The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1881-09-14

making Roadway against diversity
i He was still poor, but was in receip
OF . steady and sufficient salary, a.
the respected and trusted cashier Of
bank. George Benton never came
near him, and was never heard to in.
quire about him. George got to in
dulging in long absences from the
town; there were i'll reports about
him, but nothing definite,
One winters night some masked
burglars forced their way into the
bank and found Edward Mills there
alone. They commanded him to re>
veal the combination 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 'scombipa-
tion." The burglars killed him.
The detectives hunted down the
criminals 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 news,
papers begged that all the banks in
the land would testify their apprecia-
ton OF the fidelity end heroism OF
the murdered cashier iby coming Tor:
ward with generous contribution
OF money in aid of his family, now
berett Of support. The result was a
mass of solid cash amounting to up.
wards Of five hundred dollars-an
average Of nearly three>eights OF a
cent for each bank in the Union.
The cashiers own bank testified It's
gratitude by endeavoring to show
(but humiliatingly failed in it, that
the peerless servants accounts were
not square, and that he himself had
knocked his brains out with a blud.
geon to escape detection and punish
ment.
George Benton was arraigned for
trial. Then everybody seemed to
forget the. widow and orphans in their
solicitude for poor George. Every.
thing that money and influence
could do was done to save him, but
it all failed, and he was sentenced TO
death. Straightway the Governor
was besieged with petitions for COM
mutation or pardon; they were
brought by fearful young girls; by
sorrowful old maids; by Populations
OF pathetic widows; by shoals OF i'm
presslve orphans. But no, the
Governor for once - would not
yield.
Now George Benton experienced
religions. The. glad news flew all
around. From this time forth his
cell was always tull OF girls and
women and fresh flowers; all the
day long there was prayer and hymn,
singing, and thanksgiving, and hom
lies, and tears, with never an inter>
ruptiou, except an occasional five
minutes intermission tor refresh>
ments.
This sort Of thing continued up 10
the very gallows, and George Ben,
ton Went proudly home i'll the black
cap before a wailing audience of the
sweetest and best that the region
could produce. His grave had fresh
flowers on il every day, Tor while,
and the headslone bore these words,
under a hand pointed 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 Or
der 10 leave it that way, but 1t was
so given.
The cashiers family are in sirius
gent circumstances now, it is said /;
but no matter-a lot OF appreciative
people, who were not willing that an