The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1911-03-03
In Statement Jesse Seaver
Says Temptation to Live
Beyond Means Was Too
Great to Resist.
WEEPS WHEN ASKED
ABOUT HIS MOTHER
Will Resume Studies for Min
istry in Prison and Will
Write Poetry to Pay Off
All His Debts.

With deep sob, Jesse Seaver. the
boy preacher and forger. who went
to Jeffersonville reformatory this
morning to serve an indeterminate
term of from Z to IA years. broke
down and wept repentantly. when he
was asked what he supposed his moth
er would think when she heard the
news of his conviction.
1t was the first time Seaver had
wept since his confinement, and
many of the other prisoners paused a
minute in the midst of their card
games. and hilarious singing and their
hlase faces softened bit In sympathy
for the young convict.
Don't. Don't. Oh, God. don't talk
about that" he implored the reporter.
Then when he became more compos-
ed. he said: Il couldn't help it, can
see mother now telling little sister
how it happened that went wrong,
and see her making excuses to father
for it. When they read the news-oh,
| can't bear to think what they will
do then. l have more regret for what
have done on account of my parents
and brothers and sisters. who are liv-
ing in torture now because of me. than
facing a penitentiary sentence"
Intends to Pay Debts"
During his stay in the penitentiary
he thinks he will make the time profi-
liable by studying for the ministry and
by writing poetry, through which he
hopes to earn enough money to pay
all his debts.
Seaver regards his forgeries in pc
cular light. He says that they are
his debts. every cent of which he will
some time pay. On his account book
these are registered at debts" Sea-
yer declares that the police have mis-
represented his forgeries, for he says
he had never forged a check until after
last Christmas. He says that the to-
tai of his forgeries will not amount to
| over s157. The other debts he said
are honest ones.
for the press" he said, after he had
been cheered up. Then, expecting a
long story, the reporter pulled ci-
garette from his pocket and started to
strike a match, but he was politely re-
quested, 'if it wasn't too great a sac
rifice," to dispense with the smoke,
| for the young minister-forger said il
was nauseating to him.
Seaver's Confession.
The confession dictated by Seaver.
with great emotion, follows, in part:
| Il consider it proper for me to make
public confession and explanation OF
| the offense for which am sentenced
to the reformatory. In August. 1906,
! was converted and called to the minis
! try. Since that time have been try
| ing hard to do right and abstain from
doing wrong. Up until year ago my
efforts had been attended with sue
cess. | have striven to do my Mas
ter's will and to lead others to him
that they might be saved.
But about year ago came in con
tact with temptations which was not
/ Il
yielded to their influence | became
extrayagant and liberal with my
means and got into the habit of con-
tracing debts. Last fall was in col
| lege for one month, but left to sell
books l was not as successful in this
line OF work as had hoped to be and
my expenses were greater than I ex-
pected
Il made some unprofitable invest
ments and left some debts behind
when I left school My creditors de-
manded payment at time when
was unable to settle have no rea-
sonable excuse to present for using
dishonest means, but / must confess
that / secured money through fraud
to meet my financial obligations to-
wards others. At the time I secured
this money dishonesty l did SO with
the intention of repaying when ] be
came able / must confess that did
a very wrong thing in getting money
through false pretenses.
/ Prison Will Aid Him.
i 81 am exceedingly sorry that have
been guilty of the offense and am will
ing to suffer the penalty of the law
patiently and like gentleman. ! ex-
tpect this experience to be blessing
to me rather than a curse. The time
which I spend behind the bars will
i not be lost for expect to improve ey-
q. Continued on Page SixD