Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-08-22
TOWLE,s QUEER STORY
why the Police Discredit 1t, and Why
the Doctors Hesitate.

Aep York HerdId, August CO.
Mr. Robert W. Towle, the planter, of
Iowlesville, near Palatka. Fla. is still a
patient in surgical ward l at the New
0rk hospital. The police have already
solved the mystery of his injuries to suit
themselves. According TO custom, their
theory IS that one which involves least
trouble Tor themselves. The surgeons are
sun greatly puzzled by the case, which is
really attended by some peculiar circum-
stances. The Central Office authorities
Yesterday made public their opinion Of
the matter. Inspector Byrnes bluntly as
serts that Mr.. TOWle is an impOstOr. or if
not IS suffering from some form of insani-
ty. This opinion is based on information
SAID to have been CLEANED from the hospi-
tai officials.
Dr. Robert Bovine. house surgeon at the
New l Ork Hospital, told a Herald re-
porter last evening that he could not say
that Mr. Iowle was an impOstOr, nor that
ne was insane, nor yet that he was suf-
ferlng from conclusion Of the brain. For
this injury the planter is under treatment
The Central Office detectives, when the
case came first to their notice. did all i'm
their power to clear it up. So far they
nave been unable to establish the assault
and robbery. but because they have not
there are, 1t Is argued, as vet no real
grounds on which to dispute the assertions
made by the planter. The physicians at
the New York Hospital are all deeply in
terested in MF. TOwle's case, and for sew
eral days have been constantly by his bed
side. From their observations of the
patient, which have been very close, they
are convinced that he is rational, and
they are waiting patiently for develop
ments.
After the inaccurate dispatch concern
Ing Mr.. TOwle's case which was sent by
the Leonard street police to the Central
Office on the 18th had been explained to
Inspector Byrnes, he took immediate
action TO make up for the DELAY. Central
Office detectives secured the neighbOr-
hood of West Broadway and Reade street
m the hope of finding some person who
had witnessed the attack on Mr.. TOwle.
They met with no success, but It is held
10 DE possible that if any attack was
made the robbers We're careful that there
was no one about when they used the
sand bag. Inquiries made by the detec-
tives show that Mr.. TOwle arrived i'm this
city ON June y. On that day he engaged
board at the United States Hotel. His
only baggage was ValiSe. Upon his ar
rival at the hotel he gave the clerk a large
envelope containing greenbacks. which
was placed in the safe. From time to
time the planter called for the envelope
and took out of it twO-dOllar and ten-dOllar
>
the city was TO obtain treatment for an
ailment from which he suffered. and also
10 negotiate for a business partner, having
patented lubTicatiug oils for railroad cars.
He inserted the following advertisement
in daily newspaper:
S-Snn CASH, WITH \ BUSINESS MAN
1elUU Entire control of $500; new staple
goods; business permanent. X. W. United
States Hotel.
Several persons visited the hotel. and
Mr.. T0wle saw and chatted with them
about his patents. Whether or not he
came 10 an agreement with any of his
visitors is vet unknown. In conversation
with several Of the guests the planter said
that he had formed the acquaintance of A
German physician, who had promised to
cure him. and with whom he intended
leaving for Europe.
When Mr.. TOwle left the United States
Hotel and changed TO the Cosmopolitan,
chambers street and West Broadway. his
excuse was that il would be near the
steamer. He informed the detectives that
the German physician whose name he
was AT loss to remember lived i'm Forty
second street, west Of the Grand Central
Depot. That street was searched, but
none of the German physicians living i'm
1t knew anything about Mr.. TOwle. II
was also ascertained that Mr.. TOwle had
not procured passage on the German
steamer Oder. The clerk at the United
States Hotel SAYS that when he gave the
planter back his envelope ON his leaving
the hotel. he did not think there was
more than $50 in it. He, however.
admits that he did not open it, and there
fore, as a matter of fact, does not know
whether the bills it contained were large
or small. The most important point
which the police think tends to prove that
the planter is practicing deception was
ascertained by Detective FOgarty. He
says that during an unguarded moment
the planter spoke to him in the hospital.
Policeman Muller says he saw Mr.. Towle
walking about with his hands in his
pocket some time before he was found un-
conscious between two packing boxes on
Reade street. When discovered by Pri-
vate Watcnman J. J. Morrow all Mr..
T0wle's pockets were turned inside out.
This sums up the information obtained
by the police. To them the case is closed
and their decision Is final. 1t will be good
news to the highwaymen. if they really
relieved Mr.. TOwle of his $1,000, that they
are considered myths or the fancies of a
diseased mind.