The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1880-08-06

George rose in them. He was found
lying. ragged and drunk, in the gutter,
one morning. \ member of the Ladies'
Temperance Refuge tished him out, took
him in hand, got up subscription for
him, kept him sober a whole week, then
got situation for him. An account of
il was published.
General attention was thus drawn to |
the poor fellow, and a great many people |
came forward, and helped him toward |
reform with their countenance and en- |
enlargement. He did not drink drop |
for two months, and meantime was the /
pet of the good. Then he fcll-in the |
gutter; and there was general sorrow and |
lamcntation. But the noble sisterhoOd !
rescued him again. They cleaned him |
up, they fed him, they listened to the |
mournful music of his repentances, they |
got him his situation again. An account |
of this, was also published, and the town |
was drowned in happy tears over the re- |
restoration Of the poor beset and Stru@- |
Cling victim of the fatal bowl. 4 grand |
temperance REVIVAL was got up, and af- |
ter some rousing speeches had been made |
the chairman said impiessively, I'VE are |
now about to call for signers; and L |
think there is spectacle in store for you
which not many in this house will be
able TO view with dry eyes" There was
an eloquent pause, and then George Ben
ton, escorted 10y a TeA-sashed detachment
of the Ladies' of the Refuge. stepped for
ward upon the platform and signed the
pledge. The air was rent with applause
and everybody cried for joy. Everybody
wrung the hand of the new convert when
the meeting was over; his salary was en-
larged next day; he was the talk of the
town and its hero. An account Oft was
published.
George Benton fell, regularly, every
three months, and was faithfully res
cued and wrought with, every time, and
good situations were found for him.
Finally, he was taken around the coun-
try lecluring, rs u reformed drunkard,
and he had great houses and did an I'M
mense amount Of good.
He was 50 popular at home, and so
trusted, during his sober Intervals
that he was enabled to use the name of a
principal citizen, and get large sum of
money at the bank. A mighty pressure
was brought to bear to save him from
the consequences of his forgery, and it
was partially succcSsful,-he was "sent
! up for only two years. When, ut the
| end of year, the tireless efforts of the
| benevolent were crowned with success,
and he emerged from the penitentiary
with pardon in his pocket, The Pris-
oners' Friend Society met him at the
! tlOOE WIN SltNdilOil a CbillA'i NttA'iN
salary, and all the other benevolent peo-
pie came forward and gave him advice,
| encouragement and help. Edward Mills
had once applied 10 the Prisoners
Society for a situation, when in Gire
need, but the question, Have You been
prIsonerr made brief work of his
case.
While all these things were gong on,
Edward Mills had been quietly making
4 4 81
poor, but was in receipt of a steady and
sufficient salary, as the respected and
trusted cashier of a bank. George Ben
ton never came near him, and was never
heard to inquire about him. George
got to INDUCING in long absence from
the town; there were i'll reports about
him but nothing definite.
One winters night some masked burg
lars forced their way into the bank, and
found Edward Mills there alone. They
commanded him to reveal the ''combina-
tiOn,' 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 a traitor TO that
trust He could die, if die he must, but
, while he lived he would be faithful; hc
would not Weld 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 fol
!, the widow and orphans of the dead man
and all the newspapers in the land beg
5 ged that all the banks IN the land would
{ testify their appreciation of the fidelity
g and heroism of the murdered cashier 10y
g coming forward with generous cOntri
button in aid of his family, now beref
of support The result was Il mass o
!; cash amounting to upwards of five hun
dred dOilars-an average of nearly three
1 eighths of a cent for each bank in Tho
= | Union The cashiers own bank testi
e fed its gratitude by endeavoring u
: show but humiliatingly failed in it
/ that the peerless servants accounts were
|. | not square, and that he himself hat
f knocked his brains out with a bludgcoI
+ to escape detection and punishment.
J., George Benton was arraigned for trial
4 Then everybody seemed to forget the wild
n ow and orphans in their solicitude 70
poor George. Everything that money
r and influence could do was done to save
f him, but it all failed; he was SENTENCED
l., to death. Straightway the governor wa
besieged with petitions for commutatioi
h or pardon they were brought by tearfu
n Young girls; bv sorTowful old maids; b,
e deputations Of pathetic widows; b.
d shoals of impressive orphans. But nc
n the gOYernor-for once-wOuld no
: yield.
e Now George Benton experienced re
h ligion The glad news flew all around
4 From that time forth his cell was al
Y ways full of girls, women and fresh flow
!. ers; all day long there was prayer, an'
a hymn singing, and thanksgiving, an'
h homIllcs, and tears, with never an inter
r. ruption, accept an occasional five min
S utes intcrmission for refreshments.
; This sort of thing continued up to tia
t very gallows, and George Benton wen
/. proudly home, in the black cap, before
|. waiIing audience of the sweetest and hes
S that the region could produce. Iii
! grave had fresh flowers on it every dal
IS for awhile, and the headstone bore thes
r words, under hand pointing aloft
, aHe has fought the good fight
:. The brave cashiers headstone Ina
' this inscription: "Be pure, honest, Sc
Der, industrious, considerate, and yo
d will never -"
i Nobody knows who gave the order t
II leave it that way, but it was so given.
!. The cashiers family are in sirInEen
n circumstances now, il is said; but n
a matter; lot OF appreciative people, VIII
:. were not willing that an act so bray
& and true as his should go unrewardeC
have collected fortytwo thousand dollar
and built memorial church with it.