The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1907-05-31
MYSTERY CLEARED.
MIR. John W. FaIrey, Bank Cashier
Returns to His Home.
He Suddenly Disappeared ana Wont
West Whore He Remained For
SOmc TimN

West Whore He Remained For
Some Time.
"A story full Of and mean
Ing from Orangeburg, says Col.
August Kohn, in one Of his letters
from Columbia to The News and
Courier. In many Of It's details It is
remarkable and brim full of what the
novelist would call human interest
BY the merest chance a bright young
man has been restored to his family
and to an honorable position I'm his
home and among his people. He left
home mysteriously. He returned
almost from the unknown.
The News and Courier ava back
in September told how John w. Fair
ey left Orangeburg one Sunday after
noon, and how, when he was in New
York, he wrote the president Of the
bank of which he had been tho trust
ed cashier that he had gone, and that
he would not be heard from again.
He indicated that his accounts wore
hopelcssly involved and that he could
not stand the strain.
The suggestion was then made
that he had left home for other rea-
sons. No one could understand the
disappearance. Cashier Fairey wrote
that his accounts were tangled and
asked his family and friends to spend
his money to set him and his family
right assuring all that ho had not
taken Il dollar.
That was the last heard Of him
since last September. He felt that he
was done for" and studiously under
took to lose himself. He went to
New York, but that was not far
enough, and then he went on to
Chicago, and still on to Denver and
Salt Lake City and San Francisco,
and even to Honolulu. Then he
came back to California and finally
went to El Paso, which Is on the
~borderland between the United States
and Mexico.
There he thought himself safe
from identification and the detectives
Of the bonding company. Month af-
ter month passed and he tciled as a
day laborer. Never a word did he
write or hear from home. He want
cd to be alone.
One day while working in a pack
ing house he was asked to put down
some figures. He did so and check
ed them up. The foreman was so
surprised at his speed and accuracy
that he reported the fact to the Of
flee, and the young mar was asked
If he wished n place in the office.
Then he was asked for references.
The wanderer said he had no refer
cnccs and could give none, but that
he could look every one In the eye
and truthfully say he was honest. The
situation was curious, but the young
man was asked to accept a position
in tho Office, with the statement that
he could supply no recommendations,
that he was honest and hat he only
cared for clerical work.
Then came a p%rovidential meeting.
Month after month John Fairey had
not seen a familiar face, he had seen
no II he knew after he left the
East. But n day, not many days
ago, he encountered DR.. Sam M. Deal,
who had gone to live in one of the
health giving outdoor camps, at Eel
Paso. Young Fairey at first thought
he would avoid DR.. Deal, hut they
fully recognized each other. Dr..
Deal has himself been away from
Columbia for many months on &C
count Of his health, but he had kept
In QUO with homo affairs. IEo had
known Mr.. Fairey intimately while
they both served in the Spanish
American war, and they were good
friends. DR.. Deal was assured OF
Mr.. Fairey's honesty, but Mr.. Fairey
felt that same dependency and hope
l%essness Of getting his accounts
straight.
Then Dr.. Deal, of his W accord,
got in touch with home folks and
with Mr.. Thomas f. Brantley, who
has been persistent and faithful in
trying to clear the record Of his
brother-in-law, in whom he always
had the utmost confidence. Con
ferences were held with the bank
officials, correspondence passed and
as a result John w. Fairey Is today
in Orangeburg, with a clean and
clear record and as happy as man
can be. His own reputation has been
cleared and his family e%scutcheon Is
as bright as it ever HIS been.
Why did John Fairey leave home
in this mysterious way? He does not
know. He simply says he got ratified.
lie now tells that when he worked
that first 1T was 500 out. He re-
ported this to President Moss, but
expected to get it Strengthened out
promptly. Then he figured and the
more he figured the worse it got
until 1t rounded up $4,000. He
could not find the trouble. He work
ed until his head was dizzy and hen
thought how he could get away. He
went to New York without telling
any one a word Of his troubles. AS
he got on the train for Chicago he
mailed three letters telling of his
troubles and assuring all of his hon
csty.
That was tho first any one knew
OF his leaving O%rangcburg for more
than a brief rest. The matter Great
ed Il sensation but throughout the
weeks OF speculation and excitement
there was never q suggestion that
John Faircy had stolen a cent from
the lGdiSto Bank. If he really had
wanted to take anything he could
have taken the $4,000 In cash that
was in the bank vaults and applied
the time lock and as cashier he might
have used the balances In Philadel-
phia and New York, but such n thing
never entered his mnd. His sole
thought was to get away and not to
be recognized. He says he simply
became ratified and could think of
nothing more than the unbalanced
books and the folks he left behind.
While in Honolulu for six weeks
he saw several South Carolinians,
but none Of them knew him, and
when he went to Eel Paso every day
he passed the telegraph Office, in
which Tom Glover sat as manager,
and yet he a not recognized.
Glover was born and reared In
Orangcburg. While John Faircy was
working as receiving clerk and thon
as G.. O. ID. clerk and as bookkoeper