The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1918-09-17

I and 1t was q help to him. At tina
stage he Is getting to appreciate tn
fact that he has a snap. He get
, along better after that, and the worl,
looks more rosy. He Is getting t,
be near-embezzler now. but h
does not realize the change that 1
taking place in his own bosom. H
goes along and is kept on the Job
. reelected and complimented, an,
nobody ever observes that he ha
been doing just what he did. II h,
is in a city or county office he Il
never checked up closely, and tina
is surprise to him. He gets tt
saying to himself that they woult
not know 1t even IL he did not restor,
the money he borrowed of himself
At this stage he is getting to be ar
embezzler at heart. but he is very
4 chicken-hearted about it. He Dor.
rows larger amounts for a definite
period of time, makes it serve his
purpose and puts it back. He Is
now growing holder. He lives In
greater luxury than before, and his
friends rejoice that he can afford all
these things. IN their own minds
they consider that he is overreaching
himself q little, but because he has
always been frugal and thrifty they
think he will stay close to shore now
and catch up with himself. Soon
he adds other things they did not
know he could afford, and again they
are glad. This goes on until they
lind that he has little money laid
up and that he has done a little
specializing and has made good. He
now acquires the name Of being we'll
fixed and shrewd. That adds to- his
influence, and he is trusted more,
and more opportunity comes to hand
In his affairs. Nobody ever checks
up his accounts and he gets SO he
never puts anything back. He lives
1t up and loses it in bad investments
and finally gets to where he could
not repay it If he tried. From that
time he seeks to cover up SO well
that shortages would be hard to dis
cover. Sometimes men in such pre-
dicaments take larger sums to invest
in risky things hoping to make
enough to pay back everything, and
they lose again and again. In any
event he is an embezzler and it has
reached the stage where he can not
help it, no matter how much he
would like to. He has lost his self
respect and he would like to get it
back, but he can't do it, and he is
unhappy. But that is not all, he
worries for fear of being exposed and
punished. Even If no punishment
comes by the hand of the law, it is
hard blow to his family and friends
to learn that such a condition exists,
When the crash comes he is so peni-
tent he is no longer an. embezzler at
heart, but merely an embezzler in
fact, and he can not get away from
the fact. He would give the world |
II he could, for he has sincere desire !
now TO be back where he once was /
in the estimation of his fellows and /
in his own estimation. Just at the
time when he needs help and SYM
pathy and chance to begin anew
and build up really honest man
who abhors dishonesty, he is no
longer trusted and he has forfeited
most of the sympathy and the right
TO help and opportunity. All things
combine to make it hard for him.
All things combine to close his active
career just as they stand when the
crash comes, without any opportunity ;
or him to patch up a bad situation.
When you have read the foregoing,
'ou have read in a general way, the {
history of how embezzlers are made.
)ne man may start off wrong because t
lie is morally weak, another may t
tart wrong because his wife wants t
o cut some figure in society and ,
resses him for money in way that
tings his pride too hard; another 7
las desires of his own that he can
at1sfy best by parting with money,
ut In any event he was probably \
n honest man with honest endeavors
t one time, and gradually changed.
In addition to the big embezzlers :
rho are caught or exposed, there is t
supply of spongers at all times get v
ing themselves into condition to s
asily become embezzlers. They fl
an be found in all the walks of life e
lany person condemns a real en- a
ezzler, but if employed by firm, fl
i'll write personal letters on the b
flee stationery and stamp letters s.
'om the supply of postage provided c.
y the firm. 1t is small matter, r.
ut after all, about the only differ p
nee between the one embezzler and
lie other is a difference of degree.
any event the embezzler keeps his
to himself as much as
3 can. Sometimes a man steals
oney and urges his wife to spend it, :
10 she does not know how he came "
it. Embezzlement is a growth, m
ot an outright jump from honesty p
crime. d.
h