The Rock Island daily Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1872-1873, 1873-12-01
A BLACK DEFAULTRR.
The Temptations That Overcome the Virtue
Of a Colored Cashier.
From the New York World J


Institutions designed for the welfare Of
the blacks have erewhile been made to
minister to the pecuniary welfare of pious
whites, as the administration Of the con-
Germs Of the Froedman's bureau by Gen. !
Howard and his band OF more or less evan
gelical conductors duly attests. So usuri- !
Gus a percentage Of the benefactions in
tended for the freedman we're intercepted
before they reached their appointed desti-
nation that he might well desire to lodge
the interests OF his race in the direction Of
one of his own color instead of having them
dissipated by lank and sallow philantro
pists. who turned the cash into brown
stone houses and pianos for themselves in
stead of seed-eorn and spelling books for
their clients 1t is hardly surprising,
therefore, that a freedman was selected as
the custodian of the funds in the Freed
man Saving bank at Washington. w hat
i surprising is that that colored custodian
has run away with all the money, like a
white man. 1t was not an Insignificant
sum. even in these days OF ambitious de
falcation. Indeed, il is said tOhave exceed
ed $2OO,OO0, and upon these hgures 1t Is
not difficult to rear conjecture OF as to the
amount of wool at this moment standing
on end in bushy bewiiderment and constern
alton How the freedmen, besieged by
the constant solicitation Of afternoon policy
shops and evening tandangoes, could have
laid by 80 much money, and what a slng'
defalcatinp darkey could possibly hav'
done with 20 much, are mysteries quite be
vond elucidation. 1t is hardly supposabl
that he could have spent it all in tn
above mentioned pastimes or in the accu
mutation Of patent leather boots an
watch chains. If there were a stock ex
change in Washington, with its complica
ted and seductive machinery OF specu
latiou. some Of il might perhaps be trace
to that money trap. Or if, waving Out
worn preiudices of race, he had been ad
mitted 10 a senatorial game Of poker, an
had ambitiously sought 10 raise out tn
wary and willy law givers, the dispositio
of his spoils would have been NANTES
But there il no capitolian bourse, and Ii
sinful games which prevail during the Sc
sion mostly give place during the adjourn
mept 10 Episcopal whist at six cents Il
rubber, and conservative en-cents, ehuc
a.lnck among the under secretaries. Nett
or Of these would have enabled the detaul
ing treasurer 10 have run through such |
enormous sum as $500 GOO, and where
has oone battles conjecture. IL won
doubtless impart q melancholy satlsfacti'
to the losers il they could trace the oper
tion of their cash beyond the trousei
pocket OF their fellow freedmen who sto
K hut IL seems rs If even this meag
co,ufort WINS 10 be denied them. The ca
has gone, vanishing through the horn ga
Of dreams, aud the delinquent has nTthl
10 saw about it. A single lesson renal
as the somewhat arid and insufficient fr'
Of this unhappy investment, and il Is u
financial integrity is not at all matter
color II Is doubtful ii the treasurer COZ
have stolen more if he had come ire
Massachusetts, ami been as white as z
fax or as copper -colored as Ben Butl'
II IS 10 be apprehended that the u
happy sequel OF the lrugality and econol
Of t6e freedmen will discourage them fr'
further Efforts Of the snrt--although
hope not, sincerely. Simple nded p
ons possessed Of nnly vapne n"tirn
savings institutions viii prefer, when Il
discover these lnsututons do nst save