Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1876-01-28
The PeriIs of Richmond.


POKER-A COUNTY JUDGE HEAVY
wINNER-A GAMBLER GETS SOME OF
THE FEATHERs-CHAMPAG AT WoR-
sHAM's CLUB HoUsE-THE DUELLO AS
AREMEDY,
&C., &C., &C.
The newspapers Of the state are justnow
filed with accounts of the losing of $4,000
of the funds of the defuncJ Montpelier lot
terry by Capt. W. H. Fowle. member
of the legislature from Alexandria, at
Worsham's club house, in Richmond,
part of the funds having been won by
gambler named George Hill, and the other
by Judge Stevens, county judge of Nelson.
The Alexandria Sentinel" of the goth
inst, says:
Inasmuch as all sorts of rum ors and mis-
statements are in circulation in regard to
the trouble in WHICH Captain FOwle has
fallen, we deem it best to give the true
history. When he was selected to manage
the Montpelier lottery, with the purpose OF
trying to revive it, and secure it's further
running on a safe basis, and with the laud-
able view, as it is stated, of returning their
money to the ticket-holders, it was DEEM
ed best to convert the money then in bank
into bonds, that it might not he lying idle.
This was done. and the funds, except
such as were required for current expenses,
to-wit, $4,000 were invested in 3.65 Dist
riot bonds, at low and safe figure. Burke
& Herbert were requested to take charge
of these, but on their informing Capt.
Fowle that they would not be responsible
for them, if burnt or stolen, he concluded
to keep them in his own possession, and,
unfortunately, took them in his trunk to
Richmond, till he could advise with the
directors. There was his mistake, but
made with good purpose. =.
He had had them with him there a
month, when on the first day of January
he fell in with Judge George Stevens, of
Nelson county, and subsequently with one
George Hill, professional gambler. He
drank champagne with Stevens, and after
that has most confused recollection Of
what happened till he realized the fact that
his bonds were gone.
THE REST OF THE SAD STORY
is told by the alexandria Gazette" which
has the following
On the evening Of the 9Th of January,
Mr.. Alexander Hunter, of this city. re-
ceived a telegram from Richmond in these
words, :'Be here at onca," signed W. H.
Fowle. In obedience to this summons
from his tried and true friend of years
standing, Mr.. Hunter started Immediately
for Richmond. by the night train, and on
the morning of the 9th inst, found his
friend, Capt. Fowle, at the Richmond Club
House, in company with his friena Mr..
gentlemen knew of the occurrence, and
it was deemed, after consultation, best to
keep the whole matter profound secret
and try to compromise it. Mr.. Hunter
went at once to see Judge Stephens, of
Nelson county, who had rooms at WOr-
sham's Club House, and in a personal in
terview with him, Mr.. Hunter informed
him that he, Hunter, had full power to act,
and that he was friend of Capt Fowle,
was prepared to arrange the ma tier at once
and that he, Judge Stephens, must either
surrender portion of the amount he had
won, or meet the Captain, before sun set,
outside of the city limits, and appeal to
the arbitrament of arms, subject to the
rules of the code. In response the Judge
answered that he had nothing personal
against Capt. Fowle, and that only for the
sake of his own feelings would he give up
portion of the amount. Upon being in
terrogated, he said that at different times
he had played draw bluff with Capt. Fowle
in private room, with no witnesses, and
that the sum total of winnings was a six
hundred dollar check on the German Bank
of Alexandria, and ten five hundred dollar
District of Columbia bonds. After d
lengthy interview an arrangement was
made, and Judge Stephens placed into Mr..
Hunters hand, six bonds of FIVE hundred
dollars each, and the check for $500, ma
king ing all Sc, 900, and acting for his friend
Mr.. Hunter gave a written acknowledge
ment of a satisfactory settlement to Judge
Stephens. Mr. Hunter at the time thought
the money lost was some of Capt. Fowle's
own private funds, and deemed it better to
recover the money, than to force Judge
Stephens into duel with his friend.
Placing the money in bank, Mr.. Ii unter
prevailed upon his friend to accompany
him to Washington, and on their arrival at
the st. Mares hotel, he found that Geo.
H ILL., nephew of WOrsham'S, at Richmond
had also won from Capt. Fowle eight five
hundred dollar bonds, and that Hill was in
New York city. Then it was that Mr..
Thos. Beckllam was informed OF the affair
and leaving Capt. Fowle in his charge, Mr..
Hunter proceeded to New Y DIRK in search
of Hill, but cou d not succeed in finding
him. While in New York he received Il
telegram from Washington, saying that
Hill was at Parker's Club House in that
city, and Fastening back, Mr.. Hunter saw
Hill and insisted upon his disgorging the
greater part of the bonds. Hill agreed to
do so, and went to Richmond on the night
train. Mr.. Beckham and Mr.. Mitchell ac-
companying him. The next day, after
good deal of interviewing. Hill turned over
to Mr.. Beckham, who now assumed control
of Captain Fowle's affairs, ST. 900 in cur
| rency. The bonds recovered by Mr.. Hun
ter were placed in the hands of Major
Thomas Brander. OF Richmond, with in
! structlons to have them deposited in bank,
! which was done, and whilst in washington
Mr. Hunter telegraphed to Senator Claugh-
ton to inform Maj. Brander to deliver the
nonds to no one whatever without his writ.
| ten order. Whilst in Richmond the last
| time, the bonds were placed in Mr.. Beck
hams hands by Major Brander and Mr..
Hunter, and by him consigned to the care
of Mr.. Thos. Smith, of the State Senate,
one of the trustees of the Montpelier AS
ISOLATION, and in whose hands they are
now.
This is the full and true account of the
whole transaction. The total amount OF
deficit is $6, 440 in currency.
When Senator Smith received the money
he called meeting of the Montpelier AS
ISOLATION, as stated in the Gazette" at
that time, but rs the call was responded
to by none save himself, the meeting was
postponed in the hope that something
would be done by which the remainder of
the lost money could be restored without
allowing the affair to become public. That
effort, as is seen, has been futile, and this
ends the Montpelier Association, which
seems to have had a blighting effect upon
many of those whose names have been con-
nected with it.
The Richmond correspondent of the Pc
tersburg sNews." says:
Judge Stevens. of Nelson county, is still
absent on visit to his home in that cOun-
tv. Now it seems that he won $1,000 of
Delegate Fowle's money, and returned
So, 900 of it. Every attempt was made to
keep the matter quiet, and, strange to say.
it was made public from a source little ex-
pected. The money was lost in Worsham s
gambling palace, opposite the Exchange
Hotel, and which is, by the way, the most
| elegant and snmntuouS place of the kind