Evening journal., 1898-01-20
BoGGs AND HIS RETURN.

There is food for Thought for Will
liam n. Boggs. the defaulting and ab-
sconding teller of the First National
Bank of Dover, in the release from the
Kings county penitentiary Of p. T. Il.
Smith, the defaulting teller CT the First
National Bank of this city.
Between the two men and their |
crimes their Is a striking similarity,
but in their course OF action at the |
critical juncture OF discovery there is a
wide divergence. Both were prime
favorites in the communities in which
they lived. Intelligent, warm-hearted, |
congenial, they were esteemed by |
everyone, and possessed the unbounded |
confidence Of their business associates |
and personal friends Both began |
robbing the banks in systematic |
manner, and got deeper and deeper un-
til concealment was no longer possi-
BILE, and Then came confession. Now
comes the difference Smith remained, |
threw himself upon the mercy OF tho
court, was sentenced to seven years inn
prlsonment, went TO the penitentiary,
behaved himself received In consldera-
tion for good conduct substantial COM
mutation Of sentence, and was liber-
ated Boggs fed the country. and is
still a fugitive from justice. lie is a
hunted man who knows no peace of
mind and who is likely TO be cap.ured
at any instant and brought back here
for trial and punishment. He has lost
almost a year OF valuable time IN hid
ing and dread and uncertainty.
Smith is now free man, at liberty
TO go wheresoever ne will conscious
that no one is pursuing him but the
shadow Of his Disgrace, and that, hav-
ing explated his crime, no officer OF the
law has a right to lay hand upon him.
That he is a disgraced man, and mark
ed by the world, no one denies; but
ne is no more disgraced, and not
nearly 80 much the object of public at
tontion as though he were still fugi-
tive from Justice. Having paid the
penalty for his weakness, he is at lib
erty to go to some other part of the
country and start life afresh, even
though well advanced in years and
suffering from certain infirmities
brought about by his long confinement
in a penal institution. His past will
follow him, for a man cannot get away
from himself, but men who have been
just as much disgraced have begun
life anew and made a success Of It.
There is one Instance in which man
whose life was stained went to the far
West, grew up with the country and 80
far lived down the past that his friends
and neighbcrs sent him to Washing
ton, the city of his disgrace, to repre-.
sent them in the highest branch Of tns
Federal Legislature.
Boggs is even better situated thar
smith. He is a much younger man
Al the present time he is but 80 years
old. Members Oh the bar say that h'
would probably receive a term of i'm
prisonment OF from seven to nin'
years, with from two to three years
Communication for good behavior. As
suming that ne would serve sever
years actual time he would walk on
OF prison a free man at 80 years of age
At present he is a disgraced AM
hunted man. Imprisonment woul'
not Increase his disgrace or the dis
grace which his action has cas-. upo
his family; but It would relieve him @
that constant and consuming fear Q
apprehension and capture, and civ
something desirable TO look forwar
10, which he has not at present. Th
longer he puts off surrendering hin
self the older he will be when ne ono
more enters The world a free man aftC
having settled in full his account wit
justice, and the poorer will be his ol
portunity to live down his disgraS
and make provision for the future
his children, who must live after hin
and whose life should be rendered I
him as bearable as possible, for he h;
inflicted upon them great wrong f
which a lifetime Of remorse cam,
atone.
II he returns it should not be as
self-esteemed martyr. as a freak to
used for newspaper advertising or
an informer. bur as man who is 81
cerely sorry for the disgraceful part
has played, and as one who is willil
to abide by the consequences, trusti
that in after life he will be abe to ]
establkh himself and repair in part I
wrong wrought by his folly
II Boggs had any accomplices in Z
looting of the First National Bank
Dover it would do him little coed
expose them. That would be mer,
bringing disgrace upon others wlthc
benenting himself in any particul
From what we know of him we scar
" think that he would pursue such
course. for he is differently cons
tuted To turn informer, II he
anyone against whom he can infoI
would be repugnant to him, and ]
him Of the friends and well-wishers
has left, for the world despises an