Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1842-05-31

CRIME AND SUIcTDE.-It is seplom we
are called upon to record such a melan-
choly case of crime and and its wretched
consequences as one which has recently
lranspired in the neighboring county of
Windham. We have refrained from anv
public notice Of the matter until now, be-
cause we were DESTROYS of first asce rtan-
ing accurately the facts, instead of giving
currency to flying rumors which might or
might not be true.
On Saturday night, the 31st ult. an old
gentleman named Elias Mason, long re
sident of Woodstock, and one of its most
respected and influential cltizeus, suddenly
deceased under circumstances which left
no doubt on the mind Of his attending ply
slclans that he had taken poison. But
wishing to spare the feelings Of Mr.. Ma
sons family and friends, the physicians
RETAINED from communicating their con-
victoDs as 10 the cause Of Mr.. Ms sudden
death. 1t was supposed by the family and
others te have been case of apoplexy, and
it was so reported abroad, On Tuesday
he was buried, and in the funera discourse
Mr.. Ms character was held up as model
Of worthy Of imitation by all.
AS man and Christian he had through
a long and busy life, maintained an unsuI-
lied reputation for integrity and truth, and
his death was mourned as a public loss-
His business had been Of a kind that rem
dered II necessary to have good deal to
do with the banks; and it was a common
remark of the directors of the Thompson
Bank that no man who did business there,
had as many and good endorsers as Mr..
Mason.
But hardly had the multitude which fol-
lowed his remains TO the grave dispersed,
before one who had joined in the process
sion ID Mr.. arpenter-recieved letter
from an officer Of the Thompson Bank in
forming him that a note Of which he was
an cndorscr and Mr.. Mason the drawer,
was protested for non payment. This was
the second instance in which, within q few
weeks, he had received such a notice.
The first one awakened his suspicious that
Mr.. NJ had been committing forgerv-for
he could not remember ever having en-
dorsed such a note for Mr. NJ. Yetthink-
ing it possible he might be mistaken, he
resolved 10 say nothing about the matter;
but when the second notice Of protest came,
here was no longer room to doubt. He
rode to the Bank Immediately and satisfied
himself by actual inspection, that his name
had been forged to the protested paper
This discovery led the Bank officers to a
general examination Of the notes Of the de-
ceased, and, as the result, it was found that
he had in the Bank about IS, 900 Of forged
paper. Subsequent examinations in the
Brooklyn Bank show about SO 900 more of
he same kind Of paper-in SoathbrIdge
Bank, $4,000, Chipatchet Bank, about
$500! How many other Banks have been
delrauded in the same way, is not yet
known.
1t is not the Banks, however, that have
suffered mainly or more severely. Mr.. NJ.
was owing not less than $40, 900 in Wood
stock-mostlv borrowed moncy-and n
large proportion Of it borrowed from peo
pie Of small means, from widows and guar
dams and persons of,hat description, whose
confidence in the integrity of Mr.. Mason.
joined 10 the general belief Of his wealth,
led them 10 regard money placed in bis
hands as secure rs if it were deposited in
the Savings Bank. 1t is now doubtful
whether his estate will pay ten cents on the
doIlar.--Norwich Conn., Cour.