The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1903-10-06
A LETTER FROM EX-CASHIER
THOMAS DEWEY.


in hiding in this state. The idea was
ridiculed by the press Of the state, but
from the following, which We clip from
The News and Observer, it seems that
the suppositiOn is correct. His letter to
that paper was mailed at some point
between G~oldsboro and Greensboro
and shows that he or the person who
mailed the letter for him was in the
state at the date it was posted.
The News and Observer article and
the letter are as follows:
Below we print in full a letter re-
ceived by the editor from Mr.. Thomas
w. Dewey, eX-Cashier of the Mer-
chants and Farmers Bar Of New
Bern, who left New Bern some weeks
ago and has not since been heard from.
There was a large shortage in his &C
count. variously estimated at from
800 900 to $135, 900. The capital stock
Of the bank was $4,000.
The state bank examiner discov-
cred some Irregularities or shortage in
his cou on Friday, July 31st. on
Saturday night, August 1st Dewey
came to Raleigh. and no trace has
been heard of him since a little after
midnight, when he is supposed TO have
taken the midnight train on the Sea
board Air Lines bound for the north.
The Merchants and Farmers Bank
offered n large reward for his arrest,
the governor offered a reward, his pic
ture. with the reward offered. was
printed all over the country. but moth
ing has been heard from him from the
hour of his departure until the editor
OF The News and Observer received a
letter from him yesterday afternoon.
The letter was not addressed in Mr..
Dewey's handwriting, but was in the
handwriting Of a lady. 1t bore his
post mark:
"tGoId and Greens,
"'September 30, 1903.
"l1:35.'
The last line on the post mark is
too dim to make out. On the reverse
side of the envelope is this post mark:
Raleigh, n. c.,
Sept. 80. 4:30 p. m, o."
1t is addressed thus:
Mr.. JOsephus Daniels. Edr..
Raleigh, \. c.
n. c.
The letter is in Mr.. Dewey's hand
writing and covers four pages of Mr..
Dewey's back handwriting and is IN
full as follows:
""WILL YOU DO ME THE KIND
NESS TO PUBLISH THIS?
"'~Josephus Daniels. Esq. Editor.
Raleigh, N. G.
My Dear Sir: There have incl
dentaIIy fallen into my hands some
Of the reports published in both Raj
eigh and Charlotte paperS concerning
my defalcatiOnS, etc. which | de-
nOunCe as malicious lies-One IN par
ticular, two columns long. with scarce
ly n SemblanCe of truth from the be-
ginning to the end. The facts are
grave enough. but l will swear by all
vast c-N.ia+ip, md II- nv horo NJ
forgiveness by the Great Judge of all
hearts, that the true shortage will not
and cannO be made by HONEST men
to aggregate ONE HALF of amounts
published.
u have not as yet attempted any
defense, and if l eve do there Will
be a few shattered panes in the Glass
Houses of some of those prominent
families of New Bern who seem to
have swallowed their conscience Gf
they had any to swallow and are now
so eagerly and harShlv Sittin~ in judg-
ment against me; and while l say this,
/ have not a word of reproach for any
n who is trying to do me justice,
whatever the penalty OF that justice
may be. This l consider the unpar-
donabIe sin-to speak maliciouSly or
d~isparagingly of human souls, hunger
ing for hope. When the man without
brains does it. he can be pardoned for
knowing no better. When the man
with brains does ii. he should be
ashamed to look his fellow mOrtals in
the ewes. 1t is q sin ten times deeper
dyed thar giving a stone to those who
ask for bread. or giving poison TO those
who ask for n cup of cold water. My
heart has never been Intentionally
evil. nor am l the recipient of any ILL
gotten gains. I realize to the fullest
capabilities of a proud and sensitive
III CfOr the pail has hung hourly
before my eyeS,) the turpitude and
lasting shame Tin their every phase of
my errors, and remOrse must be my
eternal portion in this life. I have
never had any other idea than that of
returning voluntarily. if not other
wise, when l felt that I had the
strength and courage to do so. for my
present sufferings are far greater than
the Law of man can intlict. l wish
TO live only for the innocent mes de-
pendent upon me. There is nothing
we cannot live down. and rise above.
and overcome. 1 would rather learn
sympathy and nobleness of heart
through sin than learn it at
all T~ruthfully,
ct. w. DEWEY
1T will be observed that this letter
gives no hints of his whereabouts. 1t
Indicates tina it is his purpose TO re-
turn home and make a clean breast
OF the whole transaction. Indeed he
says he has always intended to re-
turn when he had the strength and
courage to do So
When he will return. how he will
return. and where he is nOw-the
tariIy 10 every Iip-all these are rs
tartyl TO every lip-aIl these are rs
much shrOuded in mystery as ever.
Hut the letter will be read with IN
Jerest by everybody in North Carolina
md all will expect that it is a pre-
cursor of Cashier Dewey's return.
Whether his conjecture IS true tins
1iou" can tell"