The state chronicle. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1883-1893, 1888-09-07
SKIPPED TIE COUNTRY.
The Clerk of the Court of IredeH Has
Fled to Parts Unknown.

EDITORIAL Correspondence
SALISBURY, N. c., sept. l. 'SS-I have
just f' en stunned to hear that Mr. J. B.
Conne'y, Clerk of the Court of Iredell,
whose failure the CHRONICLE published
some weeks ago, has fled from Statesville
for parts unknown. At first, as heard
it, l supposed that ne had been guilty of
nothing criminal inasmuch as it was not
charged and he turned over all his proper
ty, including homestead, to his bondsmen
and creditors. 1t turns out now that he
had been agent for the Nissen Wagon
Works and other companies and had made
no returns of sales, and been guilty of
other embezzlement The amount of his
embezzlement from the Nssen Wagon Co
was about 5000. els guilty of enbezzle-
ment in other quarters and was threaten
ed with criminal prosecutions from several
quarters. He is behind in his office as
Clerk not less than twelve to fifteen thou
sand dollars. His total Indebtedness
is not less than S5O,OO0
On Friday night Mr.. Connolly, fearing
criminal prosecution, fed. 1t is not known
where he is gone, and it is pretty certain
that he has no money. prominent citi-
zen of Iredell tells me that it was reported
on the streets of Statesville that he had
only $92 which was contributed by several
of his friends, and his family-he has a
wife and several children is left destitute.
They have not provisions for two days in
the house. The sympathy for them is deep
and profound.
Why did Mr.. Connolly tail and have to
skip: Well, it is difficult to say. 1t is a
long story. He came to Iredell from Cald-
we'll number of years ago and taught
school III the country. He was a popular
teacher and popular man and married
an excellent lady who had some property
and is well connected. He was jealous
member of the Methodist church and prom
inent in all good work He has been Clerk
Of the Court a number Of years, and was
universally popular. l am sure that have
heard the Judges praise him quite as much
as any Clerk in the State more courte-
Gus and accommodating officer could not
be found.
The prime cause of his failure and fall
seems to have been that. though entrusted
with much business, he was in no sense
business man. He dabblei in everything
in the way of business-Sold wagons and
buggies, ran mill, farmed, was Receiver
of the old Statesville bank, DC, &c. He
had not wise judgment in business matters.
When he bought, he paid high prices;
when he sold, he got small prices; when
he built. he paid more for it than anybody
else. He was not a business man.
1t is said that he kept all his money
together his personal. official and fidu-
ciary money were never separated. He
never knew what belonged to him and
what belonged to others. Here was fatal
defect. He never had any moral or legal
right to use one cent OF he county's mon
ey for personal expenses or for invest
ments. And yet he used it to buy a mill
and for other purposes. Here he was
guilty of a violation of his oath as officer
here began the downfall. His forced de-
parture ought to teach all men in a fidu-
ciary capacity the important and needed
lesson of scrupulously keeping all such
money separate from personal funds, and
of never using it for any purpose.
Mr. Connolly was a generous man and
very liberal to his church. The sequel
shows that he was liberal with the money
of other people. He doubtless expected
to make enough money on his several in
vestments to some day get straight. But
pending this better day, he lived in a
costly, if not extravagant, way and gave
open -handedly to charity. This he had
no right to do-and his fall is another
blow to the church J. D.