James Sutcliffe Arrested for Theft
Chenango Union, September 21, 1882
It has been known for some time past that thieving on a small scale from the Express Companies in this vicinity has been carried on, and last week Tuesday the swindler and thief was trapped at is home in Eaton [Madison Co., NY]. The correspondent of the Oneida Union gives the following as to how he was captured.
"Our usually quiet village was thrown into a state of excitement on Tuesday morning, by the arrest of James Sutcliffe, a young man of quiet and unassuming manner, and hitherto highly respected, for robbing express offices. Last February a scroll saw was stolen from the express office at Pecksport, which had been ordered to come by express C.O.D. to one J.H. Hoover, claiming to live at Hamilton [Madison Co., NY], or near there. The order was written on a blank, with tinted printed heading, and contained several errors in setting up the form, and was pronounced by printers at Hamilton, to be the work of an amateur with a hand press. The matter was placed in the hands of officers, but after trying in vain to get some clue, the matter was dropped. A few weeks ago, a box was received at the express office at Eaton station, said to contain a gun, marked W.S. Whitmore, Eaton, N.Y., "C.O.D." The box remained uncalled for a few days when the agent J.M. Fitzgibbons, received orders to ship the same to Oswego, which he did, the change in destination being made by the manufacturers, Parker Brothers, of Meridian, Conn. who had been requested by Mr. Whitmore to make such change. The box was not called for in Oswego, and at the expiration of a stated time was returned to Parker Brothers as uncalled for. Upon opening the box they found instead of a gun, a car link. The matter was placed in the hands of Supt. Hendricks, of Norwich, who went to work at once to find the missing gun. The first clue was obtained by the postmaster at Norwich showing Mr. Hendricks a letter written by Prof Eastwood to a book publishing house of New York, ordering some books, he claiming to be an ex-principal of Norwich High School. The letter was accompanied by one from the book publishers asking for the standing and responsibility of Prof. Eastwood. Neither knew such a man, but Mr. Hendricks thought he was the man for whom he was looking, and the postoffice was accordingly watched for several days. The day of Barnum's show in Norwich, a man presented himself at the office and inquired for letters addressed to Prof Eastwood, of which he received quite a number. He was spotted and shadowed to his home in Eaton.
"Last Saturday a very spruce gentleman arrived, claiming to be John Cornish, a magazine writer and newspaper correspondent from New York. This gentleman was of a rambling disposition and Sunday asked a gentleman to take a walk with him, which was done, and after traveling around some little time, brought up at the home of Mr Sutcliffe, who kindly invited them in and showed them books, his orguinette, and finally his bees. These gentleman saw any quantity of books lying around, which had been sent to the Prof. and are still unpaid for. The New York man, instead of being a magazine writer, proved to be one of the Pinkerton detective force, and although he had sufficient evidence, wanted to see his man and have a personal interview, the result of which speedily brought matters to a climax. Tuesday morning, District Attorney Smith, Sheriff Brownell, Constable Reidy, with Messrs. Hendricks and Cornish, drove to the Sutcliffe house, and informed the young man of their business. He made no defense at all, weakened at once, made a full confession, brought out the gun and scroll saw, and told the officers how and when they were taken. His confession implicated his brothers, John and Thomas, who are attending the Normal School at Oswego and who, we were informed, were to be arrested Tuesday.
"The manner in which this business has been carried on was to write to the manufacturer for what they wanted on a blank, headed with a business heading, all with the same tine: "Office of J.W. Hoover, furniture dealer, and manufacturer of picture frames," or "W.S. Whitmore, Insurance Agent," "Prof Eastwood," etc, which naturally gave the matter a tone of business. The letters ordering the gun and saw having been sent to Mr. Hendricks and the handwriting of each being the same, he concluded Messrs. Hoover & Whitmore were the same man. After seeing the one written by Prof. Eastwood, he concluded that one man had three name, then seeing the letters called for and the man followed home made the case a sure one without the confession. Astonishment and surprise are the expressions of everyone, and sympathy and sorrow that a young man of such good prospects in life should so foolishly plan a term in gratuitous service to the State, is heard on every side. The family all were respected by everyone, and their honesty and character has never been questioned."
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Cazenovia, NY Republican, September 14, 1882
James Sutcliffe was arrested at Eaton, Tuesday morning, for stealing goods from the express office at Eaton and Peckport stations. His plan was to order goods under an assumed name, and then steal the uncalled for packages form the office. The case was worked up by H. Hendricks, general express agent, of Norwich. John Cornish, a Pinkerton detective, arrived there last Saturday and brought matters to a focus, and caused the arrest Tuesday morning. Sutcliffe made a full confession and produced the stolen property, among which was an eighty-five dollar Parker shot gun, and a scroll saw, worth forty dollars. Two brothers, Thomas and John, are also implicated and will probably be arrested.
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Death Notice
Madison County Times, February 28, 1941
James Sutcliffe died Tuesday morning at the home of Harry Wickwire in Hamilton [Madison Co., NY] He was 85 years of age and had been ill since November. his wife, Sophie Clark Sutcliffe, died last April. He is survived by a brother, Thomas Sutcliffe, of New York.
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