Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1880-08-05

be was able to use the name of principal
citizen, and get a large sum of money at
the bank. A mighty pressure was brought
to bear to save hum from the consequences
of his forgery, and it was partially success
ful-he was ''sent up for only two years.
When, a. the end of year, the tiieless
efforts of the benevolent were crowned
with success, and he emerged from the
penitentiary with pardon in his pocket,
the Prisoners Friend Society met him at
the door with situation and q comfort
able salary, and all the other benevolent
people came forward aud gave him advice,
encouragement and help. Edward Mills
had once applied to the Prisoners Friend
Society for a situation, when III a dire
need, but the question, Have you been
a prisoner made brief work or his case.
While all these things were going on,
Edward Mills had been quietly making
head against adversely. He wasstill poor,
but was in receipt of steady and sufii
cient salary. as the respected and trusted
cashier of bank. George Benton never
came near him, and was never heard to
inquire about him. George got to indulg-
ing in long absences from the town there
were i'll reports about him, but nothing
definite.
One winters night some masked bur.
glars forced their way into the bank and
found Edward Mills there alone. They
commanded him to reveal the ''combina-
ton" so that they could get into the safe.
He refused. They threatened his life.
He said his employers trusted him and he
could not be traitor to that trust. He
could die, il he must, but while he lived
he would be faithful he would not yield
up the Combination" The burglars
killed him.
The detectives hunted down the Grim
inals; the chief one proved to be George
Benton. A wide sympathy was felt for
the widow and orphans of the dead man,
and all the newspapers III the land begged
that all the banks in the land would
testify their appreciation of the fidelity
and heroism of the murdered cashier by
coming forward with a generous contr-
button of money in aid of his family, now
bereft of support. The result WAS a mass
of solid cash amounting to upward of five
hundred dollars-an average of nearly
| three-eighths of cent for each bank in
| the Union. The cashiers own bank testi-
fed its gratitude by endesvoring to show
(but humiliatiDgly failed ill it, that the
| peerless servants accounts were not
| square, and that he himself had knocked
his brains out with bludgeon to escape
detection and punishment.
George Benton was arraigned for trial.
Then everybody seemed to forget the
widow and orphans in their solicitude for
poor George. Everything that money and
influence could do was done to save him,
but it all failed; he was sentenced to
death. Straightway the Governor was
besieged with petitions for Communication
of pardon they were brought by fearful
young girls; by sorrowful old maids by
Populations of pathetic widows by shoals
| Of impressive orphans. But no, the
| Governor-for once-would not yield.
Now George Benton experienced re-
| ligion. The glad news flew all around.
From that time forth his cell WAS always
full of girls and women and fresh flowers :;
| all the day long there was prayer, and
hymn-singing, and thanksgivings, and
homilies, and tears, with never an inter
ruption, except an occasional five minute
| intermission for refreshments.
This sort of thing continued up to the
very gallows, and George Benton went
proudly home in the black cap, before a
| WdlllnB uullcnCo VI tLd bWettebl anu Dtbt
the region could produce. His grave had
fresh flowers on it every day, for while,
and the hesdstone bore these words, under
hand pointing aloft He has fought
the good fight"
The brave cashiers headstone has this
inscription: "Be pure, honest, sober,
industrious, considerate, and you will
never"
Nobody knows who gave the order to
leave it that way, but it was so given.
The cashiers family are in stringent
circumstances now, it is said but nc
matter lot of appreciative people, who
were not willing that an act so brave and
true as his should go unrewarded. have
collected 81, O0O-snd built Memorial
Church with it. MARX TWAIN.