Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1873-03-23
THE LESSONS WHICH FOsTER's
FATE TEACHES.

The Cincinnati Commercial says of Eos
ter, who was hanged in New York on Fri
day for the murder of E. A. Putnam:
"Fosthr was the child of wealthy parents,
was trained to piety, and perpetrated the
crime while under the influence Of liquor.
His parents had years ago discarded him
for marrying poor girl, and he was shift
less sort of fellow who could never get
along in the world; but he did noe by ma
ture belong TO the criminal classes. His
fate will be a terrible warning, which is
much needed in New York. 1t is said bis
father and relatives have spent half mil
lion dollars in his defense, during the two
years since he committed the crime; and
this will not seem incredible when it is
known that the publication in the newspa-
pers Of the appeals and arguments in his
behalf, during the last thirty days, have
cost over a hundred thousand dollars.
These newspaper publications were intend
ed TO create a public sentiment which
would react upon the Governor and affect
bis decision"
The Philadelphia Press argues that Eos.
ter's fate seems to have little effect as a
warning on the bad classes of New York,
for during the past week two most daring
outrages, of nature similar to the crime
for which he suffered the extreme penalty
of the law, have been committed in that
city. Both were attacks upon passengers
in the street cars -one assault being with
knives, the other with revol7ers. BY the
first one man as severely cut, by the sec
ond two men were dangerously wounded.
Whatever may be the influence which Eos
ter's fate will exert over the criminal class
es, and it cannot be without some salutary
effect, there can be no question
that it ought 10 be warning to
parents situated as bis were, not
to discard their sons who may not marry
just to suit them. Fosters wife appears to
have been respectable woman and to
have been devotedly attached to him, but
she was poor, and that appears to have been
the objectionable crime in the eyes of the
wealthy parents" of her husband, and
hence they discarded him and left him TO
lead sort Of vagabond life, which has had
terrible ending. There is no telling, but
Foster might have made very different
man, man who would have been useful
to the community and an honor to himself
and his parents, if they had treated him as
son should have been treated after he had
taken to himself wife. They cannot but
roAont ,.nnp fIau,s oI1as Eor tI,a;r oF
him at the particular time when kind sug-
gestions and loving words might have nerved
him to make man of himself; and instead
Of filling dishonored grave, he might this
day be their pride and sOlace. 1t is true
thai after the commission of his great crime,
Fosters father appears TO have done every
thing that father could do to save q son.
He omitted no exertion and no expenditure
to secure bis acquittal, and after his convic-
ton, TO secure the Communication of his SEN
tence. Who can tell what this love and
devotion would have wrought upon that
unfortunate son had it been put forth at
the crisis in the young mans life? The
fate of poor VIM. Foster is a sermon full of
most salutary lessons not only to reckless,
Maynard young men, but to parents who
discard tier sons for causes which can
find justification with no right-thinking
man, and at a Tins and under circ1mstan-
ces when 'home influences" make the
man, and the want of them, the villain.