Birmingham state herald. (Birmingham, Ala.) 1895-1897, 1896-10-18
VIPER GOT WARM AND BIT.
A Tale as Old as Fsop, With a Few Fin
de Steele FrlIs to Set
II OFF.

Montgomery, Oct 17.-(Special)-A
case involving as much rascality and in
gratitude as is ever found in one char
acter has just come to light here. Chas.
e. Adams, young clerk in the employ of
Chandler & Jones, bankers and real es-
tate agents, has run away, being short
in his accounts. What his shortage
amounts to is not now apparent but it
will harly exceed two or three hundred
dollars.
Adams came here from Nashville PEN
niless and hungry three months ago, and
loafed around the Young Mems Christian
Association rooms While his clothes
were badly worn he kept himself clean,
and the secretary and some of the mem
bers with whom he came in contact pro-
vided him with little change every day
to buy food with. Rev. w. D. Gay. a
charitable young pastor, became inter-
ested in the young man, who gave such
evidence of gentility, coupled with hard
luck, and took him with him to his resi-
-dence, where he was provided with
comfortable room and furnished with
new suit of clothes.
Adams developed great religious pro-
clivities. He was not only an enthusias-
tic church member, but he spoke in meet
ing and prayed whenever he got
chance The whole congregation became
interested In the bright faced young fell
with burden of hard luck and who was
apparently such gentleman and Chris
tian. Mr.. Chandler, the. head of the
banking firm, is prominent Baptist here
and his attention became directed to
Adams. He offered him employment
and gave him good place in his office.
Adams was quick, smart fellow, and
Mr. Chandler was disposed to think that
he had not only done an act of charity
and kindness in employing him, but had
done good days work for the firm as
well.
Adams Job was to collect rents and to
keep the books of the rental department
He was expected to turn over all of the
cash in the afternoon to the cashier. Last
Saturday he accounted as usual to the
cashier and left the office. AT supper at
Mr.. Gray's that night he remarked that
he had been invited to go to Wetumpka
to deliver an address to the meeting Of
the Baptists Young Peoples union the
next day, and would leave shortly after
the meal. Mr.. Gay reminded him that
he was to have been baptized the next
morning, but Adams suggested that that
ceremony could be postponed whereas
the other could not.
He left, and has not been seen nor
heard of since. Monday morning the re-
ceipts for two bales of cotton were missed
by Chandler & Jones. An investigat ation
was instituted, and 1t was learned that
the receipts, which called for something
more than $40 had been cashed by young
Adams. Irregularities have been found
in his accounts, but to what extent Is not
known, as the books have not been crit
ically examined. Adams story was that
he was born and attended school in ST.
Louis, but upon the death of his father
his mother and himself went to Nashville
and lived there for several years. His
mother finally became an invalid from
the effects of consumption, and he went
west with her to California, where she
died. He managed to get back to Nash
vile, but not being able to find employ
ment and having exhausted all of his re-
sources in providing for his mothers
wants during her Illness he left Nashville
without a dollar and came to this city
to find employment
1t was a pretty story, but 1t does not go
for much now. Adams was about 25 years
old, and had every appearance of a gen.
tleman.