Newton Edwards began life
under the brightest aspects. Of respectable parentage, he had enjoyed
the benefits of a liberal education, and his first essay in business had
been both fortunate and profitable. Beloved by his family, and admired
by a numerous circle of friends, he deliberately gave himself up to a
life of excess and dissipation, and the end was soon to be a dark and
gloomy prison.
I will, however, leave him to tell his own story, and the moral of it is
so plain that he who runs may read. We were all seated around the fallen
young man awaiting his recital, and after a few moments of hesitation
and embarrassment he began:
"I will tell you all there is to relate, and in order that you may fully
understand my present situation, I will commence with the first
temptations, which finally led to the commission of this crime."
"Yes," said William, encouragingly, "tell us all."
"The robbery of the Geneva bank was planned more than six months ago,"
continued Edwards, "but its real origin dates back more than a year. At
that time I was traveling for a large house in the city, and was
receiving a liberal salary. I had a large trade, and my employers were
very generous with me.
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