New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-04-16
4 iSIVINDLERS STORY.

w
orr civilization more suggestive than the his
tory of O man who every half dozen years
comes to the light and runs through the
notoricty of newspaper sQuibs and jeers for
week or two, to sink out Of sight again. He
was born of family prominent since colonial
times for their alert intellect, scholarly cul-
turc, nervous temperament, honorable sensi-
bill; .3s and lack of financial ability. They
have been race of cavaliers, and, whether
rich or poor, have kept that peculiar type OF
civilization before tho public in every genera
ton since the county has taken shape or
name. What accident before or after birth
affected this boy we do not know, but IL Is
Certain that the disease which early showed
itself in his body gave warp and eXaggera-
ton to each Of the family traits OF mind. Inc
lad showed the subtle, swift intellect OF his
ancestors, their hunger for knowledge, their
fastidious tastes; but their warm affections
were debauched in his unhealthy body to vile
passio0s; the nervous excitability developed
into epilepsy, and the lavish generosity which
had made them disregard the value of
money until they were on the verge of want,
resulted in his case in absolute blindness
as to any law of property. He was born an
incurable NeptOmaniac. AS soon as no couid
walk he began to steal, and this although sur
rounded by the purest home influences which
high, honorable and Christian feeling could
bring to bear upon him. He stole things that
could have no value for him-iron, lead, the
iewelry which his sisters laid off at night; dug
holes and hid them away, for no purpose but
to satisfy the insane greed OF an itching palm.
If civilization had ever brought half the skill
or energy to bear upon the making OF man
that she has done upon machine, science
would have comprehended and known how to
treat this dsinherted child of Nature at the
beginning, and, il there was no cure for his
diseased moral nature, would at least have
protected society and his own life from its
effects. What civilization did do for him was
to wait until his thefts reached sum amount
ing to grand larceny, and then to throw him,
an cpileptic boy Of eighteen, into damp cell.
Jail fever followed; and pardon. on con-
dition of his close confinement to his
fathers house for a term of years. These
proved to be years of intense physical suffer-
ing; part of his limbs decayed in consequence
of the fever and fell off. A young man, with
the gritty endurance of his race, of whom
society had only made convict and cripple.
was not likely to respect any of her laws, espe-
cially as he apparently had no conscience to
point them out. These years of imprisonment
to a close chamber in country village were
devoted to hard study, and to series of
frauds, which, under the circumstances, were
IA subtle and astonishing rs those of tho
famous Buchanan Cross. Lying on his back,
he carried on correspondence with bankers,
poets, and scientific men here and in Europe.
He personated dozen different characters
drew large income by means of forgeries
supplied himself secretly with the opium on
which he lived established creditable posi-
ton in literature edited and introduced
the works of noted English author to the
American public, and swindled not only an
English poet, but one of the shrewdest of
Boston publishers. SO genuine was the
strength displayed in these letters, and so
delicate were the sensibilities, that many of
the friends who know him only by letters,
believe in him still. For the last fifteen years
his course has run alternately through insane
and inebriate asylums, the highest religious
and social circles of the South and West, and
jails and pcnitentiares. He has played the role,
successfully, of soldier, preacher, and teacher,
only to prove himself thief in all, when he
knew that to thieve was immediate and sure
destruction. The last expose of tho poor
wretchs subtle schemes and dishonesty pro
voked laugh from one end of tho country tc
the other. 1t would DO quite ss consonan
with Christianity to jeer at the cough of 4
consumptive or the goitro of crehn.
We have instanced this recent case 20 cal
attention to the fact of Inherited disease. an,
of vice growing out Of such disease, as on,
which ministers of the gospel have long beer
inclined to thrust cut Of sight from simpl,
TREAD of the problem, A. s,,Cva..u. d. nrohlcn