News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1885-03-12
A GENEROUS OFFICER
SAVES A YOUNG MAN FROM RUIN
AND IN HIS OWN PECULIAR WAY,
Story of n Railroad Clerk who Took n
False step, but was Reclaimed by Kind
Treatment.

Some ten or twelve years ago there
was employed in the Office of the late s.
s. Merrill, the General Manager of the
St. Paul Railroad Company, a clerk in
whom complete confidence was reposed.
He was entrusted with many of the cor
poration's secrets, and given the hand
ling OF funds in large amounts. Unfor-
tunately, the young man began sowing
his wild oats, found his salary INSULT
cient to support hit extravaganza, and
frequently abstractsd small amounts
from the railway, xampany's funds to
gradually increaseI in size until the
young man, realizing the position he
was in, made one grand haul and left
for parts unknown. His departure led
to discovery of all his peculations,
The information was communicated to
Mr.. Merrill, who, after a moments re-
Election, sent for the company's special
agent, and ordered that official to insti.
tute search for the absent clerk.
"Follow him." said Mr.. Merrill, ''to
China, if necessary, and bring him
back. Keep this matter quiet, and
spare no expense in bringing the young
man back to this Office"
The few other persons who knew OF
the embazzlement were enjoined to strict
secrecy, and very few ever learned of
f1n xr,hi ioh ;rrhk
be made regarding the young mans alb
sence was met by the reply that he was
taking his summer vacation, but just
where was not knows.
In the meantime diligent hunt for
the young man was in progress. He
was traced to Detroit, and from there
through Canada to the Atlantic coast,
where he sailed for Europe just twelve
hours in advance of the special agents
arrival. Authorities on the other side |
of the Atlantic were cabled, and the
young mans arrest ordered. This was
successfully accomplished, the clerk
was returned to America and trans
ferred to the custody of the railway
company's agent. To that official full
confession was made, and finding him.
self completely in the company's power,
the young man calmly contemplated his
fate, expecting nothing less than a
State prison sentence.
He was quietly taken before Mr.. Mer-
rill, who, to his complete SURPRISE ap-
preached him pleasantly, took hin.
warmly by the hand and said: "Wel,
back again, 1 see. Sorry you staid away
so long, as we needed you. Had good
time though. I hope. Now, c.,
your desk is just as you left it. No one
has disturbed paper, aad you can get
to work at once Her look over these
and seeithat afae properly
checked"
The young man, dunfounded at this
as in fact Fas the srecial
agent, burst into tears, and could not
fully realize the situation, until Mr..
Merrill again broke in with: "Come,
what are you doing there? Get into
that chair as quick as you can and check
those accounts. And, by the way, l
don't want to hear a word regarding GER
tain events of recent date, which you
perhaps know Of"
The young man did go to work, be-
gan new life, attended to his duties as
he never had before, advanced himself
in rank as railway employee, made
good to the company the amount he had
stolen, and several years later left the
with as good letter of recon-
mendation as any man ever received.
He, to-day, occupies prominent posi-
ton with one of the leading railways OF
the country, and for it thanks his old
s. S. Merrill.