The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1883-10-11
q BANK 3 Ros1sEBy.


20 s.--..---.........enz.@.. ..s
a BANE ROBIsEBY.
The little city of Linton. a place re
markable for the sobriety, industry ami
morality Of its people, is just emerging
] from a thrilling scene which shook tht
whole community with nervous excite
ment, and that came near to destroy
ing the fire of faith in humanity which
has SO long burned brightly in tht
bosoms Ct those easy-going, honest
country folk.
The Journey I have just completed
was one of haste, and my stay in Lin
ton was much shorter than / had hoped
il might be-; but 1 was there suffi
ciently long to witness the closing
scenes of a remarkable trial, and one
that will be long remembered by The
people Of that quiet town, and be
talked of as the city's tragedy.
The Linton bank is one Of the inter
5esting institutions not only Of Linton
sSb but of the whole country III which it is
situated. 1t has long been noted fol
its financial stability, and its officers
and clerks have many years borne the
name tof q Linton's Conservatives
which was given them for their perfect
z,r.onesty and firm adherence to strict
banking principles.
One Of nv frs movements after I
had arrived and partaken Of whole,
some MONDAY meal was to visit the
bank fort the purpose of having acheek
5cashed. e
AS the teller handed me small
r,ackape of fprreesenb j observed that
INV o,lS frien3. Pras;dent C.,oojno,w,r who
was sitting near the sbuge doors Of Che
iron vault was looking : me ne sharply in
tbefsee He seemed Is IS have observed
that the new iron and wire railing
separating the teller's corner fromthe
outer part of the room had strongly
attracted my attention, and fremmy
locks iud eel that 4 vas noting the
chanQed app eassrl ce of 3nd
shsrsf 5rf IS
hot a strailses at tiie 6he
4 ;;iiell lsr's face was a strange ohe NE to me,
ard ii Latt with the new railing and
sc ysFEiisegt L ork, had created within me a
fsshng Of inouisieiYeness which
could not hide.
The bank president arose from his
chair, raised his glasses from his eyes,
and walked toward the railing which
sep rated us. He soon recognized ne,
and I was greeted in his usually warm
and friendly style.
s q saw you were interested to un-
derssand why all these radical changes
In cur little bank, said Mr.. Goodnow,
and, from the manner in which ypu
looked at the strange face at the teller's
desk, and the Wirework surrounding
it, I concluded at once that you were
not a stranger TO u.s.
saYes,n said /, g it looked SO strange
to me that / almost doubted for a mo-
mant that I was, in the place that
had supposed it to be. But I got a
lplimpsa of your familiar face anu my
doubts were dispelled. Tell me, Mr..
ssoCdnow." I continued, "what is the
,eanse of this chan pe p"
'a Yes. ] will" replied the old gen.
tlaman in tomas which assured me
that bis tender ss,ympathies were
oro,,cod IN the snhiect ~ will tell
von The circumstances as far as they
hove conc y ba said with de,p feeling
aand con assure Won that it is a sad
istorv a aon shaII hear But as we talk,
T I' 1g;,, 'o .sl Won to walk with me ]
,n,,st no ot tbe court.room promptly at
Two.
aIndeed" Mr. Goodnow." T an.
Isswared "it w:u he a nlea ,ure to &C
co,nnanv Won viii most happily
.oeept vonr ;nvitation"
!" Poor John Earnest is in jail for
theft would almost as easily expect
To he there myself as to see John
Earnest in iail. l could scarcely have
believed it had the IA is not come be-
fore nv own ewes and even now it
almost seems as though it must be a
draom" The tones in which these
words were uttered were sufficient to
talI me of deem sadness in the old
mans heart as he was speaking.
"Yes," Mr. Goodnow continued, John
Is In iail. and his DOOR widow mother
Is almost crushed with grief. John
was her only support, her idol and her
pet. She is a noble woman, a true
mother, can tell you, and even tc
this day, in spite of all the evidence
which has been produced, she declares
that John is innocent"
"But what are the charges against
him. Mr.. Goodnow? Do understand
that John Earnest, that faithful, in
telligent man, who has served you sc
long and so well, is now in jail fol
theft?"
aHe is" was the reply. "He is
charged with having stolen a package
of money containing $4,000 from oul
bank"
aIs it possible? And what are the
circumstances, pray let me know?"
"The circumstances" said my friend
"are that a package containing $5,OOC
was missed from our bank, and WE
have never been able to account fol
its disappearance upon any theory OF
supposition, save that John must have
known what became of it. He de