Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1876-10-06
Another Winslow Case!
A STORY OF
.OEFALCATION AND FLIGHT |

On Thursday Of last week il was rumored
that tho firm Of Bowman and Hopkins had
failed but as nothing definite was known,
nothing was said about the matter in last
weeks paper. But as further developments
we're made it became evident that it was
something more than failure. It appears
that Rev. Il. D. Hopkins, the junior member
of the firm had become greatly embarrassed
in his business outside the firm, and that
everything was not as straight as it should
be. The eliminating point was arrived at
last week Tuesday, when Mr.. Hopkins
hired one of Jerry Drews teams to 20 to
New Hampshire on visit, and for his health,
accompanied by his wife, saying that he
would be back before many days. This was
the last seen Of him.
When it was rumored that he had run
away, Mr.. Bowman, his partner, could not,
until Monday night, be made to believe but
what he would return and face the music
Then an Investigation was begun. Upon look.
ing over the books Of the insurance firm, il
was found that the company was involved to
the extent Of several thousand dollars, Mr.
Bowman for the second time losing his all
In many instances accounts had been collect.
ed and receipts given, but the books had moi
been squared, thus giving Mr.. Bowman the
idea that tho accounts had not been collect.
ed. In others, money was appropriated by
Mr.. Hopkins that was supposed to have
gone toward paying debts owed by the insur.
ance firm, but had never been paid. On the
other hand Mr.. Hopkins was very strict in
regard to the collection Of debts, pressing
the debtors much harder than did his prede.
cessors in business. Another of his transac.
tons was with the Methodist society at West
Concord. He had loaned the society the
sum of one thousand dollars, taking note
for that amount, signed by members repre-
senting the society. This note was put in.
to the bank with the understanding that
when the time expired, the note was to be
renewed. This was agreeable to the signers
who supposed that Hopkins lent the money
out of charity etc. But instead of doing
this Hopkins took the new note to another
bank, drew the money on it, and left the
signers Tor more properly the society
in the lurch. Another Of his transactions
was with produce firm, in Lowell, Mass.
which Hopkins used to supply with potatoes
being allowed to draw on them for expenses
On one occasion he over-drew TO the amount
of $4,000 or $4,000 Of which nearly two
thousand has never been paid. Mr.. Hopkins
name is on many thousand dollars worth OF
paper, from Lowell Mass to Derby Line
VT, nearly all of which will prove worth
less.
But these operations are not the wors
charges that can be brought against him
1t is pretty we'll settled that there are al
least two or three instances where forgery
has been committed by him. One well au
thenticated instance, is an Endorsement on n
note presented by him at the Lyndon bank.
The note was accepted, but when due was
not paid by the signer. A protest was sen
to one of the supposed indorsers, a promi
nent citizen Of this place, who declared that
the signature, purportiDg to have been writ
ten by him was forgery On account o
the entrsaties Of Mr.. Hopkins, the parties
engaged took pity on him and the matter
|
ter to have exposed his villainy and thu
have saved loss and trouble to innocent men
These appear to be but few Of the swiudIing
transactions in which Mr.. Hopkins was en-
gagged every day brings new irregularitie,
to light. In his transactions, Hopkins seem.
10 have had no mercy on his felow-men
| No ties seemed too dear for him to breal
and trample on even the christian religion
was defiled aud used as a help by him il
his various swindles. Anything to gail
money was his maxim and he adhered to il
The way in which the business was done auc
the sly way in which all traces of villainy
and treachery were covered up until the
grand eliminating point was reached, show
an aptitude for pure deviltry that W as hard
, exCeled by his illustrious predecessor, 4. D
Winslow.
No condemnation can hardly be too sever
, for a man who will thus rob trusting part
ner Of his last cent in order TO swell his i'll
gotten gains, and make the church itself q
poor as the traditional mouse. Tho exton
Of Hopkins defalcation is not known, tbougl
it is probably in the neighbOrhood of S25
600, and some say $4,000
As to his whereabouts, one story is tina
!, he is in Montreal, another that he Is il
Colebrook, n. III. sick. We do not kno,
whether or not an attempt will be made /
. bring him to justice. Mr.. Hopkins is an ex
Methodist minister and was in full compan
ionship With the church.
The county is full Of excitement in re
gard to the matter though the half has mt
been told them. 1t should be severe war;
ing to those who indulge in speculation an
!, extravaganza.
= Mr. Bowman has the sympathy of all
. this second revulsion by which he has lost a
!, his property. He does not propose to Civ
4 up yet, as will be seen by his card in anOth,
g column.