Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1879-03-19
A CRIME AND ITS PUNISH.
.HENT.

Il iHlNNink otii'Ni vi wv 4 blaN'
Car Company, Is ono of u few really
striking examples Of crimc and il
, punishment.
Angels nature wholly bellies his
name. Other men have embezzlcd
but when in such circumstances as he
was, always had something to plead IN
extenuation They robbed the public
Golfers 10 satisfy the greed Of creatures
upon whom they were forced &c de-
{ pend for political support, and not to
crafty their own avarice. They lald
their guilt at the door of an ambition
which everybody would admit us laud.
: able in itself, and full proof as a mag.
unanimous soul They yielded TO its
sway and became its slaves before they
fairly knew II. They secretly used
the money Of their employers in spec
ulation, and lost Hoping to keep the
secret until a fortunate die was cast,
and they could return the money, they
ialsifed the books and accounts. When
they took it they thought of nothing
but restoring II, and in the meantime
no one would lose even the interest on
1t. When II was lost, they sought to
conceal the fact, comforting themselves
with the assurance that to make il
known would do harm by creating
distrust and panic. But Angel had
nothing TO plead. He was dumb as
the grave, and thereby confessed that
in his deed he was sordid to the last
degree. He enjoyed high social and
business standing, he was paid well for
his services, he had abundant means
10 secure the ordinary pleasures of life;
he had the honor of his child in trust,
but in the face of all he seized the
thousands IN his reach and fed, willing
to wander an outcast and outlaw
among strangers, denying his name
his family, his home and honor through
base and infamous love of money for
its own sake. Above all that bis fel-
low men hold dear he loved money.
The degradation to which his passion
reduced him was shown when he
reached Chicago. He whimpered and
whined and fawned like a whipped cur,
Instead of displaying some sense Of
decency and refusing to look IN the
face Of the man whose generous con.
fidcnce he had so grossly wronged, he
begged like a cowardly miscreant to
sec Pullman, hoping, perhaps, for com.
passion which he did not deserve.
An exact record of the thoughts of
such mind as Angell's would be
valuable contribution to the data Of
social philosophers. 1t would be profit.
able, as well as curious, to see how the
sordd lust OF gold, reaching out like
arms OF devil fish, gradually drew
into its foul NAV all the nobler senti.
ments of the heart. Criminals have
been induced to devote their bodies to
physical science. Some ofthem might
in measure redeem their right TO be
by devoting their minds in a similar
manner to the dissecting knife of in.
tellectual and moral science. There is
an intellectual or moral disease from
which spring such acts of low villainy
as that in question. There must be a
paralysis Of the spiritual forces when
hardened avarice becomes the motor
power of the soul.
To return TO the subject, the punish
ment was striking as well as the crime.
1t was co.eval with the crime. Angels
flight from city to city, and from
country TO country, dodging and hid
ing, stunning the light Of Heaven and
human eyes, deceiving and lying on
every hand to escape the grip of Justice
that followed him like fate, told of the /
mortal terror and pain in which he
lived. The iron door had hardly closed
upon him, after his return to Chicago
in charge Of a detective, il, indeed 1t
had at all, when application was made
to the courts for liberty 10 change the
name of his daughter to the maiden ,
name OF his wife. To man not dead j
rs stone TO the fondest tics on earth
this must have been an awful punish.
ment. The gray walls of prison, the !
garb OF 0 convict, the discipline Of a |
cell can be borne with courage, but !
separation from the name and honor !
and love of ones child must be suffered /
n despair. When taken into Court !
nc found no word OF defense. but !
pleaded guilty, was led TO the bar and /
sentenced to Imprisonment for ten !
years. Justice was as cold and as
lard as steel in her terrible formality.
The man who few months ago trod i
he streets of Chicago with head erect,
md was the companion and sociai l.
'qual Of the best, crouched in q Grim
nals dock, and was condemned with |,
Ill the outward indifference shown TO Il
he fate of a convicted tramp. 1t was
remorseless leveling. !.
Angels theft and flight made one of i
he genuine sensations OF the time. i,
The deed has been a prolific theme of
ak. 1t should point moral worth y
1t shows to what our ever. /,
asting money-grubhing leads when !.
ot guided and guarded by high prin. !,
iple, and respect for wealth as a "
means instead OF an end. The lesson :,
an impressive one, and can hardly
al in the memory of many who need !.
R-PhSbwy Telegraph. Il
IA