The Savannah morning news., 1901-06-26
THE PRICE or DlSHoNoR.
CLUB MEMBERS DISCUSSION ENDS
WITH A TRAGIC TALE.
The Proud Southern Man who Con-
demned His Fallen Son, and who
Died With Him, Broken Hearted.
A Tale of Tragedy.

demned His Fallen Son, and Who
Died with Him, Broken Hearted.
A Tale of Tragedy.
From the New York Times.
Death as the penalty of dishonor was
the subject which cropped up in the
course of conversation among half dog
en- members of a certain club on Fifth
avenue the other evening Defaulting
bank cashiers was the topic that led to
it. Whether it behooves a man clearly
bred who has succumbed to temptation
and broken the seventh commandment,
or by the other breach of the moral code
has placed himself without the pale of
society. to execute justice upon himself
or to face the music" set to the tune
of his transgression by the law of the
land. was question upon which opinion
was divided.
Three of the company took the view
that to such a man-unless he had fallen
so low as to have lost physical courage
with his other virtues-there could be no
thought Of alternative between the bullet
ana prison CELL, or flight, They con-
tended that the delinquent was bound to
immediate himself upon the altar of fam
lily pride
Two of the others, however were not
satisfied that suicide was calculated to
eradicate in any degree the stain on the
family escutcheon. One subnStted that
elf-destructiou was THE recourse of a
coward, that it was in no sense an at
tenuation of his fault and only made bad
worse inasmuch as the act would inten-
SifV a hnndrp6fn1d a anUntch Of
who held him dear.
The way to look at IT. take it,, this. !"
said he. Assume for the sake of argu-
ment that the culprit is your own son.
He is on doubt as to which course to
take and comes to you to decide for
him. Would you hand a revolver to him
and tell him to so and blow his brains
out?"
No one undertook to answer this query
All of those taking part in the conversa-
ton were elderly. All were the fathers of
sons.
mo. of course you wouldn't" went ON
the questioner with conviction. LAS far
as / am concerned l am quite sure pa
ternal love would transcend every other
sentiment, and l should stand by my boy
in his trouble. For, in the last analysis,
what does man in such an extremity
care for society? Under the obligation to
choose, he is for his own flesh and blood
first and let's the world go hang And in
this he but conforms to one of nature 5
elementary laws"
II cannot conceive of a man with any
glimmer of decency left placing his father
in such position" observed one of the
sticklers for honor coldly.
which does not alter the fact" re-
torted the previous speaker, that were
the dilemma to present itself, you would.
on the principle you defend so uncompro-
misingly, be as much in duty bound to
condemn him to death as to take your
own life had you yourself perpetrated
the crime"
A Tale of Tragedy.
That is very true" assented the mem
Der of the group who had taken no side
in the argument. "And there are men
who place the pride of family above every
other consideration, and stop at no sac
rifice, however terrible, for what they be-
leve to be its honor. l was witness OF
tragedy illustrative of this, that / never
recall without shudder and the details
Of which / will relate as being peculiarly
pertinent 20 the point under discussion
Il was boy then, a student at Stew.
art College. now the Southwestern Pres
byterian University at GAINESVILLE. Tenn,
In fine old mansion on the outskirts OF
the town HveF friend of our family
splendid type Of the Southern gentle
man, bearing one of the best known and
most distinguished names in the state.
OF course, l cannot divulge his name.
We will call him Col. Hamilton. for the
sake of convenience. He had once been
very wealthy. but the Civil War had left
him barely enough of his fortune TO en-
abe him to keep up appearances.
He was widower. His daughter, a
mere girl, was the mistress of his house,
hold His only son was teller OF a bank
in certain populous town in Georgia.
The colonel was very proud of Jack-that
was she sons name-and fairly idolized
him. He had made every possible pecun-
larry sacrifice. even to mortgaging the old
home, in order that his boy should sta
in life equipped with the education and
somewhat of the means of a gentleman n.
and he based high hopes on the young fell
LEWIS intelligence and ability. JACK re-
sembled the colonel In form and feature.
which is to say that he was tall athletic,
and uncommonly handsome. with this he
was high-spirited and extremely sensi-
tive.
During the college terms practically
made the colonels house my home / was
regarded as one OF the family, and came
and went as l pleased, without ceremony.
zone afternoon--it was a Saturday and
l intended TO stay over Sunday4-I made
my way through the grounds, climbed
over the veranda rail 90 save myself the
trouble OF going around to the entrance.
walked through the drawing room win
dow. and opened the door OF the cblonePs
study without going through the usually
quite unnecessary formaliety of knock
ing. / had brought a book for him and
had gone straight to the study to shy II
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