Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1875-09-20
Youthful THETA BOY fourteen years
old, steals Two Hundred Dollars from
his Employers.

old, steals Two Hundred Dollars from
his Employer.
For more than year and half boy in this
city, fourteen years Of age, has been employed
one day each week in the Maine Farmer office, as
sisting in getting off the mail. He is bright &C.
tive boy, and his good looks recommend him any
where. From time to time money and letters
have been missed at the Farmer office, but no
suspicion has rested upon the boy. Letters
brought from the post office in the morning, have
frequently been left upon the counting room desk,
and some Of them have come up among the miss
ing. week Ggo Mr.. Badger came from the post
Office and left package of letters in the drawer of
the desk, one being on the top containing check
given by Mr.. Badger, but which had been returned
to him for endorsement, it being worthless with
out the endorsement. The boy was in the
office at the time. Mr.. Badger stepped out for
nome Mt and returning, the letter containing the
check was gone and has not been found and
duplicate check had TO be made. The boy denied
any knowledge Of the matter. On Friday after
noon last, as Mr.. Holman was looking over the mon.
ey in the safe, he found deficit of about $500
In the morning the boy was in the office, and ex-
hibited to Mr.. Holman q new silver watch, which
be said his uncle had brought to him from Washing
ton, as q present. 1t was good looking watch,
| and be said that Mr.. Rowse had put it in running
order. Bearing this incident in mind, Mr.. Homan
concluded when looking over his money in the af-
ternoon, that - might know something
about the deficiency. Mr.. Holman went to Mr..
Rowse's and learned that the watch had been
that his uncle was coming on the afternoon train
of Thurday, and was going to give him money
| with which to buy watch. Promptly after the
arrival of the tran the boy appeared at the store
with note purporting to be from bis uncle, which
appears to have been forged, asking Mr.. Rowse to
let the boy have the watch. He did 50, and the
boy received the watch, paying therefor SIS. The
next mcrning he got watch chain and paid for
it.
On Friday evening, Mr.. Homan went to the
place where the boy lives and charged him with
the theft of money and letters from the office. He
stouty and persistently denied It,, although urged
by his parents to tell the whole truth. Said he had
bought the watch with money he had been laying
up for some time. He had on . new pair Of rub
Der boots, which be had told his parents were .
had bought thee. with his. own money, and had
told the story about the present. because his faith
err would have been displeased had he known he
bought them. City Marshal Harrington was sent
for and still the boy persisted in his innoccncy,
saying he was ready and willing 10 go to the lcck
up, remarking lightly, IS he was marching of,
"This is fun" After being taken to the lock up
his father and mother went there and sbored with
i'm, seeking to obtain confession, did also the
Marshal but he still held out. Finally, about ten
| o clock, as the Marshal was leaving him for
| the night, the young man weakened. broke down
entirely, and then confessed. He said the money
was hid in the stable in Of his fathers house.
The Marshal went to the spot indicated and found
! a new pocket-book. containing $l22. The young
cuprit has taken at different times from the Far.
mer office safe $3.50, taking his chances when it
left open and the book keeper stepped into another
room. Besides buying the watch, chain, boots,
&C., some thirty or forty dollars remain un-
accounted for. He has been quite lavish, howev-
err, in his expenditures, buying candy. fruit and
nck-nacks, treating his companions with great lib
| erality, and being "aush" on every occasion.
For the sake of his parents, who are respectable
people, the boy has been liberated and no legal
| action will at present be brought against him,
though this will be held over him should he again
be guilty. For these reasons, and for the sake Of
\ the publishers of the Farmer who wish to help,
rather than ipjure tho boy, we suppress his name.
This is but one Of the many instances of young
| men committing the great wrong Of taking the
money Of their employers. beginning with ap-
propriatng 10 his own use five cents received from
the sale Of single newspaper, then venturing to
| take few cents fiom the money drawer of the
counting room, then opening letters and purloin
ing their contents, and finally going to the safe
and lay ing his hands upon bank bills Of the de-
4 nomination Of 85, $40 and $40. The road to ruin
il easy and gradually descending, but it leads to
ruin every time-''thc end thereof is death
! death to character and reputation. Let the young
Y men take warning.
1 Kafne Manufacturing News.