The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1918-11-15
C. r. Woodward
Gets Two Years

C. R. Woodward, who was for years
Cashier of the Federal Lead Co. at
Flat River, entered plea OF guilty IN
Circuit Court here Tuesday to the
charge of embezzlement, and was
sentenced to two years in the peniten..
tiary. Even after the sentence had
been passed on him, MIR. Woodward
was given the privilege of going
about town unattended by officers,
and spent several hours among his
friends in saying good-byes, and Of
fered to go to the penitentiary unat-
tended, which offer was made appar-
emily in the utmost good faith, as he
appeared to be perfectly willing to
enter upon his term of punishment,
saying that he was guilty as charged,
and that it was only right that he
should be punished.
In conversation with some friends
he stated that he had nothing to con-
ceal; that it was himself, and he alone,
who was guilty of such embezzlement,
and that there was absolutely no truth
in the supposition which had been ad-
vanced that he must have had assist
ance in such defalcation, perhaps ow-
ing to its enormity. He also called at
tention to the fact that it was himself
who called the attention of the Audit
or of the Federal Lead Co. to the plan
that had been used in such defalcation,
before the shortage could be located,
Mr. Woodward also stated that
when he first started wrong that he
had no doubt but that he was mentally
incompetent; that he had been suf-
fering much from defective eyes, and
that his doctor had just told him that
he would soon be totally blind. When
that sentence was pronounced, he said,
it appeared to be worse than death to
him; that he felt something give way
in his mentality, and that immediate
ly an irresistible appeal was forced
upon him that he must hurriedly make
all possible provision for his family
before he was retired from work by
blindness.
Then it was that he began to play
the markets, and very soon ne was
compelled to "borrow" money from
the Federal Lead Co., to keep up his
margins. This proved, by the meth
cd he adopted, to be so "easy" that he
continued to "borrow" as calls for
margins multiplied, until soon he had
''tobogganed" so far down that we'll
blazed trail that it was impossible for
him to even hope to "pay back" what
he had BORROWED" Then, too, sue
cessful operation had somewhat re-
lieved that condition, and he regained
his mental equilibrium. Then it was
that he doubtless suffered intensely
when he fully realized what despond-
ency had brought upon him, and, as
he said. it was really a relief when
he told the Auditor all about his defal-
cation.
What he said about his strange case
was in no sense bid for sympathy.
In fact he did not appear to appre-
ciate expressions of sympathy. He
said he was guilty; that the legal pun
ishment was just, and that he was en-
titled to no sympathy; that he alone
was responsible. He also intimated
that he thought two years imprison-
ment would be slight punishment in
comparison to the mental anguish he
had already endured, largely on ac-
count of having brought such sorrow
and humiliation upon his family. All
those who heard Mr.. Woodward speak
of. his case Tuesday, after he had
been sentenced, were deeply impressed
that it was a heart confession, and
that he is not a criminal at heart, but
rather the victim of circumstances.