New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-08-05

There have been two or three more bank de-
falcatiOns within the past week, and every
case seems to be a repetition of the old story.
The money has been stolen by some highly re-
spectable gentleman who has been looked upon
as quite above suspicion. Mr. COnant, the de-
Iinquent cashier of the Eliot Bank in Boston.
was person of exemplary life, so far as the
world could see, modest in his expenses, quiet
in his habits, greatly esteemed by all his ac-
qualntances. If the newspaper accounts are
correct, he must have been Outwardly the very
model of conservative bank cashier, living
in a decent little suburban cottage of his own,
surrounded by an affechonate family, attend
ing strictly to his business, and spending no
more than the ample salary allowed him by
the institution which he had served for the bet
ter part of lifetime. We can well believe
that the directors were thunderstruck when
this trusted servant came to them and confessed
that he had stolen $4,000.
IL is usual TO explain these extraordinary
breaches of trust by the Sudden temptation
theory; the eulprit is involved in difficulties !;
me bOrrows little of the banks money ex-
pecting to replace it in few days; he bOr-
rows little more TO cover up the first alb
straction; everything goes wrong; at every
effort to get out of the mire he plunges in
deeper; so he il ruined-fOrtune, character,
conscience all gone before he suspects it,
This is the kindly and sympathetic way of
looking at the case, but we doubt whether il
is always the just way. AS rule, people do
not yield suddenly to a temptation to steal !;
the defences of honesty are undermined and
broken down little by little, and when the
temptation comes the man is ready to surren-
der. After the first fall, he makes little of
falling again. He steals after that with de-
liberation steals to be sure in the hope of
recovering his ease of mind and concealing
his sin but 1t is nevertheless deliberate theft,
and though we do not suppose that the thief
enjoys 1t we do not see that he is entitled to
any especial cOmmlseratIon or tender treat
ment 1t would probably be better for sOci-
ETY. if such offences as those of COnant, Tap
pan, Gilman, and a score of eminently re-
spectacle appropriations of other mems goods
whose affairs have lately filed the papers,
were discussed with palmer and severer Ian
guaEe.
Defaleation is becoming altogether too com
mon. A lOng-estabished good name, an un-
blemished character, a lifetime of fair deal
ing, all the reputation which business men
would once have spent years of self-denial to
obtain, begins to lose its commercial value.
We look askanee at everybody. We go about
asking whom we can trust; and many of us
put the question with an angry impotence
which springs from half consciousness that
we cannot trust ourselves The increasing
prevalence of this particular form of CRIME
can only be accounted for by grave social
disorder. It is not that American bank
ers have turned hypocrites. We do not be-
lieve that COnant was hypOcrte. or Tappan,
or Gilman. All these men were decOrous
and respectable from choice or natural
inclination, and not az a disguise for pre-