Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1907-11-08

A GOOD SPECULATION
myself | shall give myself up. and as
our relations. in the language of the
president, have been personally pleas
ant will save you the expense of
trial by pleading guilty. The maxi
mum sentence for my oifenSe under
the laws of the state Is ten years in
the penitentiary. With the communal
ton off for good behavior ii will he
about eight and half years. 1t will
he dull, but | shall not be idle. | have
never had leisure TO cultivate the
graces of the mind. have taste for
music. | will cultivate ii. | Will learn
a modern language or two When |
have served my term and am clear OF
the law | will come out of prison thir-
ty-nine years old, with cultivated
mind and q comfortable fortune of
S2J0.00O awaiting me. | can afford to
! go away, to travel in foreign countries
and enjoy life. or course | lost the in
terest on my $250,000 willie ! am in
! prison, but If | were TO live on air and
/ go naked and save all my salary |
) wouldn't have one-fftieth as much at
the age of thirty-nine On the whole |
think ! have made good speculation.
| Don't yOuf"
The opinions of the directors were
not very coherent just at this moment.
They made various appeals to him. on
the confidence they had had in him, on
| ha hn hnr an tb., IiSh
or he would incur, etc, but he re-
spOnded that all these had not helped
him to an increase in salary and re-
lentlessly quoted the language of the
presidents note to him that their re-
lations were purely a business affair on
both sides" Finally he said:
Our relations have been personally
pleasant, and have no unconquera Bile
desire to spend the next eight and a
half years in jail. | will make you Il
proposition. If you will sign bond
not to prosecute me and publish in the
daily papers a set of resolutions setting
forth that, whereas your valued and
trusted employee, John Smith, by the
receipt of legacy from deceased rel
alive has been relieved of the neces.
sity of further service. resolved, that
you part with him with extreme re.
greet, etc.-if you do this | will bring
back $l25,OO0 and content myself with
the other $125,O00. The interest will
make up good part of the loss to
me-"
1t was hard to give up $4,000 and
hitch it to Il set of resolutions compli
menting the thief, but 1t was choice
between getting half the loaf or moth
ing. Was the satisfaction of sending
him to prison for eight and n half
years worth $4,000 a year to them
They figured on it and agreed that II
wasn't.
They accepted his proposition. drew
up the bond and signed it.
You can get the resolutions in shape
by tomorrow he said, and have
them ready when | bring the money
t would scarcely be delicate for me tc
,e present when they are adopted"
Couldn't You bring it today, Mr.
smith, asked the president in a per
spiration.
mo. | haven't time to go after It
The work at my desk always keeps me
busy until the hour for closing the
bank. You will have to trust me til
tomorrow, and qs by signing the bono
you have committed yourselves to the
tompounding of a felony guess | car
trust you-even as a purely business
affair"
They were all on hand early mex
lay. Smith. the cashier said mot with
out some surprise at hearing the presi
dent inquire for him as Mr. Smith,
; had gone out to get his lunch.
, He was asked for half dozer
times before he came Every few min
utes the door Of the directors room
would open. perspiring face would
! be thrust out. and Smith would be fl
quired for Then the face would |
withdrawn, and the directors wou
fall to discussing whether, after a
Smith hadn't taken their bond and 81
ell them the slip. At the stroke Of
. the door opened and Smith walked i
: He picked up the resolutions. rea
them with approval, and, with
THANK you, gentlemen; this is ham
some" he handed a package to Il
: president. saying:
Here's your money"
Then he took his former stand /
the mantelpece and watched the
eager faces while they bent over
. count it. hundred crisp 200 bill
! then $4,000, some Of it In small d