Mexico weekly ledger., 1892-09-15
o. II. Waite ut Home.
HE RETURNS OF his OWN FREE
WILL AND FACES THE MUSIC
LIKE A NAN.
Had No Intention of Doing a Wrong
to Anyone - Between Two Fires
Was Nearly Crazy When He
Left-His Friends Fix the
Matter Up.

oTaISo N. w alte, the lineage "
Alton freight agent at this place for
the past Is or Is years, who left the
city last Wednesday without any
explanation whatever to his family
or friends, returned Sunday on the
II o'clock Wabash from st. Louis.
A LEDGER reporter called at Mr..
Waite's residence Monday morning
and asked to see him. Mrs. Waite's
sister very politely requested the
newspaper man to stepinto the parlor
and she would call Mr.. Waite. He
Immediately came into the room and
cordially shook hands with the re-
porter, who at once began to guess
ton him regarding his absence.
WHAT WAITE SAYS.
"Well,' said Mr.. Waite, "there
are various causes for my strange
actions. In the first place, when |
left, l guess l was as nea crazy al a
man v gets to be, not to have his
mind clear gone. Ihad many things
to weigh me down of which the pub
lie knows nothing. l am no Grim
inal at heart and l don't believe my
friends think ! am. | commenced
getting behind sometime ago and in
trying to keep things straight l
began wrong by taking from one
place to cover up another, thinking
the next month l could make it all
right. 1 never had any other idea.
If | had wanted to steal from the
company I could at various times
have taken from 81 900 to $500, as
! have frequently had hat much
money on hand at one time. The
truth is, l got into it before I really
knew what I was doing and with nc
intention of committing a wrong.
Toward the last l was like a toad
with a snake after it-didn't know
what to do. The matter nearly
made me crazy and without realizing
what l did l left town."
"Where did you go, Mr.. Waite?''
the reporter asked.
"To st. Louis, where | have beer
ever since," said Waite.
"You knewyou were wanted here,
did you not?"
eyes; and as soon as | saw it ir
the st. Louis papers | got on the
train and came home"
Here Mr.. Waite put his hand il
his pocket and pulled out a silver
dollar.
"This is about as much as l had
when | left and is all | have now
| borrowed a few dollars in st. Loui:
from Mexico people whom | met
about enough to get something tc
eat with"
"Were you not afraid these peo
pie would give you away?"
ooh, / was coming home any
way" said Waite quite positively
81 came of my own free WILL" h
continued; "no officer said a worC
to me-"
elias the matter been fixed up?'
inquired the reporter.
"Yes, the whole thing has beef
adjusted by my friends, whom
thank to the very bottom OF m.
heart" he replied; and as the tear
came into his eyes he murmured tt
himself, 81 don't think | am
criminal"
4. When Waite got off the train tina
night he Immediately delivered him
self up to the Sheriff, and he ant
Waite went to one of the bondsmel
who told Waite to go home to hi
family.
Waite says the only month b
and his son ever made as much a
| 800 was last month. Their com
bined salary prior to August wa
$50, out of which he gave a colore
helper s12 per month besides othe
little sums he paid for extra wor
around the Office, which possibl
would run his help hire up to 81
or $40 per month.
Waite has always been known {
a big-hearted, liberal man and +
one ever appealed to him for CHART
that it was not given. He is sal
to be generous to a fault. When b
brother was killed at Louisiana NJ
long since Waite gave all the al
possible; when Smith, a brakeman
, was injured at the depot, Waite ha
1.-THE unfortunate taken to his hou:
where he and his wife were take
care of by Waite. Numerous il
stances of this kind could be relate
!. of Waite's sympathy, all Of whit
!. cost him money.
MI. Waite said be did not think