The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1885-07-25

The Residence Of . swintiler-The Ease
With which Perjury IL Committed Con
viction Of i}uiienseik-The y. Y. World
and the broadway Railrqad, etc,
NEW YoRE, July ta, 1855.
EDITOR CHIP:
For Brutus was an honorable man.
And they are all honorable men,"
A few days ago l took little stroll in the
suburbs of this city. 1t was away from the
huge piles of brick that shut out the sky
and the hard stone pavements. The green
fields we're in sight; even the warning note
Of the seventeen-year locust sounded like
music, almost equaling the song Of the
birds. Walking along came to a beautiful
place, where magnificent residences skirted
the way. None but the rich lived there.
Tho sQualor and wretchedress that meets
You everywhere in the city, vas nowhere to
be seen. On sloping hillside was rural
palace; on the building and grounds two
hundred thousand dollara had been ex-
pended. All that art and taste and money
could do was done, to beatty and adorn
t1bAo CAc4k01N A1Ou00s x4O WttO UO4lk II 0UO
Inhabited it two years ago, is now a fugitive
from justice, and this splendid mansion
and grounds represent the proceeds of his
thefts, and are for sale. 1t is strange his
tory. ALnost thirty years ago poor
friendless boy landed in this country from
England. He sought employment, and
found It with one Of the most enterprising
firms Of the city. The boy was diligenf and
faithful, and he rose from place to place
year after year, till at the end of twenty
years he found himself partner in the
concern, with an income of $4,000 year.
The boy had reached the highest round of
the social ladder. Men took off their hats
as they passed him in the street; women
pointed him ont to their husbands a.
model; employers mentioned him as an
to their clerks, and told them that
if they only pursued the same course that
he pursued. they would be one day perhaps
like him.
The man himself was study. He held
his head high, and he looked right over the
heads of common men, forgetful Of his own
meagre start; he seldom noticed any of the
minor employees of the concern, and when
he did, he made them feel their inferiority.
AS he grew rich he rather began to look
down on his mercantile associates, for he
himself was Of q literary turn, and had
soul above bobbins and thread. Years
rolled on, and the firm to which he was at
tached became one of the foremost in tho
city, when suddenly one morning New York
was startled with story of thefts that
shook it to the centre. The tried and trusted
partner of this mighty firm had been de-
tected robbine his associates, and was in
TACT common thief. The news few like
Rildfre; we all thought that the thief would
be made an example of; the most sxtraor-
binary revelations were promised-when
all of sudden everybody connected with
The affair became mum as an oyster, and
after the robberies had been fully demon
strated a stop was at once put to all proceed
ings. The convicted thief moved out of his
splendid home u disgraced and ruined man;
but the firm he had robbed did not prose-
cute him but gave him money to depart for
Europe, where he now mourns over crimes
which can not be recalled.
What was the secret of this sudden change?
you ask. Well, very simple one. The
irm with which he had been connected had
been robbing the government for years By
swearing to false invoices and perpetrating
other frauds upon the government, and
This tried and trusted partner had been the
instrument of their perjury. When brought
face to face with his crimes he defied his
accusers while acknowledging his thefts,
md they finally compromised by taking
lis property and letting the criminal 20
Free. Another great firm paid the govern
nent quarter of million of dollars ON
invoices falsely sworn through, and yet.
here are not more pious and honorable
nen to be found in New York than that
'ame firm. There is no denying the fact,
hat robbery of the government is not
ooked upon as stealing by the great major
ty Of merchants, and men will swear to
alse invoice who would scorn to pick q
pocket or tap till. In the past week the
evelations made at the Custom house prove
hat for the sake of few dollars men es-
eemed reputable are willing to jeopartlize
heir liberty, their characters and their souls |
The time has come when this vilIainy ought
o be stopped, and the sooner some one is
raIe an eyample Of the hefiar