The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1891-02-13
HAS POWLIsON A BAD HEARTH

A young man who has fallen from
grace after the manner Of Mr.. POwli-
son, who for considerable period
held the esteem Of this community
and the confidence of his employer.
who moved in the best of society and
enjoyed the fruits of happy martial
union naturally brings upon himself
the execration Of all good citizens,
and in our haste TO condemn we Oft
times forget to look into the heart OF
the offender and see if there is not
something good, something tender
and something that lacks the callous
hardness of a treacherous villain. 1t
is not infrequently that we find an
honest and well meaning man led into
error and even tempted TO crime
| through motives uncomfortable and
inexplicable, and when he himself is
called upon TO give an explanation for
the offense cannot do so.
The FREE PRESS has no intention
of Offering any excuse for Powlison's
breach of confidence toward his en-
ployer, Mr. Mcconnell. On the contrary
it condemns it as Strongly as anyone
can. and believes that he should re-
ceive punishment for his offense. And
while it takes this position, it has
asked the question: HAS Powlison a
bad hart?" The young man has been
brought back TO Mankato TO face his
crime and to look with bowed head
and heart full of shame upon those
he has wronged and upon those who
had been his friends, and TO receive
the just punishment which awaits
him. This being true there can be no
harm in looking, for moment, into
the past.
When Mr. PowliSon landed in Chat
tanooga he secured board at the home
of a lady who shall be nameless) and
sought work The short time he was
there previous to his arrest his gentle
manly demeanor had won for himself
the respect Of the household. After
his arrest he sent for the lady with
whom he had boarded, and to her con-
cealed nothing of his misguided ac-
lions in Mankato. The lady was hor-
rifed, as may be well imagined. 1t
happens that this lady's father was
formerly in charge Of pastorate at
Lowell, Mich, and through him young
Powlison became a devoted member
of the church. This minister NOW
located in Sedalia, Mo-, knew Powli-
sons widowed mother and sister, and
upon learning of the disgrace of the
young man from his daughter wrote a
letter to a gentleman in Mankato,
which was received Thursday morn
ing, of nature SO pathetic and plead
ing as to carry the conviction that
| Powlison had not only nurSed true
and loving mother whose heart is now
nearly broken with grief over the
downfall of her son. but that he him.
self was possessed of a good heart and
had formerly held the highest respet t
of his acQaintances. This good min,
lister says that when Powlison was Ia
ken into his church he was one Of the
most exemplary young men in the
community and remained so as long as
he knew anything about him. What
makes the case doubly crushing TO the
minister referred to and his family, is
| the fact that Mrs. PowliSOn was the
! ate and bosom companion Of his
youngest daughter, and they loved
each other with the ardor of sisters.
All sorts of stories have been rife
upon the streets Of former escapades
of dishonorable character in which
Powlison is said to have figured. The
FREE PRESS knows nothing as the
truth or falsity Of these. Powlison
denies them and says he stands ready
TO prove that this is his first offense.
To put it mildly, the case is sur
rounded with sad circumstances. The
downfall of SO promising young man
should be a warning TO others TO stand
manfully up and desist all tempta-
tions. The meanest thing anyone can
do is to abuse the confidence of an
employer. When a young man goes
out into the world he should clothe
himself in the armor Of truth, and let
come what may, hold his word inviola-
BILE. The noblest work Of God is an
honest man, and such a lesson as that
which is before this community should
teach young men that honesty is the
best policy. 1t makes friends and re-
/ tainS them.
ANNUAL MEETING.