The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1893-05-06

I called it a temporary loan from the fac
tory. After / had invested it ! bad
twinges of conscience. It wasn't exactly
dishonest, but it was breach of trust, and
felt degraded. For the first time in my
life found it an effort to look other men
square in the face. That should have
been the turning point. I should have
replaced the money and taken warning.
l believe it was the worst thing that could
have happened to me that that $500 made
me $4,000 within = fortnight. Did stop
therel OF course not. The fact that /
had bit it right satisfied me that / had
the necessary nerve and acumen, and re-
invested. l made $1,000 on the next
deal, but on the third was wiped out.
You can guess what followed. l man.
aged to dispose of my stock without sus-
piciOn, and it was swallowed almost at a
gulp. Up to the 1st day of June on nv
fourth year had embezzled $4,000 of.
the company. My books would be ex-
amined on the LIST day of July and the
shortage discovered. Flight always fol-
lows embezzlement if the criminal can
get away. Robbery precedes flight if
there is anything left to lay hands on. !
had $1,000 worth of real estate, and !
could have borrowed $1,000 in cash al
most without comment. Why didn't !
do it and save myself9 1t never occurred
to me to do SO. When you have taken
the FIRST step the descent is rapid. Your
integrity is shattered, and you plan to
complete your ruin rather than to restore
yourself.
It is wonderful how rapidly the ruin
of a man can I've effected under what may
be termed favorable circumstances. In
the course of four or FIVE months my deg
radiation was complete. One night to-
ward the last Of June, having paved the
way for q week or more, robbed the safe
of $4,000 and fed. About half of the
money I took belonged to outsiders, who
had it in the safe tor security. l ruined
grocer, jeweler and builder-all hon.
est and upright men. robbed an or
phan child of legacy. took the last
dollar belonging to widow with five
fatherless children. My father gave up
his all and then. drowned himself. The
young lady to whom was to be married
lived out the rest of her days in an insane
asylum. I crippled the business of the
factory and sent its stock down to GO and
ruined two or three of my best friends.
And what did / gain by it all? l had
figured, as all men under the circumstan
ces, that with my capital l would go into
business abroad and IN time make resti-
tuition. While the captain of the vessel
had taken nae as passenger, | soon dis
covered that he looked on me as suspect.
The company did not seek my arrest, but
even before we sighted the shores of En-
gland l felt like hunted wolf. re-
NAMED in Liverpool month. In two
instances l sought to 60 in:o business. /
had the money; but who was where
were my credentials who could vouch
for me? l know that detective followed
me for couple of days. l know that the
people at the hotel thought me queer.
Even my efforts to appear at ease doubt
less told against me. l went to Paris,
and within three days after my arrival l
was robbed of $4,000. When l went to
complain, was asked to identify myself
what was doing abroad-if the money
belonged to be. could not admit that
was an absconder, and therefore the
robber was allowed to enjoy his plumber
unmolested.
In Berlin l met Americans from New
York, Chicago, Philadelphia and St. Louis
that is, could have met them, but did
not dare to- did not even dare to admit
that l was an American. l became ac-
quainted with German inventor and
loaned him $4,000 on what appeared to
be good security. When l found this
security worthless and threatened him
with the law, he only laughed at ME and
told me to go ahead. lie was satisfied
in his own mind that there was something
wrong about me. One day while was
in public restaurant man slapped me
on the shoulder by mistake. sprang to
my feet SO suddenly as to upset the table
before me, and no doubt every line of my
face betrayed fear and guilt. The man
apoligized, and sat down and made a
great effort to regain my composure.
The harm was done. however. l heard
enough to satisfy me that l was looked
upon as fugitive from justice. went
to India and thence to Japan. | was
robbed In both countries, and ! also lost
considerable sums by gambling. While
on the voyage back to Singapore ! was
shipwrecked and lost my last dollar.
There was an American Consul at Singa-
pore. but dared not apply to him.
There were American tourists there, but
had denied my nsvity and had no claim
on them IS fellow-countrymen. There
wasn't one single day the first two years
that did not fear arrest. Night never
came without its bitter reflections. When