Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-07-10
The Daily Story
The Means And the Ends-By Cyrus Townsend Brady.
Copyrighted. 1914. BY Associated Literary Bureau

Certainly. The bank IL f3ne -,
ness proposition for small town -
such a defalcation would serso,,,s1
| cripple It. and run following ror,.
ruin it. Now. If you gentlemen war, I.
save the bank and protect your deress
tors it can be done"
You haven't called Us here -
sure" said the vice president houefu,.
without having something in MIN
What is ft?''
This" said the Judge. "Epd.,..
has number of friends here who i
willing to back up their friendship 4.
him with hard money. II you renf.
men viii guarantee TO keep the tha,,
absolutely secret among yoursehs
and to refrain from prosecuting Enas,,
by. who will, of course, resign from n.
presidency and the directorate A.
move away, his friends will raise "a.
600 in cash. and they viii place H.
amount in your hands today"
''If we should accept this OFFER sa,s
the vice president, amid general nur.
muir of excitement. land the ten Of Nc
who are here should each put an
5000. the defalcation would be mad,
goodT
"Tt would said Judge Beatty
promptly. The bank would be on 4
sound financial basis once more. and
the $4,000 would be paid back from
the profits which are certain under tu.
dicious management"
"And If we don't accept this cferT
asked Williams, the cashier.
1.-THE bank goes to the wall. you lose
at least 100000 cold cash and what
ever else might be involved in q dis
astrous and expensive liquidation and
the small depositors suffer terribly"
"In other words, you are Offering us
80 cents on the dollar" remarked d.
rector Taylor.
"Enderby promises to make good TIE
defalcation; he has certain matters
pending of little value now. but which
may bring in large returns. I am DO.
able to say just what they VIII be. bu,
he has put the matter in my hands
and IL the returns come in as be ez.
poets and as / expect, too. | viii b
quick to turn over to the bank enough
what evidence have we got Of
thatY' asked the vice president
my word of honor, sir"
But aren't we all compromising
felony?" asked Director Williams.
well" answered the lawyer, Il an
afraid, IL you ask for legal opinion
on that point, that we are. For my
part 1 don't mind telling you frankly
that I am doing it to save the deposi-
tors In this bank"
MIR. Vice President" said direc-
tor, IT move you that we accept Judge
Beatty's offer in behalf Of Enderby,
and IL he viii turn over to rs $4,000
in cash we Jointly and severaly agree
to say nothing to any one about the
defalcation, and that we further agree
to make good the amount over and
above the said $4,000 and to reor-
Ganize and carry on the bank under
new management"
ST second the motion" said the cash
fer.
'T suppose there is nothing to do but
put the notion" said the vice prest
dent. Are you ready for the question
gentlemen
And thereafter the motion was fmme
diately adopted unanimously.
Beatty took from his safe the SoO,vW
in bills which Enderby had banded nln
the night before, the wrappings and
anything else that would have loenr
fed it as having come from the pshf
having been destroyed.
Gentleman" he said, there Is YOU
money. Here also is an agreement
which i have drawn up embodying tne
substance of our arrangement, WcKn
you will be good enough to sign"
Gentlemen" said the vice president
"a document of this kind you VIII Al
sign with me, and. Judge beatV,i
think you had better sign it too"
. Certainly" said the judge.
am to be its custodian, have no Cd
lection"
THAT is all. take it," asked the
vice president
THAT is ALL" answered the olo az
torney, .'and, while legally our acton
is distinctly improper. i think we na'e
acted for the best interest OF the stoeA
holders and depositors OF the oans' q
pecialiy Of the latter"
"Yes. but | would like to ge' u,
hands on that scoundrel EnderDy. ~
have trusted him with anything, salo
one OF the directors.
Leave Enderby to me-" said Juuse
Beatty. HE is suffering enough nov.
and / think he has had lesson Una.
will last him. 1 believe that ne W..
pay back all that he took. too' Qua
that's In the future. Good mornihs'
Now" said the judge to himsen
after they had departed as he sat cow
1t the desk and stared at the IeAss
and deed-which. 10 anticipate uA
finally bring enough TO cover the oei
iIcation-'I certainly broke the NV
II the land. Have 1 transgresseo 'Ae
moral Law. or have l not? ! have un
saved Enderby; have save
he small depositors; have saved tn
bank. Has the end In this instanv
justified the means. wonder"