The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1836-1851, 1841-11-17
MISCELLANEOUS.
THE ROAD TO RUIN.

THE ROAD TO RUIN.
1 The following report ola case recent,
tried before The Criminal. Cunrt ofSl.
Louis, is full of interest. Tn young, mer
particularly the relation addresses. itself
with peculiar force and directness, and il
is for their benefit that wezrepeat through
Four columns the voice of warning which il
cnnlains: -
sT.LOUIS CRIMINAL, COURT. =
[Reportcd for the Penndnt.]
State Indictment for pas
VS. sing counterfeit
+ The defendant in this case was, proba-
hIy. twenly-right years of age, but wore
the appearance ofat astthirly-fve. He
HAD evidently once been a fine looking
man, in stature he was something over
sx feet, and his strongly marked fea.
lures and prominent forehead gave eViz
lence ef more than .ordijiary intellrct.-
Bul ypu could clearly discover that he had
becomes preg To the monster ipiemper-
Iancc-lhe mark nf the beast was stamp
}rdupnn his cnuliteuanrc, :whiI'h Gavczrl a
| [vivi:l and unnatural glare. He was placed
Iiu Tie box with others who were, 70 be ar
Iraigned upon the indictments preferred
AGAINST them. All the Others had plead,
mot guilty, (asis 5usuaD and ;i3day was sci.
| for their t.ial, 1.-The defendant was t"ld
to stand mp. and the clerkiread to him the
Iinliclineni, which charged him with har-
ling on the I0th day ofAugust, passed on
lone Patrick lIneal.. counterfeit bill, pur-
porting to be issued by the. Sd Munlcipali-
~ pf,he city ofNew Orlenns, for three
dollars; aud upon being asked the qnes-
lion, guilty or not: gully? he replied, s"guil-
guilty." Then turning to the court
Ehe remarked that, as this was the last
ilimc lie cverexperted totappear ncourt,
/ he would be.2glad if he could be allow
ed to mark a few remarks. The Judge
i,told him, 10 proceed. Allcrla pause, IN
(which, he was evidently endeavoring to
caI,n his feelings, he. proceeded2as fol
lows = -, -. -, =
May i. please the Conrl--in thereaarks
IL shall mark, will not attempt to cx-
t,enua,e. ms crime, or ask at .your hands
any sympathyin. passing sentence upon
lme., / KnowthatI have violated the laws
of my country, and Justly deserve punish.
lmeni; nor would recall The past. or dwell
Upon HE bitter present, for my own sake;
| A wish to do good to others. is my only
lmniive: ~. ~
Is!all, with the indulgence ofthe court,
!.save.a brief narrative of my life, with a
! hope that those young men around me
| may take warning by it, and avold the
rock upon which | have split: L, was
orn ofreSpeclabIe parents in the State Of,
New Jersey, and during childhood receiv.
ed every attention which fond parents.
caul. bestnw upon an only son. IL was
early discovered that / had a fJndness.fur
books; aud my. father, although in limited
determined to give sme, "a
liberal education Iwas sent 10 a high
school in the neig ighbnrhood, and snch was
my progress, that at twelve years of age,
my prrcePtnr declared me qualified for
college, and accordingly entered one.
spf The nldess univcrsities Of the cnuntry.
Here so distinguished myself, that, at
sixteen, graduated with the second hon
sors Of the institution, and returned home
arshel with the brilliant prospect Of sue.
cess that lay before me. ]. soon after
commenced the study of law, and when
onIy5in my twentieth year, obtained
license to=Practice.
. Acting upon the advice of friends, i
determined tn try my forxne in the. west.
| accordingly arranged my affairs for de-
.parture early in the fall of 1888. Il will
not detain Won with an account of my