The Columbus journal. (Columbus, Neb.) 1874-1911, 1910-11-02
HITCHCOCK,S INGRATITUDE.

The Hitchcock BARLEY exposure
occupies the attention of the public
around here almost to the exclusion of
everything else. 1t is the topic of
conversation wherever two Ur more
people congregate. And one feature
Of the awful confession made by Mr..
Hitchcock, whether he borrowed state
money or Barley money, showed q
streak that does not belong in q United
States senator. That feature is thi,:
After admitting that he had borrowed
money from BARLEY, that the state
treasurer had come tn his assistance
at time when the wolves were howl.
ing at the door of the World. Herald
office, when he knew not where to
secure bread for his family, when star
walton and ruin was on every hand
and the gifts Of his relatives were
about to he swept away from him. and
his aristocratic head was about to he
bowed down in poverty and want, he
appealed to republican state treasurer,
Joseph S. BARLEY, for help. He
appealed not in vain. BARLEY advanc-
ed the. money. The wolf was scared
away, the Omaha editor took on new
life and his business prospered. His
family was fed and he took his place
among the wealthy men of the day.
Then hard times fell upon BARLEY.
Those whom he had saved from finsn.
cial ruin came not to his rescue. They
saw him carried to the state prison, a
convict SCARED for life; taken from his
home and from his family. And rs
Joseph S. BARLEY grew pale and thin
in his prison cell which he could have
filled with those who had helped 10
place him there by being partners in
his crime. Gilbert NJ. Hitchcock
prospered and grew rich.
BARLEY fought his way out Of prison.
He needed money just as Gilbert NJ.
Hitchcock needed money. He appeal
ed to Mr.. Hitchcock to pay hack that
which he owed him.
He appealed in vain. Gilbert NJ.
Hitchcock knew him not. When the
request was made for a settlement and
the note signed by Hitchcock present.
ed to him, he repudiated it. He defed
Joseph S. BARLEY to bring suit for its
collection. He threatened him with
criminal libel should suit be brought
to collect it.
"The debt is outlawed," was the real
son Hitchcock advanced for his reiu.
sal to help the man who had saved
him from poverty, his family from
disgrace and made it possible for him
to live and succeed. BARLEY was 10
sore straits, and the Opulent Mr..
Hitchcock, made opulent by the gem
crosby of the state treasurer, fore d
this man who had served a term in
prison with his lips securely sealed. I"
take only small portion ofthe amount
due, in exchange for the Hitchcock
papers.
Hitchcock, the democratic candi.
date for United States senator, the
editor of the World. Herald, the much
talked of head of investigating com.
mittees; Hitchcock, the moralist, made
his own statement that the note Bart.
ley held was outlawed. He gave that
as his defense for not paying it. A
debt that was contracted at q time
when he admitted his credit was had;
money that he admitted saved him
from bankruptcy.
Hitchcock is not made of the stuff
of which our United States senators
should be-" said a prominent democrat
today, in discussing the exposure. 81
may have overlooked his borrowing
money from a state treasurer; that
debt was contracted in hard times
when many others were borrowing.
But / could never overlook his refusal
to pay back the money because the
debt had been outlawed. Ingratitude |
is the basest of sins. Had Hitchcock
been q man he would have worked his |
fingers off to pay that debt. BARLEY |
saved him from Disgrace and from
ruin. Hitchcock with the start Bart.
ley gave him, got rich and could have
paid every dollar of that debt and not
injured his fortune. But he refused.
He pleaded the statute of limitation.
Just think of il. He, when rich,
to lay to poor man debt
he owed because it had been outlawed.
His own confession damns him. The
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