The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-01-04
MABRY TELLS HIS STORY.
HE WILL BE TAKEN TO BRUINS
WICK IN ADAY OR TWO.

Put In His CeII-TaIked Calmly of
His Attempt at Suicide-Denied Pa
per TO Write a Letter and SO Left
the Bloody Marks On the Cell wall.
The condition of p. II. Mabry, the South
ern Express Company embezzler confined
In the Savannah Hospital from the eff
fects of his suicidal wound, is improving,
and it IS now thought he can be removed
within three days.
In conversation yesterday he seemed per-
fectly at himself and gave no evidence of
being depressed by the fate which is
hanging over him. He is still being
guarded by the police. and the watch IS
closely kept because 1t IS not thought i'm
probable he may again attempt sui
eide If an opportunity is given him.
There has been no improper conduct on
his part since he was taken
to the hospital. however, ana
he passes much of the time
talking with the officers about his case
He was tolo of the prayers offered in his
behalf in Brunswick, and was much at
fected by the news.
There seems to be a sympathy for Ma
bry, and while his conduct in many ways
appears incomprehensible, few are inclin-
ed to brand his act as an aggravated case
of embezzlement. As messenger on the
road and agent at Brunswick, he has been
with the company over eighteen years,
during all of which he had a good record
until few months ago. Then, too, be-
fore .eaving, there seems TO have been SO
little generalization on his part thai he
xrra- l.r. 1l1s 11a
coming of the route agent
and the discovery of shortages.
When seen at the hospital by a Morning
News reporter, Mabry appeared cheerful
and talked freely of the robbery, his de-
parture and flight, the route he took, mis-
capture and the attempt at suicide in his
cell at the police barracks There seemed
no disposition on his part to suppress any
thing in connection with his case. His
cheerfulness, however, is probaly account
ed for by a telegram received from his
wife in which she tenderly holds out good
cheer and encouragement to the despond-
ent husband.
THAT money felt like lead on me and I
never had anything on my shoulders that
seemed heavier" Mabry said. 4
am not thief at heart,
and never intended to spend
the express company's money. After leav-
ing Brunswick, remained The next day on
the OUTSKIRTS oil Town ana CAME near It.
turning L knew they would scour the
earth for me ana when nearing Savan-
nah-though l didn't know i'll was in
different and cared little whether taken
by the officers or not. Four dollars of The
money in my possession belonged TO me
and what l spent for provisions was TAX
en- from that.
THAT which weighs most heavily on my
mind is the loss of honor. 1 do not care
for tho n1pisbrnaOf How ran / ever
anything to do, even though ! am liber-
ated? The world is cold and is bitterly set
against a man who gets into such trouble.
But it was not my fault altogether.
Two men forged papers on me and when
the express company held me response
BILE, l either had to pay the amounts or
quit. Installments were being deducted
each month from my salary, and the liv-
ing expenses are such in Brunswick that
j run short of resources on assuming these
matters. Many times l signed reports o.
X, after which I went 10 the quiet of
my room and wept over it,"
Mabry laid stress on the fact that his
downfall was due to the assumption of
debts where fraud was perpetrated on
him, but did not seem inclined to put the
blame on anyone else.
Where did you get the penknife with
which you cut your arm at the police bar
racks?" Mabry was asked
a
was searched at the barracks, but they
did not take it from me. That knife was
a Christmas gift l received shortly be-
fore leaving. 1t had one blade
and also small pair of scissors attached
TO 1t. l never discovered this, however
until on the way here, when l brought
the scissors into use for the first time by
clipping my mustache. Little did / ever
dream that that would be the first use to
which l would put that knife when 1 re-
ceiYed It, and never dreamed | would try
to take my life with it in a prison cell l
had no trouble locating the radial artery,
and knew just where to jab for it, I
studied anatomy when a small boy, and
am familiar with the arteries
What did you intend to convey by the
blood marks on the walls of your cell?"
Death! Death!-thats all I can say
struck my wrist four blows with the knife
and when the blood spurted profusely. l
thought l would soon die. Before cut
ting my wrist l tried to get paper ana
pencil to leave final note bur
1t was denied me. Then l resorted to the
lettering on the wall which expressed my
horrors and misery"
Within three days Mabry will be thor
oughly over his weakness, and he will
then be taken to Brunswick pending an
investigation of the case. He expects to
give bond, and while a large bond viii
100000
surrounding the case, such as the re-
cOvery of all the money and the quick
catch, may have the effect of lessening
the amount below what might otherwise
have been required
Mabry does not understand that he will
be prosecuted by abe express COM
pany but by his bondsmen. the
North American Guarantee Company of
New York. Speaking of being prosecuted
by the express company he said he had
been i'm two serious wrecks while messen-
ger and was injured in both; yet never
sued the company for damages.
1t appears now, however. since the at
tempt at suicide failed. that Mabry in
tends facing the inevitable and pulling
through the best way possible. That which
worries him most is the loss of credit and
honor and not the imprisonment, at the
threshold of which he realizes he stands.
SCHOOL ROOMS FILLED.
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