Evening journal., 1897-12-13
BoGGs is THE PRINCIPAL

Much sentimental nonsense is being
written inst now about William N.
Boggs, the defaulting and absconding
cashier Of the First National Bank at
Dover. He Is being characterized as
the tool and scapegoat of other men
who are limited at but not named. This
is senseless talk. No matter how many
persons were engaged with him in the
work of looting the bank, he is the
principal and can be regarded in no
other light. Admitting that others are
guilty Of sharing his ill-gotten money,
that does not relieve him In any par
ticular.
Boggs had every incentive to remain
honest. AS a poor boy he was taken
in hand by certain prominent men OF
Kent county who had an interest in
his welfare. They placed him in po-
sition Of trust and responsibility. As
rapidly as circumstances would war
rant it they advenced him in position
and increased his salary. He married,
and these same friends showed every
evidence of their esteem and trust
when the day of his wedding arrived.
One of them, Hon. George V. Massey,
then of Dover, but now Of Philadel-
phia. gave him a silver service, and
there was an evidence of desire on the
part Of the people of Dover to recog-
nize the wedding day as one in which
they had a prime interest, because OF
him and Of the young woman who was
to become his bride. He had a nice
home. In time children came to bless
Il. and to the responsibilities of bank
officer and husband were added those
of father. His salary was sufficient
to afford them all a comfortable liv-
ing.
But with all this he betrayed the
trust reposed in him by his friends
and patrons, destroyed the happiness
of his wife, brought disgrace upon his
children, all Of whom were too young
to know anything Of what they had
suffered by reason of their fathers dis
honesty, robbed the bank, in which he
had been reared, of its entire capital
blOAkt impaired AAAl SUI hA0o ~ AAN "a
tent of several thousand dollars, and
forced the resignation OF the cashier,
who had always been his friend and
benefactor That is not the work OF
the tool; II is the work Of the master
A man who has the wickedness OF
heart to leave his wife and children in
such sorry plight; who is so un-
grateful that he robs the hand which
has lifted him up, and who drags dowr
one of his best friends, needs no hell
in the work of villainy.
Boggs stole the money and he lost i
in gambling and speculation. Tha
others profited by his stealings is
natural sequence, else he would still
have the funds in hand. There ma.
be some Of these men who had
guilty knowledge Of what was goin
on, or who may have suspected that al
was not right, but that Iact does no
in any particular relieve Boggs of re
sponsibility for conceiving and execui
ing the crime which demonstrated tina
his capacity for stealing was only to b
measured Dy Wldl was W HlSdl'
People may regret that a young ma
of such promise went wrong. N
doubt they do. But there is no excus
or extenuation for his crime. He had
splendid opportunity in life Like man
others, he not only failed to profit b
It, but shamefully abused IT, Now
must remain in hiding, fugitive fro
justice and an exile from the land
his nativity and accept the cons
Quences.