The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1860-05-25

views OF MR.. FOWLER'S FRIENDS.
The New York Tribune, of the 10th
has an interesting article on the subject of
the recent Post Office defalcation. 1t esti,
mates that Mr.. FOWLER must have received
in the seven years he was Postmaster at
New York, at the very lowest calculation,
$500 900, from his salary, stealings, and
sums borrowed from friends. How did he
expend so much money, for when be was
missing from New York, he did not have
more than $4,000 in his possession? Mr..
FOWLER had fancy for dabbling in Patents,
and purchased good many, but the ven>
lures were small, rarely exceeding $1,000,
and once only gave as much as 81 500 for a
patent; but when the rights of these various
inventions were in his possession, he seldom
at least, never to any great extent-com>
mitted the further folly of attempting to
manufacture the articles specified. He did
not speculate in stocks, nor was be gam
bier, or even fond OF cards, never permitting
his losses at the table to exceed twenty or
thirty dollars. The Tribune then continues:
AS to his hospitality, it was large and
elegant, but could hardly be deemed prodi.
gal for bachelor in the enjoyment of such
an income as bis. He now and then gave
sumptuous dinners to political visitors from
the Southern and other States dinners,
perhaps, costing him couple of hundred
dollars each; but these were not unduly
frequent, and were to certain extent ne
cessary to the support of that prominent
position in politics which he strove to attain.
As for his other personal expenditures, they
were liberal and on scale fully meeting his
income of $4,000 year; but not, so far
as could be inferred, very greatly, if at all,
in excess of that amount. He was not lin
any manner drawing heavily on his purse) a
man of intrigue; or burdened with those
relations which sometimes engulf fortune,
without betraying any sign of where it
sinks. On the whole, bis habits, so far as
could be seen, were all such as might legiti-
mately have been INDUCED by man in
possession of his ostensible means; and again
we are forced back on the question, "In
what manner did Mr.. Fowler get rid of the
moneys thus shown to have passed through
his hands ?"
Our own theory is, that three.fourths of
the entire amount must have been expended
in efforts, constantly requiring to be renew
ed, to cover up an original deficit of not
more than $4,000 or $4,000, this deficit
having originated during that period when
Mr.. Fowler was dealer in the Stock Elk.
change. To cover $4,000 or $4,000
deficit in each quarterly account, required
an additional abstraction of $4,000 or
$4,000 ; and thus-even hoping for mir
aculous relief from some sudden rise in the
value of patent-Isaac v. Fowler went
on through the wretched months of wretched
years, hiding the vulture that was proving
on his vitals, and forced by the first false
step to persist in a descending course,
which became accelerated with every addi-
tional day. -.
This is one theory of the matter for Ger
tainly Mr.. Fowler-though of sanguine
and improvident temper-was not man to
be deliberately dishonest. He was one who
had an unhappy facility for pushing painful
subjects out OF sight. He could always