New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-12-16
TRIAL OF THE NEGRO MISER, FOWLE
TESTIMONY THAT HE WAS EITHER QUICK
FINGERED ocToGENARIAN OR A SORRY DUPE

FINGERED OCTOGENARIAN OR SORRY DUPE
Boston. Dec. 15 (speciaD-A few weeks ago an old
coored man known Joseph FOwle, who kept
candy store for many years at the West End was
arres ted on the charge of obtaining money by false
pretences from lawyer, John II. Appleton, and also
from the Collateral Loan Bank. Fowle was about
eighty years of age. lie had once been slave.
peculiar feature of his transactions that he pro-
feSsed to give money As security. lie accounted for
his eccentric financial transactions on the ground that
he wanted TO keep the money received from the DIFF
feren separate and had supers dtous objection
to using certain money of his own. He paid at tho
rate of 60 per cent, and higher, for Che tnn-
porary loans and then in the presence Of his victims
deftly substituted rubbish and small amount Of
money for the real article which he had shown the
bank officials and the lawyer.
As the totering form of the colored octogenarian
moved from the prisoners dock to the witness stand
and with remulous voice tried 10 answer the questions
Of his counsel II hard for spectators 10 fancy
that this time after time I'm the last year could
have outwisted astute lawyers and bank officials by
presenting them genuine collateral and then before
their eyes, about foot and a half away" as testified
making fraudulent substitution. lie said that ha
was slave before the war and then had been engaged
in supplying the army officers with refreshments OF
various kinds and that he came OF the with
profits amounting more than $50 600 When he came
to Boston, he opened candy shops I'm different parts of
the city. One Of these was hired from
Mr.. Appleton father of Lawyer Appleton
The unique feature security, which Is sbrougbs
out by all the testimony except his own thus far Is
that he would deposit cash security for cash. For
instance he would take TO Mr.. Appleton four
hundred dollar bills, which he wished TO borrow
$3.50 for few days, saying that he had particular
reasons for wishing to retain the identical bills.
When the bills counted. be would ask them back
f,,r a moment TO roll theT around a piece of paste
board and deposit them in a sealed envelope. IL is
claimed, and the numerous specimens produced In
court as taken from the envelopes tended 10 show.
that he had, by sleight of hand, withdrawn tho
800 bills and substituted roll of $40 bills, folded
that two c!phers appeared after the hgure one.
This done neatly that only keen observation
by suspicious person would be apt to detect it
without reopening the package similar transactions
were had with the Collateral Loan Company tho
total amount being about al, 900. The Old man
positively denies all knowledge of this kind OF transae-
ton, claiming that he cannot read
or write, and that the packages were
put up for him by Ticket seber Of the Boston
theatres Another curious feature is that he would
sometimes deposit. though without obtaining any
additional loan, curious iJokng tunblels couu.efrly
covered with sealing at the top, and showing
from what could BE- seen through the sides. bits Of
gilt paper, common five cent pieces. and various odds
and ends On the outside the label 300 and
the old man explained thl thee contained gold VIII ch
This feature OF the would seem 10 bear Out tho
theory that trc Old mar, as mlseily in.hccile.
Ireyed upon by schemefs. II f. minated that tho
motive power behind the scheme the necessity of
II Is expected that the next ten days Will bring some
curious revelations