The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-02-14
WAS HE DRIVEN TO DEATH?

late Ifhls " hhMoin"SS h"a Sooh
bounded to death by a persecution as
horribly unique as II seems TO have been
unwarranted, even though no such awful
result could have been contemplated.
II is a horrible stoiy. The suspicion
that a human being has been driven TO
suicide is a terrible suspicion to hold.
Beside it, murder would seem a conscion-
able crime. And that that unfortunate
victim of persecution should have been
a man innocent Of any act such as is
claimed 10 have been made the ground
for the fatal persecution, that he should
havs been a man Of unsullied reputation,
innocent OF wrong intent or wrong doing,
with the heart of a child and a nature so
kindly and full of simplicity as to have
won for him the afiectionate friendship Of
every one of his fellow beings who had
the good fortune to meet him and know
him, contributes TO the charge every
fraction Of horror. IL a guilty man had
thus been driven to further guilt and to
the final act of se~lf-destruction the story
would have been noticeable enough. That
the innocent should have been SO bounded
as to commit crime, to violate trust, to
wreck name and reputation, to commit
self-murder, is so terrible, SO abomin-
able, as to almost be beyond the bounds
of credulity.
According to the charges Mr.. ARM
STRONG was accused of embezzling and
ii vas demonstrated that he was innocent
of the charge. Despite the proof OF guilt
lessness 1t was demanded of him that he
restore the money he was charged with
to have been So, 900, far more than a
nan in Mr.. ARMsToNG's position would
be likely to have at command. That he
should not have stoutly resisted the claim
and resolutely faced the charge may be
understood by any one who appreciates
nature the nature OF a man like Mr..
ARMSTRONG, deeply sensitive, and, by rea-
son OF his profession as an accountant, in
a situation to have a peculiar horror Of
any blush of suspicion affecting a reputa-
tion of long -standing as entitled to trust
and confidence. Regulations nave been
damaged beyond repair by less suspicious
than might have attached to what seems
to have been an unfortunate error in
bookkeeping. Men in business life do
not always refrain from passing judgment
because crime cannot be proven. To be
above suspicion is the only sure safeguard
for a good name in this human world. 1t
may well be believed that rather than
jeopardize his professional reputation,
quite apart from any consideration Of
actual guilt, Mr.. ARMSTRONG would have
sacrificed any amount OF money that he
might have possessed. He had made a
clerical error OF III, 600 in his bookkeep-
ing and that to a man OF his standing
must have caused him no end OF mental
disturbance. even IL his honesty had not
been assailed. 1t is not incred ible that
the double strain should have
been enough to break his spirit and
prompt him TO resort to any meas
ures, that meant only the sacrifice OF
money, to insure himself from exposure
OF a professional lapse, to say nothing OF a
suspicion that would, despite anything
that could be done TO help it, be pretty
sure to shadow his name as long as he
lived. Guilty or innocent. how desperate
the growing burden must have become is
awfully demonstrated by the crime that
the victim was driven to on the exhaust
ing of his own resources, the savings of
a life time, and Their to the tragedy of
self destruction.
The evidence in the case, while that OF
persons whose profession is OF a character
as to make it most credible and reliable,
is yet only the evidence Of one side of
the case. 1t is still due the firm of M.
sTEISERr & Sons Co., a house of eminent
standing, that judgment be suspended for
the awful act laid at the door OF it's repre-
sentative in this town. The further re-
port that Mr.. EDWARD sTEINERT, who up
to within a short time, has been manager
OF the local branch, is now seriously sick,
and that his COLLAPSE dates from that act
OF suicide, still further commands a re-
straint of judgment until all the facts
are in, as il also indicates that the tragedy
may not be yet completed.
LET'S ALL BRACE.