the company, received the colors, and most jealously guarded them while in his keeping.
Capt. Peter Balcome was the commander of a company of cavalry. He is described as a man of imposing presence, and, as he appeared on horseback at the head of his troops, would shout, "Attention, all God's creation !"
The large frames, physical strength and endurance characteris- tic of the early inhabitants of the town was the subject of wonder and admiration far and near. It is related that, when the meet- ing-house was being built, the workmen by mistake got one of the plates on wrong end to. It was a very heavy piece of timber, and for a long time resisted the efforts of half a dozen strong men to place it in its correct position. Finally Capt. Ben Dudley, a man of herculean strength and enormous frame, said, " stand back,
283
INCIDENTS.
boys, and I will turn it alone !" And sure enough, he did ; but the pressure was so great that both of his heels were forced out through his boots !
Of this singular prodigy of physical strength it is also related that he had a brother who was also noted for his strength, besides being a famous wrestler. His name was Paul Dudley, and he had established his right to the championship by throwing the best men that neighboring towns could pit against him. One day a muscular
RESIDENCE OF JESSE B. SHERMAN.
fellow on horseback rode up to the door of the cottage, and in- quired for Mr. Dudley. He was directed to the mill, whither he had gone for a load of cider. Riding off in the direction indicated, he met Mr. Dudley, who was plodding along beside his ox team, and accosted him as follows: " They tell me you are the best wrestler in the world. Have you any objection to testing that point with me?" "Not in the least," replied Mr. Dudley ; " but let 's have some cider first." While his would-be antagonist was dismounting, Mr. Dudley went to the back of the cart, drew one of the barrels towards him, and after extracting the plug delibe-
284
HISTORY OF DOUGLAS.
rately lifted the barrel by the chimes to his month, and drank from the bung-hole. The stranger looked on in blank amazement, and then, without a word, remounted his horse and galloped away.
The forefathers of the town were troubled about idle, hungry, immoral paupers with rich relations, just as their descendants are to-day. Bitter animosities grow ont of family broils ; religious wars are, of all others, most horrible and wretched ; but neither of these evils compare with a contest to settle the abiding-place and continuing city of a vermin-haunted pauper.
As the law then stood, whenever a person who had no resi- dence was likely to become a public charge, the Selectmen issued a warrant warning him to leave the town, which, on being recorded in the town clerk's office, relieved the town of all responsibility. About this time some ugly, misanthropic spinster gave birth to the threadbare saying, " out of the world into Douglas," and as this was repeated from place to place the idea became general among the paupers of the county that the law did not apply to Douglas, and they flocked thither in such numbers that the money spent in testing the law would have comfortably fed and clothed them all.
The Selectmen tried a " little game," and, as is usual in such cases, emptied the town treasury of money, though they amply replaced it with experience. A pauper named Jonathan Stearns, whose lawful residence was unknown, was assisted by the Select- men, who charged the expense to half a dozen different towns, hoping that in some way or other one of them might acknowledge him as its resident. Of course they all promptly disowned him, and suits were brought, in which the town of Douglas was invariably beaten, until, after having led to costs and correspondence enough to have kept him in food and reading all his days, poor Stearns was finally thrown upon the county. The whole transaction is like the case of greedy heirs-at-law who spend a thousand dollars in litigation to find out which is entitled to a legacy of five hundred.
Minors who became paupers were frequently "bound out" during their minority by the Selectmen. Inventories of their per- sonal effects were filed with the town clerk. It is not every rich maiden of to-day that has "seven shirts" (alias shifts, alias smocks) to her back, as did Mary Aldrich, indentured to Abel
285
INCIDENTS.
Morse, whose inventory was as follows : "1 green skirt, 1 chect apron, 2 woolen aprons, 12 handkerchiefs, 5 linen loose gounds, 1 callico gound, 2 woolen loose gounds, 1 cloak, 5 pr. woolen stock- ings, 5 pr. linnin, 3 petticoats, 7 shirts (alias shifts, alias smocks), 3 pr. shoes, 1 bonnet."
