Richland beacon., 1880-10-02

~ Srdllu ttilltIdllcc ItNINh WdS Sot up,
and after some rousing speeches had
been made the Chairman said, impress
eively, I've are row about to call for
signers and think there is spectacle
in store for you which not many III this
house will hc able to view with Try eyes"
There was an eloquent pause, and then
George Benton. escorted by uetach-
mcnt of the ladies' III the Refuge, stepped
forward upon the platform and signed
O." pledge The air WAS rent with sp-
j,i.tu>r. AMI every body cried t"r 10y.
Evcryh,Ir ~ runG the hand oi the new
convert uiu..l the meeting Was over: his
salary was enlarged next day he was
the talk Of the town, and its hero. An
account Of il was published
George Ecnton fell, regularly, every
three months, Int WAS faithfully rescued
and wrought with every time, and good
situations were found for him. Finally.
he was taken around the country lectur-
iu%, -. it reformed druukar,}, and hc had
great hnn-rs ami did IN linmeIee amonnt
oi good.
He Was - l"lhiiar at home. and :"
tru;..ed-during his & )cr Intervals
that he was enabled to- the name of
a principal citizen and get IL large sum
oi money at the bank. 4 mighty pres
sll.c Was brought To- bear To save him
from the consequences Of his forgery,
and il was partially successful-he was
"scnt mp" for only two wears. When,
at the enl Of a year, the tireless efforts
of the benevolent were crowned with
success. and he emerged from the peni-
Tertiary with a pardon in his pocket, the
Prisoners Friend Society met him at
the door with situation and comfort
able salary, and all the other benevolent
people came forward and gave him adj
vice, encouragement and help. Edward
Mills had once applied to the Prisoners
Friend Society for situation, when in
dire need, but the question, "Have You
been Il prisoner?" made brief work of
his case.
While I'll these thipgs were going on,
Edward Mills had been quietly making
head against adversity. He was still
poor. but was in receipt of steady and
sufficient salary, as the respected and
trusted cashier Of u bank. George Ben
ton never came near him, and was never
heard to inquire about him. George got
20 indulging in long absences from the
town; there were i'll reports abou. 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 issreyeal the "com-
bination," so tha3hey Gould get into
the safe. He refused. They threatened
his life. He said his employers trusted
him, ard he could not be a traitor to
that trust. He could die, if he must,
but while he lived he would be faithful {;
he would not yield up the combina-
ton" The burglars killed him.
The detectives hunted down the crimi-
nails the chief one proved to be George
Benton. 4 wide sympathy was felt for
the widow and orphans Of the dead man.
and all the newspapers in 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 q gen
erons contribution Of money in aid oi
his family, now bereft Of support. The
result was a mass Of solid cash amount.
ing to upward Of S50O--an average ol
nearly three.eigl.ths of a cent for each
bank in the Union. The cashiers own
bank testified its gratitude by endeavor.
ing to show Cbut humiliatingly failed in
it, that the peerless servants accounts
were not square, and that he himself had
knocked his brains ont with bludgeOn
to escape detection and punishment.
George Benton was arralgned 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 ali failed he was sentenced
to death. Straightway the Governor
was besieged with petitions for commu.
tation or pardon; they were brought by
fearful young girls, by sorrowful old
maids, by deputations Of pathetic
widows, by shoals Of impressive or
phans. But no, the Governor-fol
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 flow.
ers all the day long there was pra ger
and hymn-singing, and thanksgivinRs,
and homilies, and tears, with never al
interruption, except an occasional five
minute intermission for refreshments.
| This-sort Of thing continued up to the
very gallows, and George Benton wen,
proudly home, in the black cap, before
I r Il