The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1878-11-15

The business OF the session to-day wa
almost entirely OF q routine character.
| ------------aSss -------~-----
The Ruin OF n Young Man.
AN Evn. STORY OF THE fARo.TABLE AND TIL
DESPERATION OF IT'S VICTIMS.
The New York World of Wednesda!
| SAYS:
Frank A. Barr, well-dressed younl
man. Of highly respectable appearance. we!
placed at the bar of the Court OF Genera
Sessions yesterday. to answer charge O.
embezzling 5000 from Robert Morrison, O.
No. ~ Lispenard street. Barr is abou
twenty-nine years OF age, and came to thi:
city few months ago from Wheeling, W
Va. He had with him excellent testimo
mails rs to bis character from the proprie
| tor of the Mountain House, Cresson Springs
Pa, OF which he had been general manager
for six years; from Mr.. Hawk, OF tht
| Windsor Hotel; from Mr.. Strickland
Kneass. OF the Pennsylvania railroad, anc
| from other persons; all OF whom wrote Of
him with expressions Of the highest regard
Mr.. Morrison engaged Barr as collector ant
| book-keeper, and was we'll satisfied witt
him until the early part OF October, wheT
| he discovered that Barr had embeZZled some
| of the money he had received as collector
and had made false entries in the books tc
avoid detection. On October 14th Barr was
arrested, and committed for trial. After his
arrest he made q confession to Mr.. Morri.
son.
When Barr was arraigned in court and
called on to plead, he became very pale and
his eyes filled with tears. He said be was
guilty and begged Judge Gilderslecyc fol-
mercy, saying that he did not intend to
steal the money. but mad only used it to get
back money OF his own that he had lost at
gambling, and that losing the money he
had taken, he took more in the hope OF
being able TO get his accounts straight. He
first felt the passion for gambling three
wears ago, when some OF his friends per-
suaded him TO join them at cards. and
fortunate aad unhappy on account cI his
passion, and had lost comfortable income
and Il good position. He reached Pitts
burgh, he said, twelve years ago, with only
SIS in his possession and without single
friend or acquaintance in the city. In 1878
he was graduated from the Western Uni
rersity OF Pennsylvania, and was at once
elected to professorship. At that lime he
earned in various ways between $1,000 and
81, 900 Il year. and had many dear friends II
Pittsburgh. This lasted for about TWO years,
and then he learned to gamble. He began
bv losing, and, continuing to play, he lost
all his savings, and then all the money he
earned. He neglected his friends and his
duties, and finally threw up his position be-
cause his work . was not exciting enough "
for him. He had followed various occupa-
tiops since that time. When MIR. Nor
rison engaged him he had some money
with him, and about week afterwards Il
man induced him to enter gamDlinS-house
to " watch - him play faro. This was the
first time he had been in gambling-house
i'm New York. lie became interested in the
game and played, losing what money ne
had with him. The next night lie visited
the house again, and lost all his money.
Then it seemed to him that he could not
lose on the third night, and so he took $40
from the money drawer and went third
time to the house. thinking that he would
certainly be able to replace the money in the
morning. This money was lost, and at the
end of the week Barr had taken 5000 from
the money-6rawer. 81 was nearly Wild" he
said, "because I only took the money to win
back what took the first time, and ali this
time Mr.. Morrison was treating me so kindly
that / felt as il / would go crazy. One
night I called at Mr.. Morrison's house to
make clean breast Of it, but he was not at
home, ard on my way back / stopped at
gambling-house and won S12o. L felt that
| could win enough money to pay him back,
and l thought that it would be foolish 10
make a confession and ruin myself when l
could pay the money back without letting
any one know l had taken it. The next
night won again, and had within $40 or
$50 OF what I had taken. The day after |
went to the gambing-house IS soon as |
could get away from The store, and then l
lost all the money had gained"
Barr then told how desperate lie was
when he lost all his money. He said he
pawned his watch and diamonds, and
thought at one time Of taking all the money
| in the store and abscondlng with 1t. BE-
fore he did anything ne was arrested. In
conclusion, he said that he thanked hr.
Morrison for causing his arrest, as he felt
| now that if he had been at liberty short
time longer he would have committed q
worse crime. He asked Judge GildersleeVe
to consider that he had already been I'M
prisoned in the Tombs 4 month.
| Judge Glldersleeye commented upon
Bars story before passing sentence, ano
said that be thought Barr told the truth,
and that he would send him to the State
Rcformatory At Elmira, where he would
have an opportunity to do good AS an IN
structor to the uneducated prisoners. Barr
thanked Judge GildersleeYe, and said thai
when he was released he would do every
thing in his power to repay Mr.. Morrison
! the money he had stolen.