Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1874-10-29
of encouragement from his own private and

OF encouragement IrOIu MS own PrtVdLe anu
confidential lawyer before he could tell his
tale At last the murder came out. The
cuss had been speculating on his account with
the money of the bank, after losing all his
own, and was short trife Of two hundred
thousand dollars, and quarterly meeting of
directors coming on. What was to be done ?
1t was an ugly fix! The lawyer said he
guessed it was hard nut to crack; but that it
might be done, if his client lad full and COM
plete confidence in him. Van swore, by all
that is holy, that his lawyer was the last
plank he had got to cling to, and that with
out him, he should cave in at once.
"Wal, then,' said the lawyer, you answer
me one question. Have you full control of
the finances now at this present moment"
eyes, sir" said Van. II am boss till board
meeting"
That's we'll. Now how much more do you
think you could steal between now and the
fatal day?''
81 don't know" answered; Van "perhaps
two hundred thousand more"
"That'll fix things elegantly. Now you 60,
and we'll call it withdraw from circulation
two hundred thousand dollars, change the
money and bring it right here, and I guess we
shall put things right through"
II don't quite see how that will help me-"
"Just now, neighbor, you amt wanted to
see; you 60 this blind or not at all"
every little more persuasion was wanted to
induce man who was elbow deep in other
folks money to get in Up to the shoulders.
Before broad day arrived the money was ab-
stracted from the bank and safely lodged in
the hands of the lawyer, who took it very
coolly, and told Van to look in for final ad-
vice the night before the meeting. Van ar
rived, 6dgety, and said he did not quite see
his way
"Most likely not said the lawyer; but
YOU might show little more grit, and not
look as if you had no more confidence in me
than the Bostonian had in Colonel Skeet.'
"'Bame Colonel Skeet, what is he to me =?
"'Eve ything, guess, as an example not to
part with yourstamps first and fret afterward.
You see Boston man once went down to New
Orleans while the races were going on. He
was riding mighty fine horse, which attract
ed brace of individuals of the scalawag or
der, when one of them began-"Good morn
ing, Judge; guess you're riding tall speci.
men of hoss flesh" "Prettv well, thank you"
replied Boston, when the scallawag made a
rush and said, 1T is mighty fine hoss, that's
a fact; but I shouldn't mind matching my
hoss agin yours twice round the course, for a
thousand dollars, and my friend, Colonel
Skeet shall hold the stakes. "That's so" re-
piled Boston, "the conditions are that you
match your horse against mine twice round
the course for thousand dollars, and your
friend, Colonel Skeet shall hold the stakes ?"
"That's bet," cried the scalawag; eve put
up the money at once" "Hold on minute"
said Boston, cit is all fixed but one point.
Colonel Skeet is to hold the stakes-that's
fair enough-but who in thunder will hold
Colonel Skeet?"
"'By the time the lawyer had got through
with the story, Van was dancing impatiently.
and insisted on knowing what he was to do"
"'Wal, look here said his adviser, you 60
down tomorrow morning, and just make
clean breast of it. Own that you are four
hundred thousand dollars short, and make
speech about the evils of speculation, be ut
terly crushed and broken down, shed tears,
and talk about your wife and family, and |
guess we are nearly through
"'But shall be arrested and put in prison.
"'That is part of the programme, that's a
fact, and I don't see how that ceremony is to
be dispensed with. But you will not stay
there very long
"Van did not like the programme, but he
had no chance to back down. He appeared
at the meeting in a bran new suit of go-to-
meeting clothes, and delivered speech that
might have melted heart of stone, but it ran
off the bank directors like water off ducks
back. There was scene. One director, who
had gone up himself six times, to my certain
knowledge swore that the duty of the board
was to prosecute the villain. There was near
ly free fight in the board room, but the
public spirited director carried the day. and
poor Van, in spite of his eloquence, was ar
rested. Some gnawing of teeth took place in
Pergamus that night. Vans family collapsed
under the blow, Van being too smart man
to post his wife, The Pergamus pioneer lifted
up his voice and wept at the disgrace which
had fallen on prominent citizen, and the
hearts of the bank directors were sore on ac-
count of the dollars that were not.
"On the next morning the sky cleared
some Vans lawyer induced the directors
to hold an extraordinary meeting, and Grated
nearly this:
Gentlemen-ahem! The loss Of four
hundred thousand dollars is a serious matter,
(Cries of that's soO but it is impossible to
view without pity the abject position of our
once respected fellow citizen, and the despair
of his unhappy wife and children, crushed by
this fearful blow. (Silence.) Our fallen
brother has but little personal property, and
has no rich relations-(groans)- s)-but he has
friends, gentlemen, rich and powerful friends.
who will not see him 60 under for want Of
help Here the public spirited director
frightened up. His friends, gentlemen, are
not prepared to put up four hundred thou
sand dollars-an immense sum-but they
have taken counsel together, and are prepared
to sacrifice hundred thousand rather than see
your late manager branded as a felon. Speak
ing in their name, 1 am prepared to offer that
sum on condition that our unhappy friend be
allowed to depart in peace
"This proposition was secuted, the lawyer
was shown out, and severely reprimanded for
proposing to compound felony; but after a
stormy meeting the high moral tone went off
in fzzle, and the directors sent one Of their
number to talk it over with Vans lawyer.
They were dreadfully indignant at the out
rageous proposition made to them that morn
ing, but having the fear Of the share holders
before their eyes, not wishing to see their for
mer friend degraded, and being generally
averse to jumping upon anybody, they had
concluded that reparation to the extent of
twenty-five per cent. was not to be thrown
away. In fine, they took the money, Van
was released, and rushed to his lawyer brim-
full of gratitude. This gentleman received
him quietly and after few minutes conver-
GO. II L.. IL