Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-07-21
INDIGNANT PEOPLE.
FALSE STATEMENTS MADE ABOUT
THE CITIZENS OF MARION, N. C.
The True story Of w. III. Roberts, Bank
swindIing Operations which Caused
His wife to Become Insane.

| fCo--sspondsnce Of the Richmond Dispatch-l
! RALEroH. N. g.. July 20.-The people OF
Marion are very indignant at statements
made in the LOOKING Gas" savannah
paper. 10 the effect that after W. II.
Roberts. an alleged banker, had LETT ms
wife at Marion aud gone to New YORK AFTER
swindling North Caroinians, the people OF
Marion had rude.y and shameiully treated
Mrs. Roberts. The allegation Is also MADE
in the Savannah paper that this treatment
produced insanity. The facts are that
two years ago Roberts, whose WIFE Is
| daughter of Paal Decker, OF savannah.
went 70 Marion and established IN tnaI
little town bank with pretended capltsl
Of n 500. 900. At first he deceived the Ohsi-
ness-men and they subscribed Literally 10
the stocks.
HIS METHODS CROOKED.
In a little while the officers aud directors
in Marion saw that Roberts, busihess
methods were " crooked" aud they re-
signed in a body. John J. Stevens OF
Savannah, then aided Roberts IN managing
the fraudulent business. Thousands OF
letters were written, money oorroWeu'
drafts collected. and the money appro,,
pria ed. Roberts deserted Stevens ana
fed to New YORK. The bank" then went
to pieces. Stevens was arrested on
warrant for embezzloment Of hlchmond
firm. he was tried and acquitted ana on
the same day fed TO Georgia, walking AN
the way. Another warrant Tor him Is out
The people of Marion were kind IN the eX-
IRENE 10 poor, deserted Mrs. Roberts. she
was entirely ignorant of her hus-
bands crookedness. When she found
that stevens was IN Jail under arrest she
discovered her husband was swindler.
The shock was too great and she became
insane. The immediate cause OF her men
tai malady was a letter she received IRON
her husband She read part OF this ana
burned the balance. On that instant her
reason left her
About sixty members of the North Caro-
lima Methodist Local-Preachers' Confer
ence are here, attending its annual meet
ing.
A NEw DEMOCRATIC ORGAN.
The North Cdroinidn is the name Of the
weekly paper which will be published here
by Alr. Josephus Daniels. late editor OF the
STATE ChrOHicie. Ii will be a Democratic
journal and appears August ID.
CRUEL HOAX.
There is decided sensation in Ran
dolph county. caused by the publication
Of statement tina. MIR. Henry Parks and
Miss Maud Curtis were drowned last sun
day. 4 lady's name was signed 70 the let
ter which told the newspapers OF the
alleged drowning. Miss Carts was seen
yesterday. The hoax was very cruel
one. and nothing quite equal to 1t has ever
been perpetrated in this State. The state
ment was that while the persons named
were IN boat on the pond mt Franklins-
vile. Randolph county, the boat capslzed,
and that they met death locked IN each
others arms WITH lips together in tare-
well kiss. The whole matter Is now being
carefully investigated.
Arrangements are being made Tor tho
rough reorganization of the State Assocla-
ton of Democratic Clubs, of which Colo
mel Julian =. Carr, of Durham, IL presl-
dent. He will retain that position. The
clubs did admirable work in the campaign
of 1890.
GOOD TOBACCO CROP.
The monthly bulletin Of the Department
Of Agriculture. issued to-day, has a special
article on the tobacco crop, which says
that almost the entire crop shows good
stand, and IN some favored sections IT Is
phenomenal. In every instance the plant
can be seen in hourshing condition. The
cultivation of the weed Is still extending
IN the eastern counties. Some reports IN
this month are from Ouslow county. The
prospects for this crop average 81, with an
increased acreage over former years.