The Cleveland leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1865-1865, 1865-08-08
LEADER
TUESDAY, AUGUST 8, 1865.
rDe Death OF a, p. Sto1e.

Inc sad tacts-so $50 and shameful that
they seemed themselves unwilling to come
TO hght-in reference to the sudden death
of Alfred P. Stone, once the State Treas
urer of Ohio, in Columbus on Wednesday
last have at last been fully ascsrtained.
They outline story, which, though not
new, is, in view of the reputation and re-
cord Of the man of which it is told, very
startling and suggestive.
Ten years ago no man stood higher,
whether in public or private life, than AL
fred 2. Stone, then h:gh-toned business
man of Columbus. He was 3 prominent
member of q leading church in the city. So
spotless was his reputation, so distinguished
his abilities as business man, that when,
in 1857, the Breslin- Gibson defalcation was
brogght TO f1gasI l-s. 5sss soseosse -By Cow
ernor Chase as the man, of all men, to re.
store public confidence, to bring order out
of chaos in the State finances, and to place
the treasury of the State in sound and
correct condition. So we'll did he succeed
in his trust, that the people of Ohio
ratified the choice of the Governor by
twice electing Mr.. Stone to the position to
which he had been appointed, and when
our present internal revenue system was
initiated, four years ago, he was selected by
Secretary Chase ss the best man in the Co
lumbus district for Collector of Internal
Revenue.
Such we're the anteeedents Of Mr.. Stone.
If any man could be considered thrice
proof "armed with triple brass against
temptatiOn-by religion, by reputation, by
habit, it was be. And yet-he fell. He
drAnk-hs gambled. In play he lost
heavily. He played yet more deeply hop
ing to retrieve his Losses. he lost again.
He exhausted his own resources, and, hoping
for turn of luck, he stsked money which
belonged to the government. He lost
Ggsin. He played wildly, desperately,
fercely-but he lost. He looks around,
and sees that he has not only frittered awsy
his own fortune, but has squandered money
not his own, for which he will be held
to strict account. Dishonor and disgrace
await him. He sees but one way TO escape
them, and, after days of doubt eliminating
in despsir,-After an afternoon spent in
grovellIng upon the graves OF his children,
born and reared in his honorable prime
after night of wrestling with the demon
that tempted him-he dies by poison,
vsinly hoping TO escape the consequence of
his own rashness and guilt.
The amount of his defalcstion is esti-
mated at different sums, all the way from
$4,000 upto $4,000. It is stated that
his official bondsmen are not liable, as they
notified the Government some time since
that they would be no longer responsible
for the bond. This indicates that Mr..
Stones recent habits and embarrsssments
were known in Columbus, and it is to the
discredit of those who knew the facts, that
they did not relieve Mr.. Stone from temp
tstion and the Government from loss, by
taking steps for his removal.
We need add no words of trivial and
hackneyed morsliEing TO this sad recital.
Its simple facts speak to every man with q
significance to which no sermonizing can
add point. We know of men in our own
city-men high in business and social
positions-to whom this dark and shame
full story should come as revelation and
warning from God.