The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1900-08-24
HIS FAITH WAS DESTROYED.
MIR. w. f. Chaplin Found Benevo-
Ience Was Its own Reward.


Superintendent w. F. Chaplin. county
superintendent of public works and roads,
has had a recent experience that has
sadly impaired his store of confidence in
human nature.
There is a negro about town who goes
by the name of Joe Brown He is distin-
guished, or ra her characterized, by an
ineradicable and inextinguishable fond
ness for the goods ana chattels of others,
and an absolute inability to, distinguish
between meum ct tuum. He has spent
the greater part of his some what check
cred career on the county chain-gang,
committing some new offense, being ar
rested and sentenced to a new term as
fast as he served a former one. and was
discharged from custody.
Brown was last discnarged from the
gang some six or seven months ago, and
for a time manifested an apparent desire
to be good. At any rate, if he committed
a crime. he was not deteci ed, and arrest
ed, and. during that period, was wont to
carry about with him a very disconsolate
air.
One day Brown went to Supt. Chaplin
whose Office had enabled him to CLEAN a
minute acquaintance with Browns past
history, the thefts he had committed and
the terms he had served on the gang
Nevertheless, Mr. Chaplin was moved to
pity by Browns doleful appearance and
fearful appeals and not only relieved his
immediate wants, but gave him posi-
ton about his stables Time
passed and Mr.. Chaplin had
reached the conclusion that Brown had
permanently reformed. Nothing was
missed from the house and the negro
seemed to have become a model servant.
Recently however, various small arti-
cles began to disappear. They were not
of a character though to attract the Gu
pidity of man and suspicion did not
point to Brown. When Mr.. Chaplin went
yesterday to the lockers in which he is
accustomed to keep his hunting and fish
ing tackle he discovered that his gun
two revolvers and some other small arti-
cles were missing. He went to Brown.
Brown" quoth he, Where is my gum"
II don know, sah,' said the negro, in
glib reply. 81 never knew you had a gun
Something in the mans attitude and
manner convinced Mr.. Chaplin he was ly-
ing and he made a grab for him. He
got the negro by the scuff of the neck
meaning with his fist when Brown
stopped him. ''IH tell you where your
gun is he said.
The negro reached over behind his bed
and pulled out a bunch of tickets. They
represented. severally, the gun, revolvers
a razor, a pair of trousers and a mackin-
tosh. all of which had been Hypothetical
by the ingenious Brown at the local pawn
shops For the macintosh, as good one
as Mr.. Chaplin could purchase. Brown had
obtained the princely sum of forty cents
At the shop where his gun had been
pawned, Mr.. Chaplin was urged to pay not
only the amount of the loan
but also the interest the pawnbroker had
expected to get from the negro. He re-
fused. Needless TO say he owed the
pawnbroker nothing and could have re-
covered his property without the payment
of a cent. Had he done so it would have
been a step in the direction of the amend
meut of the condition which prevails in
Savannah. which enables a thief to dis
pose of his plumber without any trouble.
Thus has Mr.. Chapln's faith been shat
tered. He had thought he was assisting
in the reformation of a criminal; he now
perceives he has but opened his doors for
the reception and made easy the prac-
tees of a very ordinary but absolutely
incorrigible thief.