Cottonwood report. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1893-1901, 1897-10-08
He COULD NOT TELL WHY.
An lrresistibie Influence 1mpelied .
Young Man TO Crime.

An irresistible Influence 1mpelIed n
Young Man TO Crime.
A few weeks ago Boston was startled
Dy daring crime. The criminal, lad
OF about nineteen, eluded capture for
three days In spite of all the detectives
and score of eager newspaper CORE
spondents. What crime had this young
man committed that he should be
bounded by the law and by the press !?
he had stolen over thirty thousand dol
lars from national bank, and In the
simplest way.
lie had been the trusted messenger
OF the bank. Every day large sums had
been given into his keeping. One morn
ing he left his home without any inten-
ton of doing wrong. He went to the
postoffice, as usual, and reported with
the banks mail. At ten o'clock he start
ca on his regular tour, as messenger,
from bank to bank. Up to this time
ne had outwardly been an honest lad.
On the way from the clearing house
TO bank, the temptation at once to
take money suggested itself. In few
minutes he would have thousands of
dollars In his possession. 1t would take
a nfetime Of hard work for him to ac-
cumulate that amount of money. He
began to feel as IL he were wronged.
lie was only earning a dollar and a
quarter day. This, as he thought. I'M
just inequality he could now easily
remedy.
But his conscience was not dead. A
cold shiver ran over him. He staggered
along, hardly needing where he went.
conscience battled with his tempta-
ton. The resistance to do evil became
less as the battle went on, and each
moment the crime became less repul.
sive.
AT last the banks had all been visit
ed, and he must deliver the money he
mad collected. What should he do?
Remain honest, or become the dishon-
est possessor of wealth? He was in a
fever of doubt and hesitation. He Look
ed up at the clock. 1t was noon. AL
ready the officers had probably begun
to inquire about him. His wavering
had consumed an hour of time. He
still paused In doubt. He turned back
In despair. Then something snapped In
his heart, he said, and he dashed down
the street like pariah dog. In few
moments he was at the railroad sta
ton, and there boarded train, without
much consideration as to whittier It
went. He had now cast behind an hon.
orable life, and was felon fleeing from
the law. And as he said when he was
caught, few days later, he could not
tell the reason why.
But there was reason why. There
is little mystery about it. According to
the young mans own confession, the
temptation to steal from the bank had
come to him some time before he COM
mitted the crime. He saw what an
easy thing 1t was to run away with an
Independent property, and he mention
ed the matter to two Of his young
friends.
Don't do It," they both advised. |
Don't do it for your life!'
So he put the deed away for the time,
but the thought of it, the planning of
t, he allowed to remain with him, and |
this explains the mystery of his sin.
Our habits of thought make us what
we are. To think Of wrong doing with
desire to do wrong is one form of evil.
t is the preliminary step which may
cad at any moment of temptation to
'pen degradation. As my thoughts are,
10 will my life be, is an memorable law
which no juggling can modify and no
repentance, however bitter, can annul.
Youths Companion.