The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1889-07-13
BROADBRTM'S N. Y. LETTER.

the Judge. He stood accused of the crime
of forgery; but that was the least of his Of
fences; for occupying one of the most exal-
ed positions in the financial world, the
third officer one of the most stable banks
in the union, he was not only forger, but
for ten years he had been common thief.
1t seems almost .nconceiYable that this man
associated with the foremost financiers Of
the day, the trusted officer of one of the
greatest monied corporations in the United
States and who as handling millions and
millions of dollars, should have been a
common thief. His robberies go back
over ten years, and all this time he was
leader in fashionable society, member of
several os the swell clubs, a yachtsman, and
prominent churchman, who occasionally
read homilies to the Young Mems Christ
ian Association to point our unwarY youth
to the straight and narrow path.
Looking at the man as he stood in the
dock It was difficult to understand why the
mental strain of such a terrible life did not
kill him. Hundreds of men haYe killed
here, in this city, to be relieved of thou
sandth part of the dreadful anxiety that he
must have suffered for years. Yet as those
look back, they remember nothing but the
cool, calm, self poised man who, living a
life conscious rectitude, defied the chances
of fate. His family was one of the best
kpomn on tho 20 shionohla Hill diatricf of
Brooklyn, and his wife, beautiful woman
was proud of her husband, proud of her
home and proud of children, and when the
crushing news was brought home to her,
by his flight that her husband was thief,
it nearly killed her; but when she realized
that ne was not only thief, but had been
Systematically robbing the bank that trust
ed him for ten years, her despair knew no
bounds. She was forced to give up her
beautiful bome-her children were taken
from the schools she had been attending,
for the other children taunted them with
their fathers crime. But the end came this
| week. Assured that if he put the country
to the expense of trial that his accumul-
ated sentences would be equivalent to i'm
prisonment for life, he was allowed to
plead guilty to forgery in the third degree,
and so escapes with sentence of nine
years, which his good conduct may reduce
to seven. When will young men realize
the truth of that homely old adage, Hon
esty is the best policy" l know it's old
fogyish; it is not fast, but it is true. Mr..
De Baum relies it this morning as he
marches with cropped hair to the lock step
| with murderers and thieves who for the
next few years will be his only companions.
| His heart-broken wife realizes il as she sits
weeping in the midst of her children whom
their father has ever disgraced. Think of
this, my youthful friend, and if you feel in
clined to 60 in for Jackpot, or horse
race, or flyer on stocks, if you can't do it
on your own money don't try it ON any
body else's, Take my advice-Don't.
A singular case came to light in the
Surrogates Court this week which might
furnish groundwork for novel by Wilkie
Collins or Harrison Ainsworth. A few
years ago an old merchant named Peck
died, leaving fortune of about one hun.
dred thousand dollars to his widow. The
couple never had any children, but had
lived for each other in a very humble way,
rolling up the dollars which are now the
subject of a suit, till death tapped at the
door, and Mr.. Peck answered the call
When Mr.. Peck was safely deposited be
meath the daises, Mrs. Peck felt exceeding
ly lonesome, but lonesome as she felt she
showed no great desire to find successor
to the departed Peck, nor indeed were there
many applicants for the vacancy, for after
Mr.. Peck's demise Mrs. p. began to dspla,
an inordinate love for good old rye, and as
she lived all alone In her big house without
even the companionship of a cat, or dog
or dickey bird, she had nothing to do bu
get up in the morning, fill herself up like
demijohn, and when she was full lie dowr
on the floor or any other convenient place
and prepare herself for second dose
What few relations she had gave the ole
lady pretty wide berth; for when she wa.
in her tantrums even the butcher boy hard
ly dared to look over the fence, for It wa,
her.ha to let.drive a skillet, pot lid, OF
whatever came handy at any one she fount
looking at her. The only person who en-
joyed any kind of immunity was the doc
tor, and as she was in very muddled con
dition all the time, the doctor preceded tc
feather his nest. He induced the old lady
. \ to mako q will oiuin0 hin, a III bar ,,ro,,o,t,
and when the will was finished he tried tC
get her committed to lunatic asylum 81
that she could never make another. WheI
the will was made the old lady put it away
and refused to let the doctor take care of it
but he was equal to the occasion, and stolt
the will, offering 1t for probate after Mrs
Peck's death. There Is no doubt but tn,
will must be rejected, and that the proper
ty will go to Mrs. Peck's relatives who ar,
very poor. Moral: II any of your rich re
lations are dying keep your eye on the doc
tor.
For years we have been blessed with a
Josh House that would have delighted tn,
heart of CONTIGUOUS; but it is only thil
week for the first time in our history tha
we have had genuine Chinese Theatre
Some stupid persons know will begin t.
laugh at the idea of Chinese Shakespear,
or celestial Gilbert and Sullivan, but it il
no laughing matter my friend. doubt i
you understand the first principles O.
dramatic construction. Think of
tragedy in hundred and forty-nine acts
and musical comedy in two hundred anC
ninety-eight. None of your Patience ,
that "Pinafore," or "Pirates of Penzance,' >
that is all over in couple of hours, but
good solid musical entertainment that will
last YOU for six months, and then lik,
Oliver Twist make you ask for more
| And traoadv maanc trao oadv xuitb tlo,,, q -,