Aunt Eunice B- was one of those practical persons in whom the useful virtues outshone the ornamental. Ellis, her husband, was seduced by an itinerant pedlar into trading a good proportion of his available property for a watch - a genuine bull's eye, one of those comfortable specimens of antiquity we sometimes see to- day, too large to be carried round without fatigue, and too small for a town clock. Watches were rare in those days. Oppressed with anxiety lest the precious article should be lost or stolen, he asked his wife to find him a safe place to hang it. Without a word she rose, and after lighting a candle, and requesting him to bring a hammer and nail, she led the way down cellar, stopping in front of the empty pork barrel. "Drive the nail about three inches from the bottom of that barrel, and hang the watch on it," said she ; " there is room enough, and no one will ever think of looking for anything there!" It is needless to say that the watch was soon exchanged for more productive property.
Fuller M- was famous for practical joking, and never lost an opportunity to indulge this propensity. Returning from Boston in company with one Peter B- one day, in the good old times when everybody rode horseback, a venerable Quaker turned in from a cross road, and jogged along the "Hartford pike " just ahead of them. He was mounted on a plump and rather vicious- looking sorrel mare, with small ears and a bob-tail, bounded on either side by capacious saddle-bags, while his grey coat, long neck, thin hair and broad-brim rose above the saddle, with the combined humility and dignity of a veritable Moses. Fuller saw his chance in a moment. Telling Peter to hold up, he galloped forward and overtook the Quaker, and in mysterious tones warned him as a friend to beware of the evil person in their rear, telling him that Peter, if not exactly crazy, was certainly "possessed of a devil," that he was always aroused by the sight of a stranger, and had been known in such a case to attack the hapless person and rend him limb from limb.
286
HISTORY OF DOUGLAS.
These things so wrought upon the excited Quaker, the effect being heightened by the solemn way in which Fuller had made the startling revelations, that he would have plied whip and spur and fled for his life at once if Fuller had not gravely warned him that this course would be sure to draw on him the immediate vengeance of the hair-brained maniac. He left the Quaker with a final ad- monition to flee if pursued, and returned to Peter. "Peter," said he, "I'll bet you a 'Donglas bet' (a gallon of rum) that you can't catch that old feller ahead there !" "Twas done! Peter started, and so did the Quaker. Kicking both feet clear of the stirrups, and wrapping his long legs together under the animal's body, the Quaker lashed his nag till the little mare flew like Tam O'Shanter's when the witches gave chase. One after another the bulky saddle-bags parted and burst asunder on the road ; the flap of the broad-brim flared aloft in the wind ; the Quaker's long hair streamed in elfin terror ; and, looking neither to right nor left, he went ahead like Jehu. The sight was too much even for Peter. He began to laugh. His horse began to run. Finally, an unlucky stumble landed him end over end in the bushes. "Did yer catch him?" meekly inquired Fuller, as he came up. "Catch him !" muttered Peter, " catch lightnin! Yew just set here, an' ef he don't git over his scare he'll go round the world and go by us again in half an hour !" On reaching home Fuller had his laugh, and something more, that lasted through haying.
Another incident connected with the Revolutionary era was pertaining to and illustrative of a military gentleman of those historical days - he who at the age of twenty left the arms of his bride in sunny France, fitted out two vessels with arms and pro- visions, sailed for Boston, was received by Washington and his army with acclamations, joined the ranks as a volunteer, was wounded in his first action near Philadelphia, and commanded the vanguard of the patriot army at the capture of New York-MAR- QUIS DE LAFAYETTE.
The illustrious Frenchman was traveling from Boston to New York, over the old Boston and Hartford turnpike. He had break- fasted either at Mendon or Uxbridge, and on reaching Douglas his horses, which had become spiritless by the long journey from Bos- ton, exhibited much fatigue. Lafayette directed his driver to stop at Douglas and obtain a change of horses. Independence Whip-
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