The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-02-17
UNREFORMED.

THE MIsDEEDs OF AN Ex-CoNvIcT WHO WANTED
TO BE REsrEcTABLE-How DIR. FOWLER wAs
vIcTIMIzED.
That the efforts OF well meaning men to restore to
society unfortunates under the ban Of the law are
sometimes wasted illustrated yesterday at the
Central Office by the narrative of Charles w. Pattres
nisdeeds. Coming out OF the shadow of penal
institution with the stigma of crime fresh
upon him and with every act subject
to the pitcss scrutiny u the worlds suspicion. lac
wandering about at loss whittier to turn when
assistance and encouragement were rendered him.
They came from men who devoted themselves to
looking after the interests of offenders like him
and devisins means for leading them across
the barrier which shuts out the criminal from the
confidence of his fellows. pattrie ordinary
Jail bird. He well born. we'll educated and i'm.
bued with instincts which should have insured his
leading an honest and usefulifo but the influence
of evil companionshp native of Germany, he
had been well trained by his father who was man
of in Berlin. and after receiving a fail
education he was put at competitors case to
acquire trade is the custom among people OF his
class. On reaching this scountry he adopted
his old trade again rs means of support when
others failed him. but being erratic in his dispose
ton he seldom kept at it long At last he Numbered
into crime detected and for stealing largo
quantity OF clothing from a house he was stop
ping at arrested and convicted. The strict
regime of prison life opened his eyes to the value Of
the liberty he had lost and he felt fegned to feel
profound reinorse for his past misdeeds He had an
eye chances however and although he vowed to lead
honest life when opportunity offered, he did NOT
shrink from making intimxtes OF men who had grown
old in crime and who had schemes In of for
nation in their place Of confinement which would
prison. At last Pattric's term expired. He dis
charged.
EMPLOYED FOWLER.
For while he worked at the type cases but his
old instincts returned He gave up his situation and
was soon in sorry plight again. In
vertiscment for a translator and assistant in
preparing scientific works for printing and he offered
West Forteth street, who had advertised. and to him
Pattrie went for employment. He represented
himself being q master of several tongues and
S Sssi se.S'a With eonsiderable erontery he
mentioned for reference q number of reputable gen.
tlemen. and among others those who had assisted
him whom he liberated from prison. DR..
Fowler called one of these gentlemen.
nate nate man securing employment but felt it hia
duty explain his position and to state his untness
for the duties assigned him The Doctor however.
struggling against adverse fate he gave him employ.
ment.
Then did the ex-convict's nsinuating tongue begin
its work He furnished at intervals various high
colored pictures of his past career and his anticpa
tions OF the future; worked sedulously to gain
| his patrons confidence. and then began putting
in operation scheme which it is believed was sug-
| gested by others. Checks drawn for various
| amounts and endorsed by gentlemen with whom the
| Doctor was familiar were submitted to him by
| his employe, and ut the latter's urgent request
he cashed them. On this paper appeared ths
| names Of DR.. Elisha Harris and another physician
who befriended him. together with those of other
| gentlemen who had been of service Then
| he began to be irregular in attending to
his duties, his mind seemed engrossed with
| other matters and the Doctor at last
constrained to discharge him. The truth that he
his old associates Of the Jail and engaged
| with them in forging lot of commercial paper
| he had prepared for utterance, and for
| some time he was diligently engaged in
| visiting people whom he proposed to impose.
but before he able perfect his plans exposure
| came. Dr. Fowler had discovered that the checks
| he cashed for Pattrie were worthless. Yesterday
| he came to the Central Office and fur.
| nished the authorities narrative of the fellows
| misdeeds. They acted on the information at once.
Detective Ferris went to Pattries place OF abode:
| but 1t was too late-the bird had flown: By soma
hidden he had got wind OF the
| Doctors discovery and Saturday evening ha
cleared out. In the. house where he dwelt.
which is almost within o stones throw Of the Gem
trail ONCE other evidences Of his guilt were found
| traces of the work he devoted his nights to-the
forging of checks aud the preparing Of false pspers.
The occupants OF the place even OWNED his occnpa-
ton but restrained by his threats from making
j IL public.