The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1876-03-08
THE STORY OF A MANS LIFE.
Tho Illustration boinS that OF n Case
Frcsh In tho Minds Of All Eeaders.

In his abject poverty, however, he
cherished one treasure, bright boy,
who to quick and active intellect added
winning address, which made him .
favorite in the factory in which he work.
cd. The boy was industrious, faithful
in his attention to business, correct IN
his habits, and he had the other virtue
scarcely less highly esteemed by the
persons around him-of close economy.
He saved his money carefully, not thAt
he might lay foundation for businass
prosperity, but that he might secure q
liberal education and fit himself for tho
ministry of the gospel. In the church
to which he belonged, as in the factory,
there were friends on every hand ready
to help him in his brave struggle and
encourage him in his honorable ambi-
tion. Promotion in business came quick
". After he had left the factory and &C
cepted employment in a merchants
shop, his former employer continued to
assist him in his efforts to rise. Present.
" he began to e1hort in the meetings Of
the church, and in 1850 he became an
ordained minister. As q minister the
Young man gave rare promise OF useful
ness, adding to his gifts as 9 preacher
the less common talent OF good
organizer and manager OF church work
and church business. :; 49,, .5...r..
The war coming on, the young man,
Ezra D. Winslow, entered the army as
volunteer, and efterward became q
chaplain, first in the army and Later In
the navy. ...a-a.:r1yi, = : p, :! :.
Then came his first step downward.
The young man dreamed Of wealth and
resolved to seek it by short roads. he
was emotionally religious, and there is
little room to question the sincerity
either of his faith or his piety Z; but he
lacked, what so many others lacked, o
balance wheel Of sturdy integrity. @ He
seems never to have been 9 conscious
hypocrite, or to have preferred dis.
honest to honest courses but his thirst
for riches was consuming and when
wealth seemed, within his grasp his
moral nature was not strong enough't TO
resist temptation. Stock speculations
are not necessarily dishonest, and stock
gambling is only form Of stock specu-
lation. The young chaplain was idle on
board his ship in the harbor OF San
Francisco. The time Was one OF specu-
lation, and suddenly made fortunes were
not uncommon things. He could go
ashore when he would, and going daily
the chaplain presently became shrewd
il not an INSCRIPTIONS gambler upon
the stock exchange. - he made and lost
money in large sums, and having once
caught the fever he never recovered
from It. After his retirement from his
chaplaincy and from the active work OF
ministry, he sought both the appearance
and the reality Of wealht. He was not
content with the steady ways OF legih-
mate business, but tried to compel cir
cumstances and hasten the coming OF
wealth by every device Known TO the
commercial u world. His transactions
were often questionable, sometimes sus-
picious, but he adroitly avoided ex-
posure, and for time at least kept
within the strict letter OF the law OF
honesty, even when transgressng Its
spirit. Inn "..-. .'..'' '-sn'-., -.
His downward course was not volun-
tary, except in its first stops, and his
dishonesty was never the result of a de-
iberately formed purpose. Z. He meant
to make money, and this purpose was
stronger than his other resolution to be
honest; not strong enough, perhaps, TO
overcome conscience at bound, but
able to undermine it little by little. An
other and still more fatal fact existed.
His thirst for wealth was equalsd by his
desire to seem wealthy, and spending
money more rapidly than he could fair.
" make III, he found himself obliged, in
some sort, to resort first to questionable
and finally to boldly dishonest methods
OF getting the means with which to
maintain his state. BE was still min
lister, preaching occasionally. He was a
business man with large interests. he
was chosen agent in the promotion OF
church and charitable work. He had
been recently legislator, and he Was
counted rich, able and respectable citl.-
ZEN He was all that Il.s birth and the
circumstances of his boyhood had not
promised, and the temptation was
strong to maintain the standing he had
won, even though it's maintenance
should require the sacrifice OF the char
acter which was supposed to be its
foundation. =. .......... 80! ;,'a., ;.
Once or twice, latterly, he was de-
tected in doubtful peouniary transac-
tions, but the secret was kept. Once,
at least, O bank president. discovered
that he had forged an Endorsement upon
q note for, q large amount, but the re-
spectability of the culprit was such that
the felony was compounded, and the
matter hidden from the public to that
pubic's sore injury. The, men who
ought then to have sounded warning
were silent, and the now wholly un-
scrupulous swindler, still preaching oc-
casionally to other sinners, scattered his
forged paper in every direction. Now
he has disappeared, with his family, sail
ine, as is Thought, for Rotterdam, and
his victims suffer without remedy.
The public lesson of this mans life Is
q plain one. By neglecting to SECURE
ADEQUATE extradition treaties with the
governments of every civilized nation,
we hold out to such men as Winslow the
promise OF escape and immunity in 9
safe and comfortable retreat, without
which they would think twice before en-
tering upon such courses as his.
The personal lessons Of Winsiows q
Life scarcely need pointing out. HIS
whole history, here briefly detailed, is a
sermon which cannot be easily MIS-
understood. ... -.--.--
-. -. Bad Boys. ...