St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-01-12
THE GOOD SWAN.
He Seems to Have Been Unfortunate
Before His s37, 800 st. Paul
l Episode.

The New York Telegram of January con-
tanned the following concerning the career Of
Swan before his advent at St. Paul:
Asigniflcant comment on the rapidlty
witt which New York forgets everything but
emBezzlements is that the newspaper press
has not identified David B. Swan, the alb.
sconding clerk Of the Northern Pacific st,
Paul office, who was recently found by detec-
tives in a responsible legal and religious po-
sition in Michigan county. e-
Ten years ago Swan was the cashier-his
official title was secretary-of the Clarmont
Savings bank on the corner of Park place
and Greenwich street. The bank made one
of the most thorough failures that ever was
INDUCED in by financial institution of any
standing, and the mere mention OF its name
at this day is enough to make scores of good
natured commission merchants and Wash
ington Market butchers look very solemn
and mlsapply scripture in most 'lamentable
manner. For days the newspapers were full
of correspondence which passed be-
tween Swan and the president,
Brodhead. At that time the general i'm
preston, based upon The letters published,
seemed to be that Brodhead was an astute
and, at least, peculiar fnancier, and that
Swan was his unsuspecting tool. The only
presumptive evidence against Swan was that
be made haste to assign all his own real es-
tate for the benefit of the banks creditors.
Men argued that he would scarcely have done
this had he been entirely innocent.
For two or three years after the smashup
Swan had hard struggle to get along at all,
but some of his friends at Montclair, where
he resided, helped him from time to time
and tried to get him employment in keeping
with his abilities as an accountant, which
were high, and when he went west to enter
the employ of the Northern Pacific at very
small salary, his friends believed he would
quickly make career. Their belief was
justified by events, though not in the man
ner expected. gentleman who had done
a little business with the bank and knew
Swan, said this morning to a Telegram re-
porter:
"The news of Swans defalcation surprises
and pains me, but do not at all wonder at
his method of starting anew in Michigan.
Swan was once miner in the Serras-I
think forty niner-and knew so many men
who were successfully hiding from justice by
the simple devices of taking new names and
residences and changing the style of their
boards, that be naturally adopted their plan
when he found imself in trouble"
"But had he any legal ability that should
make him fit to be district attorney in
Michigana And had he any special qualiti-
cations for his recent position as Sun day
school superintendent"
eyes; I feel confident that his late neigh
bors will have trouble to replace him. He has
fine intelligence, quick wits, and, except for
his weakness for dabblng in stocks and his
consequent dishonesty, is a man of high
personal character. Nobody could ask bet
ter ueighbor He would sacrifice any per-
sonal comfort to aid any one in trouble, and
a more exemplary family man could hardly
be found in the world. One incident OF his
life l have heard from man who
knew the facts. Swan was footing it,
through the Nevada mining regions, out at
elbows and out of money, when on a desc
late trail he met man exhausted and dying
in the snow. Swan, who is very small phys
ically, carried the poor fellow on his back for
some distance until shelter and food could
be found. The rescued man proved to be a
Jesuit missionary, apparently bishop, for
he gave Swan ring, which he assured his
rescuer would brng him assistance should he
ever need 1t in Catholic country. Years
after Swan, with his wife, was shipwrecked
on the Mexican coast and found the ring a
speedy guide to the hearts and pockets of the
entire community of the nearest city,"
'What will happen to him nowf"
81 don't know, but judging by his past ex-
periences, believe he'll be let off easily.
Everybody who knows him likes him in spite
of his failing. Strange, isn't 1t, that man
who is just perfect In every may can be made
a criminal and fugitive by venturng into the
stock market! Swan never sqnan dered
money on anything but stocks. He had no
personal vices, lived economically and never
ran into debt. Nothing but the speculation
fever could ever have made a rascal OF him."