The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1881-11-18
BEEN IN HELL SEVEN YEARS"

u HAVE BEEN IN HELL SEVEN YEARS
Ina recent conversation with friend on
the streets of New York this expression was
made by Baldwin, the deiaulting Cashier OF
he Newark Bank. He, no doubt, spoke
truly. For seven years he had been pecula-
ting the funds entrusted to his care by
men who had every confidence in his honor.
He began, like hundreds of Others before
him had, with taking few hundred dol
lars, thinking he would replace it before de.
tectcd, and when that was gone thous-
and then ten thousand, then hundred
thousand, until he became so deeply in
volved it was utterly impossible to either
make good ais distractions or cover the
deficiency by doctoring his books.
sun the desperate man kept
on until not a dollar of the banks
money was left for him to lay hands upon.
Doubtless if the books and the cash of all
banks and corporations in the United
States were suddenly oycrhauled, Baldwins
by the dozen score would be figured out.
either upon lesser or a greater scale. 1t
IS boldly charged by the New York Sun
that the Treasury Of the Government has
been systematically robbed by the conf
dental clerks for years aud years past; that
their acts have been well known to Secre-
taries of the Treasury, who, to prevent re-
lection upon themselves, have failed to let
the public know the crime. 1t persistcntly
accuses Sherman of raiding the pub
lie funds, and insists upon a
rigid Congressional investigation. BE this
as it may, men young and old ought to
learn lesson from the crimes and mislor-
tunes of Baldwin not 10 be forgotten till
their dying day. When he, after years of
honest work and strict attention to bust
ness, at last attained the best office in one
OF the greatest banks in the country, and
had his salary fixed at 5000 year. he was
placed above want and on the direct road
to fortune. All that was necessary for him
to do now was to continue to act as an hon
est man, to save the better part ofhs hanG-
some salary and invest it in paying
or Understanding bonds His
position gave him the opportunity of doing
that possessed by few mortals. But he
failed to take this course. More men,"
recently exclaimed the venerable Horatio
Seymour, are ruined by trying to to imi-
tate General Jackson than from all other
causes combineds' In this Mr.. Seymour
made mistake. Had he said Jay Gould in
stead of Andrew Jackson he would have
spoken more correctly. There are one hun
bred thousand men in America to-day
who arc trying and dreaming of making
great fortunes in the way Gould has accu-
INFLATED his millions, investing in stocks
and bonds. Unpopular tales of Gould are
true, he laid the foundation of his wealth
by first cheating the proprietor of
store in which he was
clerk, and next his partner in lanyard.
Of the truth of these stories we do not
vouch, but on the contrary we give them
no crcdcnce whatever, but they have often
been published in the press with a certain
legree of gusto, an outrage on the man
whose honor they impcach and discredita-
Die to the REALTORS. Baldwin cssayed the
,rcdit role, plunged into speculation in
stocks, bonds and futures, and not being
backed by the sagacity and Judgment, nor
.he nerve, nor yet being able to form those
colossal combinations of his ideal model by
which the course of futures may be swayed
rs reeds by the wind, he failed.
The Badwins of this country are the
5udgeons. These are the simple, unso-
phisticated 'greenhorns that are entrapped
md lleeCed OF their last cent, and the last
'ent they hold OF other peoples money. |
There was no more chance for Baldwin !
among the dens and lairs of Wall street
han there is for plowboy in bunko |
HOP. To gamble with ones own money is
oolish-to gamble with other peoples
S both foolish and criminal. The old plan
If pulling throagh tho world is the best.
There is no gambler who would conscien-
iously advise n young man to follow in his
ootsteps-no dealer in futures but la.
nents the day and the hour
le made his first venture in that direction.
Jew, few indeed ever make anything save
hose who manage the game. 1t is next to
impossible to 40 so unless placed at head
quarters in New York, and not then unless
ne of the ring elect. And even then rings
re formed within rings and the worst
windled parties are often members of the
ings who are cheated by their partners.
instead of living a long life, honored and
expected, Baldwin goes to the pcnitentiary
onvicted as knave and branded as fool.
lie who follows his footsteps in crime need
xpect naught else to be his end