The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1874-10-09
FRAUD UPON A FARMER.
AN AMEI.1A NAN FALLS INTO TME
HANDS OF OILY.TONGUED
sWINDLERg. z
HE rs MULcTED OF FIVE HUNDRED.AN
SEVENTY DOLLARS, AND LEARNS
s A NEW LESSON FROM An. -. :.
OLD TEACHER. s.
The Offenders Arrested and Part or
the Money Returned.

+. . - i & -
The offenders Arrested and Part o
tho Money Returned.
On Monday last Mr.. Joseph: M. FoWikes,
well-known aud respectable farmer of Anne
lia county, arrived ia this city on busines
and stopped at the st, Charles Hotel. @Durin,
Tuesday and Wednesday he attended to th,
matters that brought bin here, and was fire
quently upon the streets. On WednesdaI
while walking along Main street he was ac
costed by plain.looking person, apparently
a countryman, who addressed him as Cap
tain Fowlkes, and asked the name of ths
street. Mr.. Fowlkes replied that that was Mair
lstreet, whereupon the countryman 6skeC
him where Thirteenth street was. He an
swered that he did not know the cross
| streets. The man seemed to be acquainted
with Mr.. Fowlkes, for he inquired of him
the health of his neighbors by name, and
in other ways COVE evidence Of knowing
the people of Amelia. Mr.. FowIkes could
not recognize him, but from his converse.
| tion and from belief that he had seen his
face before, took it for granted that he was a
countyman Of his.
| The man, after talking long enough with
Mr. Fowlkes to introduce himself, told him
he had just received q letter from his brother
In Kentucky, conveying the information that
a ticket which ne held, and which he eX:
hibited, had drawn $4,000 in the lottery.
This ticket the fellow said he was anxious
to have cashed here, but as he did not know
where the Office was, and was afraid that he
might not be fairly dealt with, requested Mr..
FoWlkes to accompany bim. Iu the kind
ness of bis heart, and with the purpose of
doing his supposed countyman some service,
| Mr.. Fowlkes consented TO do as he had
been asked.
The two started off together, and passed
from Main street up Twelfth 10 the Capitol
Square gate. There they asked co!ored
man where Thirteenth street was, and were
told to go down Franklin street one square.
They went on in the direction given, con.
versing together, the stranger mean while
adroitly lulIiDg all suspicious of the honesty
of his purpose and the reality of bis lottery
ticket business. At the corner of Thirteenth
and franklin streets the man who had the
lottery ticket stopped and looked around,
put some questions to passers-by as to the
locality, and finally came to the conclusion
that the place he was seeking was on the
second story of the house at the southwest
corner of Franklin and Thirteenth streets.
They went up the steps and entered a
room which Mr.. Fowlkes says looked very
much like an insurance or bankers Office.
The man showed his ticket, asked if he could
get the money there, and was answered af-
firmatively. There was no sign Of recogni-
ton between the ticket.holder and the two
or three other men present, and had there
been it is more than likely Mr.. Fowlkes
would never have noticed it, for he was then
we'll satisfied that the man he had so acci-
dentally met was all that he represented him.
self to be.
The ticket was exhibited to man at the
table. After rigidly scrutinizing it he said
it was all right, and was good for $500. The
owner of the ticket was surprised as well as
shocked. "Wby," said he. "my brother
wrote me that it would draw $4,000" "That
may be-" said the banker, for such ne seemed
to be, "but for all that, 1t is good only for
SsOO.n The ticket-holder, though consider
ably crestfallen and disappointed, agreed to
accept the $500. Then the banker gave the
ticket another scrutiny. "Why," be ex-
claimed, 81 thought this was whole ticket.
1t is only the eighth Of ticket. You are
entitled to but $780,"
The unfortunate ticketholder at this in
formation was almost ready to faint. He
wanted to take counsel of Mr.. Fowlkes, but
that gentleman told him that he knew no.
thing in the world about such matters; never
invested that way himself, and was not quail
fed to advise. With much anguish Of spirit
(looked if not expressed) he who had count.
ed first on $4,000, and had been rudely cast
down TO $500, and who was willing to take
$500 if he could get no more, saw his pro-
perts deprecated in value to 500. But ne
resolved to get that shadow ere the substance
faded altogether, and so threw down the
ticket. and two fifty-dolar bills were passed
over to him by the dexterous hands OF the
cashier.
After paying the $100 the lottery agent
remarked that he owed the man 81 more.
But he hadn't that change. He pulled QUO
q drawer and displayed heaps Of green6acks,
hut no one.dolar bills. AS the change was
not to be obtained the lottery agent offered
a ticket for that amount instead. After
some quibbling it was accepted. The ticket
bore a lucky number, and Mr.. FoWlkes's
friend drew $40 and two more tickets. Then
his heart was swollen with gratitude. he
s11sbed out, "My friend" addressing
Mr. Fowlkes, "take one of these" Mr..
Fowlkes declined. The other insisted. MIR.
Fowlkes stated that it was not his practice
to bet. "Oh,'' he responded, "this is not
betting: this lottery is authorized by law J"
MIR, FowIkes suggested that there were no
lotteries authorized by law in Virginia. He
readily replied, "This is the Kentucky lot
tery.O But still Mr.. Fowlkes resisted temp
tation. Then the fellow declared. that he
was so deeply indebted to him for showing
him the Way, &c, that he would draw the
two tickets and divide the proceeds. Ihis
he did, and he won $3.50 and more tcKets.
Then there was another venture, ana ne
drew $40 and more tickets.
Again was Mr.. Fowlkes urged to try bis
luck. He was told that he might win fifteen
or twenty thousand dollars; that'the1e were
no blanks; that the lowest number was
eight; that if he won all so we'll and SO good {;
| il he lost. the money already won would OH
set it. Piled with all sort of arguments, de-
ceiyed in all manner of ways, blinded by the
successes of the other fellow, he consented.
No Joubt he saw in anticipation nlni-
| self laade rich through this "au'
| thorizeo, lottery" As matter OF form
he was required to put up S570. Itwas only
q matter ofform; the law required it-per'
| haps foolishe, but still the law required 1t,
and the law n,st be obeyed. Mr.. Fowlkes
4 had only abou13i0o about him, and had 20
step down to Hasey & Jones's to get the he
balance. He quicky returned, and the S570
j was placed on theAble. There was for o
1 moments a lingering o,he tickets the cash.
| Ter then opened bis aWer then quickly
| I enid. a You have lost 4; sn swept the S57O
into his drawer, and the taRg was done.
Mr.. Fowlkes, astonished what had oc'