The Washington critic., 1888-03-26
RI,INED ny ERIENDs.
what Caused the Disgrace Of CyrlI y.
RcnedicI.

The surprise caused here by the con.
viction two weeks since of Cyril +.
Benedict q trusted official Of the Adams
Express Company, for embezzlement, has
not yet subsidcd, says the Washington
correspondent Of the Baltimore Sun. lie
was so well known, so universally re-
spccted, and possessed so highly the con
hdence of the corporation by whom he
was employed, that it was generally con
sidercd 10 be no ordinary case OF un-
laithfulncss. 1t was not, and the history
of IL is pathetic, the more so that Mr..
Benedict voluntarily confessed his trans
greSslon, declined TO make any statement
before the court, and accepted hls sem
tcnce without murmur. lie had Tor so
many years commanded the respect Of
all who knew him, his habits were so
irrcprOaChabe that all believed there
must be mitigating circumstances. Stock
speculation was commonly supposed TO
be the cause Of his downfall; but stock
speculation, that legaliled gambling more
pcrniCious and more rtinous than cards,
horse races or lotteries, was not responsible.
Perhaps five years ago Mr.. Benedict
was approached by banking firm of this
city with request for a loan of several
thousand dollars. The terms of the re-
quest were plausible, and the promise
was made that the money would be re-
turned in q day or two. The members of
the firm were personal friends; he had
visited intimately at the house of one of
them; their business and social standing
was uneXceptionable, and there seemed
no risk about it. He gave them the
money. Day after day passed and it was
not returned, and finally, in response to
his repeated pleadings, he was CooGly in
formed that II was impossible to pay him
back.
This man, with his sense of honor, his
reputation for integrity which he held
most dear, then realized what the false
step which he had taken was 10 cause
him. He had done il for the sake of per-
sonal friendship, but with no idea OF its
wrong or its consequences and with no
apprehension that he was running any
risk. From that time forward his days
were anxious and his nights without rest.
He had no relief from his own thoughts
and the dread of that discovery which he
knew to be inevitable. When the cloud
burst and he stood before the world in his
shortcoming, he felt better and more sat
ished.
On the 18th of this month he was sent
to Jail to be conveyed from thence to the
penitentiary. He has since said that for
ten years his sleep has not been so peace
ful and unbroken as on the pallet in his
cell What must add to the sympathy
and regret which the case of this man in
spires is the fact that when the calamity
came upon him he declined offers of
pecuniary help made by friends, and re-
fused to ask clemency from his employers,
which they were disposed to extend, only
saying that it was meet he should suffer
for his wrong-doing.
Saturday the District Attorney went
into the Criminal Court and gave notice
g.E I..s. s,,N 10 Nysn l..H
the criminal indictment against the menu
bers of the firm of Middleton & Co., which
has been pending for so long, apparently
unnotiCed by his predecessor, Middleton
& Co. were the bankers who closed their
doors in May, 1884, and whose transac-
tions led to the above indictment. 1t
was this firm, it is alleged to which Mr..
Benedict intrusted the money which be-
longed to Adams Express, but it was only
IN the last day or two that the knowl-
edge of il was given to others than those
Immediately concerned.