Middletown transcript., 1872-11-30
Newark Bank Conspiracy.

In another column We give the main
part Of tho evidence in the case Of State
vs. James Adams aud john Aiken. in.
dicted fur conspiracy to rob Newark bank.
We have known Adams for several
years, and always looked upon him as an
Z honest man. We trusted him in the past,
snl previous to his arrest on this charge
would have done so again without hesita-
tim Ills chief fault. we believed. was
Z rather too l'asty temper. We cannot
hr'f hut entertain for him feelings Of pity
!. in ihjs gr,a, trouble that he has brou ght
ui"n, himself: nor DO We think he 10 one
whit worse, simply because he alone was
'convi..icl. than those who agreed to aid
him in his schemc. One thing is certain:
" man cannot enter into a conspiracy With
''hiu,sclf To form conspiracy there N ust
be more than one. The very definition Of
the term is :, combination Of persons for
u" csil purpose TO nsscrt tina, man
combined with himself is absurd. Adams
was convicted Of having entered intp o
conspiracy; he must. therefore. have had
nccomplices; the question is who were
thryY Had the intention Of the cousplra-
tors been carried into effect others would
have shared the plumber with him, but the
punishment falls on him alone.
We make no paliation Of his guilt.
Having broken the laws Of the State he
must suffer the consequences, but hc is
not entitled to ali the obloquy attached to
such affairs. There are hundreds Of men
who. on tho Scri lturc terms Of being with
nut sin, cannot throw stones ut Adams.
Burglar in all but the deed though be be,
there Il me ,hing that can be said Of him
which cannot be 'nia Of many men who
occupy high position. in society, and that
is be was always faithful! to his engage
ments. If he r"omi-e. 70 do a thing he
did ii. aud, so lag a, least as we knew
Of him. he was never charged with neg
oec'ing to pay debts that he contracted, or
with falling to accomplish what he agreed
90 do. We cannot see tha. il makes 90
difference to the loser whether he lose bis
psspersy By dircc, robbery or is sw;ndlcd
ost Of il by f.l.c representations and mis-
placed conf lcncc The man who delibtr-
atcly misrcprcsrnis his condition aud ,
knowing that he has not the means to
mce. his obligations. contracts engage
mcnts which he knows he cannot keep is
just as guilty. morally. as the man Who
breaks into aud robs bank or other place
ssxd deposit. For our own part We would
rather a man would steal righ. straight.
cut from M than to como to " with lying
representations aud promises to pay. and
>. cheat us out VI our money BY imposing
. upon our crcdu!i'y. In the former case
ere woull get little sympathy, and per.
s,aps indulgence from our creditors, II wc
dill nsi mecs our engagements.
q! We do not ssy that all men Who
enter iu,o obligations which they become
unable, 10 meet do 20 from dishonest mo
tiyss; FAR from It. There are hundreds
saa, thou.suds Of good. honest men who
nsran ia do exactly as they say. but arc
: prevented by the failure Of others to kecp
their engagements with them. Blu. there
are men who will deliberately 90 into deb,
fsr beyond their means for things which
] sts mot necessary 10 their welfare and
!. which they would bc better ni,hous
; Numbcrs Of men. induced no doubt 10
/ v susns Instances by their wives and dauehs.
rrs, will rush over head and ears into deb,
iss.sslas in keep up respectable ~.
p,a,s,,co " in society, and not DO out.dons
!. ~ tisris aeiehbars. Out upon such gen.
snay! Il H. . shonssod times more gen
ssrlse be ost of debt. OF as least to liye
HlIkls your m.osns shan Il is to wear 6nc
shakes o. ride In sev (unpaid for) car
sissss bskind fast honcs. This tsndsnsy
IL a. living asd exsssvasasss is great
sre~irs evil a~d-shcssd bc ffowncd down
IVY thats shcse position cssses ttsss 10 b
.dissss n imisssiss. Besicty viii cone
{. pksss n shs chjsss u IL creation and fsil
! II she dsty te~srd ia asembcrs u u neg
: lsset n preesst them from sush imposition.
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