The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1903-09-01
DIRECTOR MARKS SURPRISED.
Thought Dewey Made Mistake-He
Suggests to the Other Directors
That the $1,000 be Sent to the Alb


u l4S oA1o D1AAb
Charlotte man who had just returned
a visit to New Bern. Marks is
said to be the largest s~tockholder and
was the largest deposition. Tom Dan
ie,s,, now receiver for the bank, called
the directors together and said:
"'Gentlemen, it Is my painful duty
to inform you hat Mr.. Dewey has
A31, 900 from the bank, and
has left in the bank 81, 300
"'What?' cried Mr.. Marks, with his
right hand held behind his ear.
Mr.. Daniels repeated his statement.
Obi said MI. Marks. Mr.. Dewey
has made a mistake, is it not so? We
must find out where he is and send
him those 81, 800
DEWEY TELLS A JOKE.
1T was only recently, at a gathering
Iof convivial SOULS" continued the Char
llotte man, that Dewey himself told a
pretty good story on the late Honor
able Buck kitchin, who was a state
bank inspector under the fusion ad-
lm~iristration. Dewey said that Kitchin
|strolled into his bank one day and be-
lgan %buttoning his frock Goa in a very
laustere fashion. I am Mr.. K:tchin, the
bank Inspector he declared.
land I am Mr.. Dewey, the cashier
lof this bank was the reply.
well, Mr.. Dewey, you know what I
lam authorized to do under the law
lsai6 Mr.. Kitchin.
M Dewey knew and had his books
land cash ready to De examined. He
lproffered the books to Mr.. Kitchin.
"Mr. Kitchin ran his eyes hurriedly
lever the papers and said:
Mr.. Dewey, I must compliment you.
THAT is a perfectly remarkable set Of
books. And Mr.. Dewey, 1 must COM
IpHment you upon writing such a fine
hand, sir. Where is your cash?'
Mr.. Dewey pointed to the none
land said:
"'There it is-s27, 1855.
NJ Kitchin gazed gravely at the
money for a moment and then de-
lciared:
mr. Dewey, 1 believe you are
mind reader, sir. Do you know, sir, I
WAS just on the point of saying that
that was the exact amount in that pile
of money. Good day, SIR
land Dewey laughed more heartily
than anyone else at the old time
system of bank inspecting, and yet at
that moment he had robbed his own
bank Of over 500, 900 and had never
been suspected of taking a cent"
SOME SORENESS.
Do the New Bern people continue to
feel sore over the robbery?"
Sore is no name for it. They get
Imadder as the days pass. You see,
they had placed such implicit faith in
had held him up as a sort Of a
lmCdel, n his crime is a worse blow
Ito civic pride than to personal pocket
looks. The idea that the whole town
Twas fooled for SO long a time makes
Ievery resident angry beyond express
lsicn."
How do they account for the theft
Just speculation"
A DEGENERATE.
"Oh, speculation is only a detail so
far as is concerned. Dewey was
la Degenerate. Yes, 1 mean just that.
I have known him for many years. 1
knew him when he was more interested
lin Y. NJ. c. A. work and the Methodist
CHURCH than in anything else. He
would do to tie to then. But his real
downfall is to be dated from the time
that he quit the Y. NJ. c. A. and learn
led to dance and play poker. He did
Everything we'll, by the way. He was a
sTong and useful force in the church,
and he learned to play Il Of the
srloothest poker games that anybody
lever went up against.
ANY man who learns to be one of
1.-THE boys after he is twenty-five years
lo-d will bear watching. The world
places faith in the worst sort Of a dis
|slpated nan who reforms, but nobody
can afford to have confidence in a man
who has been good through mis- youth
land deliberately learns the ways OF
lnaughtiness after he is the full measure
lof q man and the head of a family.
lpeWeys embezzlement, or degeneration
ln a financial way, practically began
about the time he learned to waltz.
But nobody suspected anything and
the had the confidence Of every man,
woman and child in New Bern who
tkneV him.. He was a big hearted, gen
tile sort of a fellow, but entireley too
Inruch of a lady. Why, he was the best
dressmaker in New Bern, and he could
make every part Of a woman's dress
bottom to top, inside and outside.'
Where do you suppose Dewey is
now?"
In New York. New York, Paris OF
London are the places where any
criminal who is a wise man goes tc
hide himself. Nobody but a fool will
SET sail for some faraway country, for
the chances of detection there are
treble I'VE what they are in the three
largest centres. Yes, the New Bern peo-
FIle say Dewey is a downright genius
that he is in New York and that he
Can stay there safely as long as he
wants to, despite the reward of s4,00t
for his apprehension. You remember il
has been stated that he can grow d
beard in three days. By this time n
may have a beard Of n color that be
wants to, and he is just the kind Of q
mar who would be a consuc!mate art
list in Disgusting himself"
Any chance Of his becoming con-
science stricken and surrendering him.
lself?"
Not Dewey. The record Of the mar