, 1874-02-26

ltoSiOu VI CIdlCuCC tSah, ehC III ''eSi )
surrounding the robbery of Wells &
Fargo's Express, at Kalama, has been
cleared up. 1t appears from this con-
fession that the robbery of the treasure
box was put up months ago, and the
conspirators only awaited an oprortuni-
ty to make large maui. The key with
which the box was opened was made by
Clark T. Morris; the money was taken
out by Pagan and delivered to F., L..
Budlong, who took it to his lodgings,
at the house of Mr.. Hale, the Road
Master of the N. P. Railroad, placed it
in boot which was identified as be-
longing to Hale, and threw it under an
adjoining house, where it was lately
discovered and reclaimed. This is the
story told by Pagan. after be had drawn
suspicion upon himself by various con-
f1icting statements he had made in giving
his testimony on the several examina-
tions OF Budlong. a
1t is q melancholy fact that these
young men all occupied high social and
business positions which placed them
above the temptations of want, and in
the open road to prosperous and honor
able careers, by diligence and honest
dealings. 1t is a notable circumstance
that they all held positions of trust at
the hands of, and confidential relations
with the notorious Railroad Land fling,
represented by General Sprague and
"Skookum" Smith. Fagan, the cone
fessed thief, was nephew Of the Gener-
al, and held the position Of telegraph
operator and Express agent, through the
influence of his uncle, the two places
yielding him an income of $40 a month.
Clark T. Morris, who, if this confession
is true. was the irstigator and prime
mover in this great crime, was the ticket
agent of the railrt ad and confidential
clerk of General Sprague; was brought
from Minnesota by Sprague for that
position, and has distinguished himself
for his devotion to the personal interest
of his patron. Frank L. Budlong, who
was under the same patronage, previous
to this affair enjoyed as good a reputa-
tion for honesty and business capacity
as any young man in the Community.
He had held many confidential trusts,
all Of which he had discharged with
credit to himself and to the satisfaction
of his employers. He had been en-
ployed for some time past in and about
the railroad offices. and was about to
enter upon the duties of Express mes
senger.
What influence their associations had
upon the fall of these before reputable
young men, is matter for serious con-
sideration. Theirs is no doubt that their
moral sense was blunted and weakened
by the example and success of the men
whose patronage they enjoyed. They
had constantly before them the fact that
these men, ostensibly representing the
Railroad Company, were constantly rob-
bing that Company and sacrificing its
interests for the benefit Of themselves
and ring of conspirators with which
they were associated. Was the motive
more depraved, or the consequences to
others more calamitous, to rob the trea-
sure box of wealthy express company
of few thousand dollars, by means of
false keys, than to rob railroad eompa-
ny, as custodlans of public fund, of
hundreds of thousands by false pretens-
es and breach of trust? Was it any
more dishonest for the nephew to alb
stract, for the benefit Of his ring, $4,000
from a company's treasure box entrust-
ed to his care, than for the uncle to ap-
ply to the exclusive benefit of his ring
hundreds of thousands of dollars from
the company's treasure box entrusted to
his keeping? 1t is distinction without
a difference, save in its legal consequent
ces; the difference between the head of
department who squanders millions of
dollars os public treasure upon corrupt
Jobs in which he shares the profits, and
the subordinate who is convicted of
purloining few dollars by means of
forged voucher.
But the example was not all; these
young men were encouraged to crime.
General Sprague, to establish charges
which he had made against Thomas 3.
Morris, Chief Engineer of the Railroad,
took and used private letters abstracted
from the desk of the latter by this same
Clark T. Morris, his confidential clerk.
Was the crime of burglariously rifiing
private desk any less than furnishing
skeleton key with which to Iife treas-
ure box? The man who employs such
service cannot reasonably expect that
his tool Will not eventually become u
victim to the laws. lf t
.'Like begets like" "Like master
like man" Our peneteniialies are filed
with the victim of the bad examples Of
employers and patrons. Dishonest
bankers, merchants, contractors, and
railroad managers, are, in the inevitable
course Of nature, daily furnishing vic
tins to the outraged laws, which they
are cunning enough to evade; aud so it
will continue to be so long as public
sentiment tolerates rasca'ity in high
places, aud position shields chine.
THE NORTHERN PACIFIC RAILROAD
The Port Townsend Argus publishes the