The Dawson journal., 1883-11-01
Derry's Downfall.
A STORY OF DEFALCATTtlN
AND SUICIDE.
Special to the Constitution. I

MACON, October 19.-This cit,
was startled this morning by the
announcement that Mr.. VIM. G
Derry, the book-keeper of the
Telegraph and Messenger, wa,
dead. During the morning ru.
mors were rife that he had dice
under circumstances of peculiar
nature, and it created considera.
bic excitement. 1t was alleged
That ne had been a defaulter for 6
considerable sum and had commit.
ter ted suicide by taking laudanum
The illusions to it on the streets
reflected on the management of the
paper, and The Constitutions re.
preventative called on Major J. F.
Hanson to get the facts connected
with the matter.
MR.. HANSoN's STATEMENT.
During the conversation that
gentleman, said: "When [ took
the management of the Telegraph
and Messenger Mr.. Derry was
book-keeper, and was regarded as
thoroughly honest until about the
last OF November, 1882. He
wrote me letter that he was short
about a thousand dollars in his
cash. | was thunderstruck at his
confession. On account of his
family, as well as his old age, de-
clded not to expose him, and paid
up the amount of his defalcation.
His son, Professor Joseph Derry,
gave me his notes covering the
amount. I never uttered an an
cry word to him in reference to
the matter, and was surprised be-
yond expression, when his real
character became known to me. I
agreed to let him remain in his
position for a time, in order that
he might look for some other stu
alton. [ noticed few weeks back
that he grew restless and nervous
whenever | went about his desk.
and looked In his books. His
manner changed whenever I did
this. l told my brother, H. C.
Hanson, who is in charge of the
business Office, that we must get
rid OF him. He left the Office Oc-
tober 4. We found that there
were discrepancies in all our i'm
portant accounts [ want to see
him = have heard that he was sick.
On Wednesday night Of this week
l heard that he had been upon the
streets that day. | went to his
house and told him what had been
developed at the Office, saying that
while did not propose to under
take to force or bully him to do
so, that | wanted truthful state
ment of the facts in connection
with some items | proposed to
submit to him, and that in view of
what had transpired last year, [
was not in a mood to be trifed
with.
ACKNOWLEDGED HIS GUILT.
He owned he had continued
without interruption to appropri-
ate money from the office, and
said that he would furnish me a
statement from a memoranda he
had of the amount. This he pro-
missed to bring to the Office yester-
day at 5 p. m. Calling at about
6:30, and finding he had not
brought the promised statement, I
wrote him note calling his atten-
tion to the fact, and suggested
that this matter was of sufficient
Importance to him to warrant his
immediate attention. The bearer
of this note reported, on his return,
that it was delivered to Professor
Joseph Derry who informed him
that his father was unconscious.
This morning | received a sealed
letter from him and a statement
inclosed. The statement has a
number of memorandums of
amounts and foots up S808 and in
his letter he refers to this as state
ment promised, which [ under
stand, to be the amount of his
shortage since [ paid him out of
his first scrape."
Major Hanson further said chat
no one could have been more as
tonished at the facts of the case
than he was, and that he would
Notwithstanding the severity OF
the charge have been as lenient as
possible with him.
AFATAL DOSE.
Yesterday morning about 1O
o'clock, Mr.. Derry entered the
drug store of ingalls,, on Fourth
street, and asked for a two-ounce
vial of laudanum, saying it was
for his wife, and during its pur-
chase he asked if it was a very
potent article, and if it would kill
a man. DIR. Ingalls, laughed and
told him it would kill a half dozen
little dreaming that the customer
would be within short while be-
| l.