Daily Davenport Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1864-1874, 1868-03-05
a dealt .DE1D CONFESSION.
Startling Disclosure by n Dying
Clerk 49, a Lesson TO
Young Men.

Not long s'ncc the senior member OF on,
Of tie leading mercantile establishments il
Troy WAS informed Of the serious illness o
a young man who resided not many mile
from that city, AMI who, for some length q
time, had been in the employ Of the tirI
referred TO. He was requested to hasten t,
| his bedside, rs lie wished to see him inGe
diately.
This urgent request excited no special
| surprise, IN view OF the serious illness O
| the young man, ana the previous relations
/ Of the parties, which were somcth ng more
than that Of employer and employed, ns.
stunning a somewhat confidential character
for such had been the character and reputa-
ton OF the young man for industry and
strict business iHtegfity that he had the
charge, not only Of the books Of the con
cern, but OF the daily cash account The
confidence rcposed in him was slch that, if
| necessary, the entire, interests of the
concern woad have been entrusted to
his hands.
fastening 10 the bedside Of the young
man, his friend and former employ Or found
HIM in the last stage icon sumptio or, and rap
idly sinking. Both being protested Chris
tionssnd members Of the same church, his
friend felt it his duty, and esteemed it his
privilege, to speak TO him with reference to
his hopes and prospects for the future
world, to which he saw be was rapidly
Fastening. He kindly asked him how he
felt with reference to his approaching
change. lie replied that all was clear and
satisfactory, except one thing, and he felt he
could not die without confession.
Said he, II am before you - . thief and
robbsr," and proceeded to state that, whom
10 the employ Of the firm Of which he was
member, he was IN the habit Of abstract
ing funds from the concern, and of so GOV.
ering the matter in his cash account that il
could not be detected. The surprise and
establishment OF the party 10 whom this
confession was made can better be imag, n
ed than described. Such had been the con-
hdencs reposed in him that it seemed i'm
possible that he could be guilty Of such .
crime. lie asked forgiveness, and was as
sured that, so far ~ this party to the firm
was concerned. he had forgiveness, and was
exhorted TO seek the forgiveness Of God.
What 10 ost singular in this very pain
ful case 10 the fact that the dying young
man, who had carefully boarded bis iIl-eot-
ten means. and Was thus able g. make res
tituton, gave no intimatlon Of his DISPOSE
ton to do 50. The senior member Of the
firm made known the facts to his partnW,
who, DESTROYS not only of securing what
was justly theirs but OF enabling the young
man to obtain favor with his Maker, which
they believsd he could not DO without be-
ing conscious at least # his duty in the
case, called upon a clergyman of Troy, who
visited the young man, and to whom he
freely confessed his guilt
The clergyman assured him that it was
his duty at least to prefer restitution to
those whom he felt he had wronged. He
seemed somewhat agitated for moment,
oat hnniiy said he would do SC in the course
y q gay or two. Shortly aferward he
'nsue ms VIII, aud it was supposed BY the
very lew coaverssnt with the facts that he
nau taken that quiet way TO refund the
money. lie died, and was universally
mourned where known. His regular pastor.
othciatIng At his funeral. Unconscious Of thu
iacts above stated, INDUCED in the hi1hes,
eu'ogy OF the young mans life and charac.
Ter, and held him up as On illustrious ex.
ample Tor other young men to initiate. ea
peciaiiy as It regards industry and ecopo-
my, BY means Of which be had acquired
considerable property.
Strange TO say, when the will cam, to
DC opened, the firm referred to was no, re-
mem oersd, no provision being made to re-
store 10 them the stolen money. The mat
ter Is 70 be legally tested, and the singular
lty Of the case will make il one of interest.
not only to the legal fraternity, but to the
community generally. TIE names Of the
parties concerned are withheld for obvious
reasons, but the facts in The case are exact
iy as stated.